By Brenda Flanagan
Correspondent
“I think the article slams New Jersey because everybody loves to slam New Jersey,” said Rosemary Barone.
That’s Barone’s take on the TIME Magazine’s recently-published “Disaster Index.” It ranks Ocean County as the Number One Most Dangerous Place to live — in the entire country — based on potential
for natural disasters. Like Sandy. Residents in Ortley Beach admit, that one hurt.
“All the small bungalows are gone, now. But dangerous to live in this county? Not at all. Not at all. And I think it’s a slam against the state of New Jersey,” said Barone.
“Tornadoes in Indiana’s probably more dangerous than down here. The Midwest? People get destroyed every week, down there,” said Jay Barretta.
“That’s crazy – it’s insane! I can’t even – what are their – how are their statistics being proven like that? Do they actually have how many storms in Ocean County,” said Faith Barretta.
In fact, TIME put six New Jersey counties up in the top 15 most dangerous-— according to its calculations: Ocean, plus Cape May, Monmouth, Burlington, Atlantic and Camden. TIME says it data-mined records from 44 different categories of natural disaster-— including hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes-— all information collected by NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
“I’m a little angry. I think it was journalism at its worst and I don’t think they should’ve put that out there, especially with all these people trying to rebuild their homes. You gotta feel for these people,” said Seaside Heights Police Chief Tommy Boyd.
Boyd says that despite the assurances of accurate science from TIME, the index is arbitrary and prompted by one event: Sandy.
“Absolutely – without a doubt – it’s Sandy-driven. But to sit there and do this article now, at this time, when people are trying to get on their feet– that’s not the right thing to do,” said Boyd.
The TIME’s index also names the nation’s safest place: Sweet Grass, Montana — population 3,600 — scene of a PBS documentary about sheep-herding.
On his Labor Day weekend tour of Point Pleasant and Seaside Heights, Gov. Christie called the TIME index a “broad generalization” and noted Jersey’s worked with the Corps of Engineers to build dune barriers and sea walls, to protect its oceanfront communities. Obviously — post-Sandy rebuilding continues. And Ortley residents say they realize it’s a barrier island, and so more vulnerable. That’s why they are raising homes up higher.
“I can’t see moving. I love it here. And I don’t think it’s unsafe. I’m not afraid of another bad storm — that’s for sure,” said Faith Barretta.
I spoke with Mike Mastronardy – he’s the boss at Ocean County’s Office of Emergency Management. He told me, the article took him by surprise. He says, it makes good headlines, but it’s not reality, and he feels “sort of blessed” to live here. On a day like this – you can see why.