SeaStreak accident left more than 70 passengers injured

By Caroline Lewis

With a full investigation under way, the SeaStreak resumed full service this week, ferrying commuters between Atlantic Highlands, N.J., and Wall Street.

Many passengers on board were already out of their seats and moving toward the exit of the SeaStreak Wall Street vessel, ready to make their way to work, when it crashed into Pier 11 on its second trip of the day last Wednesday morning. As Captain Jason Reimer rushed between the ferry’s control stations trying to get one of the recently modified consoles to respond, both diesel engines shut down. More than 70 of the 326 passengers and five crew members on board were injured, sustaining minor to serious head injuries.

”I woke up about 6 feet from where I was standing,” said ferry passenger Ashley Furman, who was visibly shaken after the crash. She said she sat with two women she knew who were bleeding until medics came to load them into ambulances.

In July, the SeaStreak Wall Street was converted from a water jet system to a controllable pitch propulsion system and the new system is under investigation as one possible cause of the accident. “The engine remained the same; it was the propulsion system that actually changed,” said Robert Sumwalt in his last update on the investigation of the accident by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

“Since we purchased the company in the spring of 2008, we have implemented numerous changes to the vessels and the service, many of which relate to safety,” SeaStreak President James Barker wrote on the company’s website.

A spokesperson for SeaStreak says the NTSB has requested that the company not comment on the cause of the accident, sentiments of the captain or crew, or future safety measures they plan to take until the investigation is completed. He did say that the company is reaching out to passengers on its Facebook page, where the company has received an outpouring of positive support.

Captain Reimer, at the helm at the time of the accident, was the most experienced captain at SeaStreak , the NTSB discovered. He had conducted the sea trials of the vessel after it was modified and he was also responsible for training other crew members on how to operate it.

The NTSB is speaking with passengers and has interviewed the crew members, who were all breathalyzed and determined to be sober immediately following the incident. “Each of these crew members is shaken and very concerned about the accident,” said Sumwalt, following initial contact with the SeaStreak team.

The NTSB and SeaStreak Wall Street’s engine manufacturer are in the process of reviewing closed-caption video of the engines. According to Sumwalt, this new information may shed light on the specific cause of the accident.

By one account, crew members have grumbled about the vessel’s new propulsion system, saying it was more difficult to operate.

“I was talking to one of the employees, and he was telling me that none of these guys like this boat—the captains—because it has something different. It’s not jet-propelled or something,” eyewitness Dee Wertz told the Associated Press after the accident. “After he said that, literally, the front of the boat hit into the corner of the barge.”

This is not the first accident for SeaStreak, or even this particular vessel, according to U.S. Coast Guard records. The same ferry (with the previous propulsion system) was involved in a crash of unspecified cause in 2010. Since 2007, SeaStreak vessels have been involved in 10 separate incidents.

New York City used SeaStreak to expand ferry service to the Rockaways after Sandy shut down subways. According to a spokesperson from the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the expanded service has been very popular and the Request for Proposals from other companies to permanently run the service remains.

Besides traditional letter-writing, many camps offer families different forms of communication to stay connected to their children.

ONE-WAY EMAILS
Today’s parents are busy, and camps know that email is an easy and convenient way for them to keep in touch with their children while they are at camp. Many summer camps subscribe to services that allows parents to send one-way emails to their campers; the emails are printed out and given to campers with the mail. Most camps don’t allow email correspondence back, but campers can write their parents letters in response. One-way email is a quick and efficient way for parents to correspond with their children.

CELLPHONES
The majority of summer camps have a no-cellphone policy. Parents and children are asked to honor this policy and leave cellphones at home. Some parents try and hide a cellphone with their children’s clothes, but by doing this, parents are going against the camp’s policy and they are teaching their children that it is okay to break rules. Camp is a chance for children to gain independence from their parents and learn to solve problems on their own or with the assistance of camp staff. Even if parents find this policy difficult because they are accustomed to contacting their child whenever they would like, they should remember that camp is a place for campers to unplug from technology, build independence and be a positive, cooperative and rules-respecting member of a community while being apart from their family.

ONLINE PHOTOS/VIDEOS
Many camps post daily or weekly pictures of campers enjoying activities on a password-controlled website. Through these services, parents are able to email their favorite pictures to friends and family, download pictures and purchase the photos. Camps also post pictures and video on their camp’s Facebook page. The advantage to these pictures and videos being posted is that parents are able to get a glimpse of their child at summer camp doing various activities. The disadvantage is parents can read into an emotion they see on their child’s face. For instance, a look of concentration on a child’s face when focusing on playing a sport can be misconstrued as being unhappy. Or if a photographer doesn’t capture a photo of a child for a few days, parents can think something is wrong and they may wonder where their child is. (Insider Tip: If you feel you’re not seeing enough of your child in the photos, tell them in your next letter to pay more attention when the photographer comes around.)

