Lessons from Hurricanes Past and Present at Republic Airport in Farmingdale

With the 2009 hurricane season approaching, Republic Airport in Farmingdale became a classroom for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) hurricane experts who brought their biggest hurricane hunter aircraft to convince Long Islanders to take future hurricane warnings seriously.

Lt. Commander Al Girimonte, a Babylon native, brought in the P-3 Orion during a wet and rainy morning where he met with students and Babylon residents Gustave Fishel III, middle and Hon. Patrick Henry, former Suffolk District Attorney, survivors of the infamous Hurricane of 1938 that created much death and destruction.

Also present during the hurricane information program were staff from emergency management offices, non-profit organizations such as the American Red Cross, and several local NOAA forecast offices.

Commander Girimonte acknowledged that his fellow Long Islanders don't appreciate the speed and ferocity by which a hurricane can arrive. Fishell recalled how the neighbor's roof disappeared during the hurricane of 1938 and that the Hamptons were totally devastated. "We were just lucky that we didn't get those winds and tide," he said. Henry recalls the sky turning a curious shade of pink just before the hurricane force winds arrived. As he stood on the Republic ramp he noted, "Our history still speaks to us."