The Storm of 1938. It was a devastating hurricane that hit eastern Long Island in that fateful year. The total cost of damage on Long Island between the Jones Inlet and Montauk Point was estimated at $6.2 million (at 1938 prices) and over 50 people were killed as the storm cut across the island into the New England region. The storm destroyed or damaged a thousand homes and farms, countless automobiles and has been ranked as the sixth costliest storm of all-time.

Now consider that Long Island is presently one of the most densely populated regions in the country, and that the last four years have seen the greatest concentration of storms coming from the Atlantic basin since they have been recorded. Throw in that old adage, if it happened before it could happen again and suddenly the idea of having a plan of action in the case of a hurricane does not seem so unnecessary. So as a predicted active and potentially dangerous hurricane season gets underway, the Town of Oyster Bay introduced its first ever comprehensive Emergency Response Plan earlier this week.

Several years in the making, the response plan is a blueprint to prepare and react in emergency situations, particularly weather emergencies such as hurricanes and nor' easters.

According to Councilman Leonard Symons, the plan defines specific responsibilities to the various levels of government within the town which they will be responsible for in an emergency situation.

"When you have an emergency to the potential degree that we are looking at, a major nor'easter or hurricane, you cannot start to fly by the seat of your pants and figure out who does what," said Symons, who began work on the project several years ago. "Everybody has to have responsibilities and know what to do."

The plan consists of planning phase (outlining everyone's responsibilities), a response phase (ways for residents to communicate problems through proper channels) and a recovery phase (such as tree removal, and addressing gas and electric disruptions).

The presentation was complemented by Michael Wyllie, meteorologist in charge at the New York National Weather Service Office. He was met by an anxious and somewhat hostile audience who were not interested in learning about the plan or the dangers that exist from huge storms, but were waiting for a hearing later in the evening. Their unwillingness to learn what needs to be done in weather emergency situations is one of the greatest failings in surviving a hurricane, said Wyllie.

"I think what you gleaned there is really the attitude that prevails on the island when it comes to emergency management and that kind of thing," said Symons. "No one takes it real seriously and that is why we say complacency is the real enemy."

"You saw people who just don't take mother nature and the power of storms very seriously."

Symons trained at the National Hurricane Center earlier this year and explained that the development of a response plan is only the first step in surviving a hurricane. The next step is to change people's perception of the dangers incorporated with a hurricane. He plans to get over the next few months and hold informational forums teaching people what has to be done to protect property and save lives in case of hurricane.

The plan was coordinated with the State Emergency Management Office (SEMO), the Nassau County Emergency Management Office, and village governments throughout the town.

"While we have tailored our plan for the town of Oyster Bay, its coordination [with other organizations] is essential for the success of any emergency management plan"

"A disaster does not have to be a catastrophe. That is the essence of having that kind of plan. The plan is to save lives and to protect property. If we use that plan, we apply that plan, and we implement that plan and we know what we are doing then as a township we will all be better off.