PHONE CALLS
Each camp has its own phone policy when it comes to camper and parent phone calls. Some camps allow scheduled phone calls once a week, some a few times a session, others once a session and others not at all. If your child has a birthday during the camp session, a phone call is almost always allowed for that special day. Make sure you check with your camp before camp begins to understand their phone call policy. Families should keep in mind that while they may be excited to hear their child’s voice, sometimes hearing a parent’s voice can be difficult even for a well-adjusted camper having a wonderful summer.

Frost Valley YMCA, a resident camp in Claryville, N.Y., has a no-phone-call policy between camper and parents. “Our campers are here for two-week sessions. A child that is here can often take three or four days to get adjusted to camp. If a child hears their parents’ voice, even if the child is well adjusted at camp, he or she could get upset,” says Dan Weir, director of Frost Valley YMCA. “Parents are welcome to call us for updates on their child. We also post 80 pictures online every other day of each age group, post on our blog throughout the summer, and allow for one-way emails from parents to camper. Parents want information about their child and we do our best to provide it while maintaining our camp philosophy.”

Campus Kids-Minisink in Port Jervis, N.Y., a weekday resident camp where children go home on the weekends, allows campers to call home up to two times a week. “We draw many new families that aren’t considering traditional sleepaway camp. These children want to try sleepaway camp but they aren’t interested in long sessions,” says Jani Brokaw, director of Campus Kids-Minisink. “Just knowing that phone calls are an option eases any concerns our parents and campers have. We have many kids that don’t take advantage of the phone calls, but knowing that calling home is an option is comforting to them.”

WRITING LETTERS
Letter writing between campers and parents has always been the traditional way to communicate while a child is at resident camp, of course. In an age where children don’t often write letters, camp gives children the chance to maintain the almost lost art of letter correspondence. Many camps have a scheduled number of letters that campers must write their parents during the summer, and camps encourage parents to write letters to their campers. “The hand-written letter is important both as a real, personal account of events, thoughts and feelings between parents and children, but also as an important step in the child’s in-camp development of life skills including self-expression and communication,” says Andrew Keener, director of Camp Sloane YMCA, a resident camp in Lakeville, Conn. Camp Sloane has a no-phone-call policy but posts pictures online and allows parents to send one-way emails.

Find the perfect camp for your child at TheRightCamp.com

I’m not the only child of the Garden State who has lamented the bastardization of our diverse homeland, and I’ve made a tentative peace with it. I’ve always been proud of my NJ heritage, though not above making fun of the parts that deserve it. Newark, in the industrial areas, is indeed smelly. That doesn’t mean the entire state wreaks of garbage.

Now, I am just as heartbroken as Chris Christie that the Jersey shore of our collective youths has been decimated by Hurricane Sandy. For me, this is not the Jersey shore of some MTV producer’s making, but  one of gorgeous, uncrowded beaches  in towns with names like Avalon-by-the-Sea and Brighton, with surprise fireworks displays and artisanal ice cream stands. It’s made of memories of actually swimming in the ocean and avoiding the punishing sun on my super-fair skin at all costs.

That’s why, though I want to support any effort to raise money for the victims of Sandy in both my former home and my current one, New York, I physically cringed when I read a PR email imploring me to “Jersey up the holidays!” in support of fundraising campaigns.

“‘A Very Jersey Xmas‘ calls on everyone who has ever lived in New Jersey, has family in New Jersey, enjoyed a turn on the New Jersey Turnpike, watched Jersey Shore, The Sopranos or Real Housewives of New Jersey, OR who just wants an excuse to party in leopard print to dedicate this holiday giving season to hurricane relief, Jersey-style.”

It goes on to suggest fundraising levels ($10 is a Snooki) and “Jersey garb,” which apparently means velour tracksuits.

This, I cannot support.

I know that every subset of our country endures its own grossly exaggerated stereotyping. People from San Francisco are annoyingly liberal; people from Texas are drawling hicks; people from Connecticut are rich snobs, etc. My best friend once had someone ask her at a party in New Orleans if she knew Tony Soprano. Like she thought he was a real person, and also that my friend, a college-age girl from a random small-town suburb, would be pals with him. This shit happens all the time.

