Yes, We Really ARE Stronger Than All That . . .

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie issued the following statement on the five-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy:

“Five years ago, Superstorm Sandy forever changed our State. The storm caused coastal and inland flooding on a scale never before endured or envisioned. Hundreds of thousands of homes were destroyed or severely damaged, the power was out, thousands of people took refuge in emergency shelters, and many lives were lost. Virtually everyone in the State was impacted. Only after the wind, rain, and flood water receded were we able to fully grasp the magnitude of Sandy’s devastation. It became clear that full recovery from Sandy would take years.

“Working together with Federal and local partners, we have made tremendous progress in rebuilding stronger over the last five years. We have rebuilt more than 5,500 Sandy-damaged homes that are now constructed to better withstand future storms. Where rebuilding in flood-prone areas was not practical, we have begun to buy out more than 1,000 homes to move families out of harm’s way and, in turn, permanently preserve these flood-prone lands. We restored and replaced thousands of rental units to maintain affordable housing stock, with thousands more rental units to be constructed in the coming years. We have invested hundreds of millions of dollars to support small businesses as we continue to spur local Sandy-impacted economies. Our utilities and critical facilities have been and continue to be rebuilt in a resilient manner, pushing innovation in preparation for future disasters.

“While we have made record progress, there is still more to do. I will not be satisfied until every family affected by Sandy is fully recovered. But, we have already made significant progress, we will keep moving forward, and we will get the job done.

“I’m proud to say that we truly are stronger than the storm. Due to the work of this Administration, in partnership with the Federal government and the citizens of our State, we have rebuilt to ensure that we are stronger than the next storm as well.”