New Jersey experienced one of its worst natural disasters in 2012 affecting millions of residents and causing
billions of dollars in damages. The aftermath of Superstorm Sandy is still evident, months after the storm arrived that devastated the northeast coast. Two facts are illuminated by the storm and they are incontrovertible: 1) New Jersey will face disaster emergencies in the future as the result of natural climate events and 2) public sector officials are never completely prepared to address these future catastrophes.

There have been numerous hearings and reports regarding the response to Sandy including state legislative
hearings, federal assessments of New Jersey’s topography, and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities investigation of public utility companies’ responses to the emergency statewide. The examination of the facts of the response provided numerous recommendations and suggestions regarding prevention and remediation for future events. The analyses are immensely valuable in identifying what needs to be done in the future. While the reports created by those investigative bodies reflect the insight and experience of professionals with training in specialized areas they may not necessarily discern the picture from the view of local officials.