Still, I fight against it. Jersey isn’t a verb, and when people apply the term to mean “dress slutty and act drunk!” it’s insulting to everyone, not just those from Jersey. No one needs a geographic excuse to be drunk and slutty! Have at it, I say! Just don’t pretend that “it’s a Jersey thing.” It’s not. Wearing leopard print spandex and attacking your frenemies over lunch in front of a realty-TV crew isn’t “Jersey style,” it’s just tacky. Tacky you can find all over this great country, not just in NJ.

If people want to party like d-bags and raise money for Hurricane Sandy relief, that’s great. Just please don’t do it in the name of my home state. This is coming to you from a through-and-through “Jersey girl” (born in New Brunswick, lived in the state for 22 years) who has never known a press-on nail, a spray tan, or a Bruce Springsteen concert. If anyone wants to make a reality show about the traffic-sense superiority of jug handles, 24-hour diners, and singing in high school barbershop choirs, though, give me a call.

Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons

Numerous commuters were met with unfortunate circumstances last night on their way into Manhattan. An exposed “finger joint” on the George Washington Bridge gave 20 drivers flat tires on the way into New York from New Jersey, reports Gothamist. Delays were reportedly so severe, miles of cars were lined up waiting to get into Manhattan.

One victim of the exposed finger joint told WCBS 2 tow trucks would not come onto the bridge, and the affected cars were forced to drive away on their rims. The problem, which occurred last night around 10 p.m., was fixed by this morning, reports Gothamist.

—Alissa Fleck

Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons

The series of storms hitting the New York region this past weekend left destruction in its wake, causing at least one fatality and wreaking havoc on trees and residents’ power. Approximately 20,000 people lost power in the northern part of the state, reported WABC, while New York City and Long Island reported fewer outages, most of which had already been restored by Friday.

New Jersey experienced 25,770 power outages from the storm, and as of Monday morning, NBC reported hundreds still did not have power in central New Jersey from a Saturday night reprise. For many in the region, it could be days still before power is restored.

As of Sunday evening, Chemung County in New York reported a number of uninhabitable homes, according to WETM. A state of emergency was still in effect at that time.

Governor Andrew Cuomo said of his decision to declare a state of emergency in the area: “There were reports of isolated fires, and roofs torn off small structures, and people trapped in vehicles because of downed power lines.”

—Alissa Fleck

Photo by Bob B Brown, courtesy of Flickr Commons.

by Adel Manoukian

Designer duds retailer Daffy’s is closing all of its 12 NYC locations in the upcoming months.

Spokesperson Michael McMullan released the news earlier this week to the Associated Press that the 51-year old chain has been going through much financial turmoil, having competition from similar chains, like Marshalls and TJ Maxx. Other similar businesses, like Syms and Filene’s Basement have also gone out of business recently due to better deals from other fashion stores as well as the frail economy.

Daffy’s, a Secaucus, New Jersey-based retailer, has 19 stores in total-one in Philadelphia, eight in Manhattan, and six in New Jersey. It offers customers national fashion brands at up to 80% off the original cost. But now that these national brands are opening up their own outlets, they leave outside-retailers with little opportunity to buy last season’s clothing to sell at a discounted rate.

The chain, whose ads have recently sprouted on trains, will ensure that its 1,300 employees, located around New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia, will receive their paychecks and benefits for at least 60 more days.

The exact date of final liquidation is unknown.

The Jersey Shore may have gained planetary recognition thanks to the infamous MTV reality show, but the world has yet to hear about Jersey’s latest trashy celeb. I am referring of course to Governor Chris Christie, whose latest stunt involved a testosterone-filled altercation with a passerby.

Gov. Christie, who was casually enjoying an ice cream cone along the Jersey Shore on Thursday, apparently lost his temper after a man made a negative comment about his stance on education.

Christie, who was surrounded by his family and what appear to be bodyguards, called out the unfortunate passerby, screaming “You’re a real big shot running your mouth off.”

“Just take care of the teachers,” the man replied. Christie, who did not want to see this insolence go unpunished, turned around and aggressively walked towards the man, shouting “Keep walking away! Real good, keep walking…”

Someone recorded the scene and the video was made available on TMZ the next day.

This is not the first time that Christie’s explosive temperament makes headlines. A week earlier, the New Jersey Governor had insulted a reporter by calling him an “idiot” after being asked an off-topic question.

While part of the public appreciates Christie for his honesty and outspokenness, many see this latest stunt as taking it a step too far: A poll held by nj.com found that over 80% of respondents thought Christie’s tirades made New Jersey look bad. A similar poll has yet to be held for Snooki.

If you’re worried about how to afford summer camp,
here are some cost-saving steps to consider

Summer camp is a wonderful opportunity for children to learn life lessons like leadership, independence and self-confidence, as well as trying new activities like sailing, ropes course and waterskiing. It’s hard to put a price tag on your child’s learning and growth experiences, but parents should know that with a little planning and research there are a number of ways-some perhaps obvious, some less so-to help make summer camp more affordable. Adam Weinstein, executive director of the American Camp Association, New York and New Jersey, said, “With careful planning, parents can find a camp that works within their families means. When you think about how much it costs to have a child home all summer, with child care and activities, you realize you can be paying a very small premium for a very rich experience.”

Look for camp early
It isn’t too early to look for a summer camp for the summer of 2012 or even 2013. Tour camps this summer while the camp is in action. Some camps offer early bird specials for registering now so you can register soon after the camp tour for savings. Searching for camp early also gives families a longer time to plan financially for camp.

Gifts
Camp can be given to children as part of birthday gifts and holiday gifts and parents can budget for these gifts throughout the year. Likewise, members of the extended family, like grandparents, may also contribute to a gift like camp.

Search camps by cost
There is a camp for every budget. Families can search the American Camp Association, New York and New Jersey’s website searchforacamp.org by cost as well as day/sleepaway, location, activities or single-sex/coed/brother-sister camps. (Therightcamp.com also has a good camp search engine.) Likewise, families can also call the American Camp Association, NY and NJ camper placement specialist at 212-391-5208 for free, one-on-one advice on finding the right camp at the right price for your family. Keep in mind that some Y camps, in particular, view it as part of their mission to accept a certain percentage of kids from families with modest means.

Assistance offered from the U.S government
The government offers programs that may help families save money on summer camp.
A Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account-A Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account allows parents to be reimbursed on a pre-tax basis for child care or adult dependent care expenses that are necessary to allow parents to work, look for work, or attend school full-time while they are caring for qualified dependents. Visit the FSA Feds website at fsafeds.com for more information. In certain circumstances, day camp expenses, including transportation by a care provider, may be considered dependent care services.
• Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit—the IRS allows an income tax credit of up to $6,000 of dependent care expenses if you have two or more dependents (up to $3,000 for one dependent). The amount of the credit is based on your adjusted gross income and applies only to your federal taxes. This applies to qualifying day camp expenses as well. Visit the FSA Feds website for more information.

Talk to the camp director
Parents should talk to the camp director at the camp they are interested in sending their child to. Some camps offer sibling discounts or early bird specials for registering early and payment plans‚Äîand that‚Äôs just the official policy. If you have your heart set on a camp but can’t afford it, talk to the director to see if he or she would consider a sliding scale rate in your case. You never know.

Hold a fundraiser
I know this might seem like an overly self-serving solicitation, but if you do it in a way that shows spunk and creativity-and your child helps take the lead on it-you’d be surprised how friends and neighbors might be charmed by the idea of an effort to raise money for camp. Even something as old-fashioned as a lemonade stand with good signage about where the money is going might be an attention-getter and profit-maker.  But use real lemons.  People appreciate authenticity.

A priorities list for your camp search

| By Jess Michaels

When researching a summer camp for your child, there are certain pieces of information you should know in order to make an informed decision. Whether you speak to the camp director in person or by phone, the American Camp Association, New York and New Jersey (ACA, NY and NJ) recommends asking these 10 questions to help you get started.

1. What is the camp’s mission and philosophy? Each camp is unique in its programming and approaches, so it’s important that the director can easily explain what they’re all about. Ask the director about the type of child that is typically successful. Renee Flax, director of camper placement for ACA, NY and NJ, said, “Knowing your child’s personality and learning style, along with carefully considering whether or not the camp’s philosophy matches your own philosophy, are valuable in selecting the right camp.”

2. What does the camp’s programming involve? Think about if you are looking for a well-rounded camp experience or a specialty program, like martial arts or theater. What activities are must-haves for your child? How long is each activity? How many electives do the campers get and what kind of guidance do they receive in choosing them?

3. What type of training and education does the director have? The ACA recommends that directors possess a bachelor’s degree, have completed in-service training within the past three years and have at least 16 weeks of camp administrative experience.

4. What are the enrollment options? What is the length of the program offered? Is there flexibility? You should also inquire about available transportation.

5. What is the staff like? It’s important to know who will be caring for your child.Ask about the age make-up, pre-season and on-going staff trainings, the camper-to-staff ratio and cabin supervision. “Parents should not only ask the camp about how many hours or types of training the staff has, but more importantly, the overarching philosophy and message being delivered to the staff,” said Paul Isserles, director of Buckley Country Day Camp in Roslyn, N.Y. At a minimum, camp staff should be trained in safety regulations, emergency procedures and communication, behavior management techniques, child abuse prevention, appropriate staff and camper behavior and specific procedures for supervision.

6. What percentage of the campers return each year? A large number of returning campers usually indicates a high level of satisfaction with the camp’s programming and operation.
7. What are the safety procedures? Ask about the safety measures that are in place. These can include medical personnel on property, emergency plans, staff screening procedures and instructor qualifications.

8. Is the camp accredited? Find out if the program follows a nationally known accreditation process and if it’s inspected each summer by the Department of Health. The ACA is the only national organization that establishes uniform standards for reviewing camps.

9. Can the camp accommodate special needs? If your child has special requirements, such as food allergies, religious obligations or a learning disability, ask how the camp proceeds.

10. Can the camp provide references? This is generally one of the best ways to check a camp’s reputation and service record. Ask other parents about the experiences of their children at the camp and whether their child is returning or attending for the first time. “Parents can provide you with an ‘inside’ perspective on how camp impacted their children directly,” said Sam Borek, owner/director of Woodmont Day Camp in New City, N.Y.

Still have questions? Come ask them in person at a free camp fair hosted by New York Family and the ACA, NY and NJ. Visit newyorkfamilycamps.com for more info.

Texas native Robert Jackson spent three and a half years compiling a complete history of a structure far from his home, something 33 million East Coasters pass through every year—the Holland Tunnel. Built in 1927, this daily part of New Yorkers’ lives was at the time the longest and largest vehicular tunnel in the entire world, the first to utilize a ventilation system.

Robert Jackson

In Highway Under the Hudson, Jackson delves into not only the history of this famous tunnel but the drama behind its construction, the people involved and the unique engineering that took place. “Engineering has played a major role in the social and economic development of our country, impacting our character and our attitudes,” he said. “In nearly every instance, there are fascinating and untold stories behind the creation of ‘engineered’ elements of our built environment, such as bridges, tunnels and highways.”

Since 1995, Jackson, who also works as an urban and environmental planner, has written about the nation’s engineering and industrial heritage, including in his previous book about St. Louis’ Eads Bridge.

What drew you to writing about the Holland Tunnel?

A few years ago, Director of New York University Press Steve Maikowski decided that a book on the Holland Tunnel needed to be written and he began searching for an author. I was recommended to him and was eager to accept the challenge due to my strong interest in the history of transportation engineering. After reading my history of the Eads Bridge, Steve decided that I was the right person to tackle the story and the rest, as they say, is history.

This is a very rich history; how did you start your research?

I began my research by contacting the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to see what records it retained from the state commissions that built the tunnel, before they merged with the Port Authority in 1930. Unfortunately, all of those records had been stored in the Port Authority library in the World Trade Center and were lost on 9/11. But the New York State Library and Archives in Albany and the New York Public Library had enough material to get me started. I also relied upon the C. M. Holland Collection at Case Western University and found other bits and pieces of documentation in other libraries as I went along.

What surprised you most about the Holland Tunnel?

When I began, I assumed that the tunnel had been built primarily for use by passenger vehicles, with truck traffic being of lesser importance. Just the opposite was true; it was built to facilitate the movement of freight from New Jersey to New York, with accommodation of passenger vehicles a secondary consideration. I was also surprised to find that, around the time of World War I, approximately 50 percent of the nation’s foreign trade annually passed through the port of New York.

What did not surprise me because I have studied other great construction projects but might surprise others is the cost in human life of building and maintaining a major piece of urban infrastructure. By my count, at least 14 workers died during construction of the tunnel, though it was thought that only 13 had died until I did my research. Also, two men, one firefighter and one patrol officer, died during the fire of 1949. It had previously been assumed that no one died because of the fire. In addition, two of the chief engineers died from overwork while the tunnel was under construction.

How does the Holland Tunnel compare to other large passenger tunnels?

There are many other vehicular tunnels that exceed the Holland Tunnel in size, length or visual beauty, but the Holland Tunnel holds a unique place in the history of tunnel engineering as the first such structure that was mechanically ventilated. It thus influenced the design of virtually every vehicular tunnel that came after it. It will never relinquish its place as a seminal work of civil and mechanical engineering.

How long do you think the tunnel will last?

All great works of humankind are destined to fade away at some point, but, as the title of my last chapter states, the Holland Tunnel was built to last. I believe that with proper maintenance, it will remain in use long after you and I are gone.

What structure would you like to write a book on next?

I’m currently working on a historical fiction crime novel set in Dallas in 1936. After that, I want to do a documentary film about a subject that I’m keeping to myself, for now. I would hate for someone else to beat me to it.

Sandhogs waiting during the construction of the Holland Tunnel.