Diesel tank ruptures

An estimated 300,000 gallons of diesel spilled in Sewaren, New Jersey Most of it has been contained, Coast Guard official says (CNN) -- The refining company Motiva has notified officials that an estimated 300,000 gallons of diesel spilled at its facility in Sewaren, New Jersey, when Superstorm Sandy pushed through, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman said. Russell Tibbets of the Coast Guard told CNN on Wednesday the incident occurred when one tank ruptured. Most of the diesel was contained by a backup containment unit, he said. Earlier Wednesday, Shell, which owns part of Motiva, said at least two diesel storage tanks were damaged at Motiva's Sewaren terminal. It said the amount of the spill was unknown, but there were no further incidents. Sewaren is across from Staten Island. "Previously deployed booms are continuing to skim released product in the Woodbridge Creek adjacent to the site," Shell said in a statement. The Coast Guard is providing oversight of Motiva's cleanup, which includes the placement of containment booms, according to Tibbets. Vacuum trucks and about 100 workers will assist in the effort. The Coast Guard, Motiva and state officials will work to verify the spill amount, Tibbets said. Shell said terminals in New Jersey and New York had flooding because of the storm surge, as well as loss of power. Communities start cleanup after Sandy

India evacuates 5,000 ahead of cyclone

Onlookers gather after an oil tanker ran aground off Chennai on Wednesday in high winds before the cyclone's landfall. Cyclone Nilam is packing winds of up to 60 mph People in low-lying areas of Tamil Nadu state were evacuated A storm surge is expected to flood some regions, forecasters said New Delhi (CNN) -- At least 5,000 people were evacuated from India's southern coast Wednesday as powerful Cyclone Nilam surged in, authorities said. Evacuations were ordered in low-lying areas off the coast of Tamil Nadu state, said Jatindranath Swain, the province's disaster management commissioner. A ship with 37 people on board became grounded as the storm made landfall, he said. No immediate details were available about the type and origin of the stuck vessel, but Swain said naval divers were engaged in the rescue. According to the latest bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Nilam crossed the southern coast at 4:30 p.m. 7 ways to manage stress in a disaster Emergency crews were patrolling vulnerable zones in Tamil Nadu, Swain told CNN. Governments in neighboring Andhra Pradesh state and the federally-administered territory of Puducherry said they were prepared to deal with Nilam, but no evacuations had been ordered in those areas so far. For now, disaster management officials have ruled out the possibility of a major loss of life from the storm that the country's weather office warned was packed with high-speed winds. However, the national weather department has forecast heavy rains in parts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry. "Gale wind-speed reaching 80-90 kph (50-56 mph) gusting to 100 kph (62 mph) would prevail along and off north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts during next 24 hours," it said. Weather officials also predicted a storm surge that was likely to inundate low-lying areas, mainly along Tamil Nadu's coast. Forecasters warned that residents should expect extensive damage to thatched roofs and huts from Nilam and advised fishermen not to venture into the sea until the storm has passed. Experts warn of superstorm era to come

High court on dogs: Stay? Overturn?

Testimony about drug sniffing dogs heard by the Supreme Court Wednesday is central to a review of Fourth Amendment rights. Supreme Court arguments cover role of police dogs in sniffing out drugs, other contraband Two appeals could have far-reaching impact on when a person's home can be searched Fourth Amendment covers unreasonable searches and seizures Cases come as studies question reliability of drug sniffing dogs Washington (CNN) -- It was no Halloween trick that dogs were on the docket at the Supreme Court on Wednesday. Franky, a chocolate Labrador, and Aldo, a German shepherd, are both police dogs in Florida but their cases were front and center at oral arguments in an important review of Fourth Amendment rights. At issue is whether subsequent searches can be sought when canines get a whiff of suspected drugs or other contraband from outside a home or a car. Two separate appeals from criminal defendants could have a far-reaching impact on when a person's private contents can be subjected to a search without clear probable cause or a valid search warrant. The Fourth Amendment grants the "right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures." The issue of citizen privacy has been particularly acute since the 9/11 attacks. Federal and state governments have stepped up surveillance of suspected terrorists and their allies and high-risk targets, like government buildings and shopping malls. The Supreme Court in recent years has generally given law enforcement some latitude to conduct their duties in a heightened security environment, but not without some checks. The cases argued on Wednesday also come as recent studies have raised questions about the accuracy of canine drug alerts. Photos: 15 Supreme Court cases that changed America Franky The first case dealt with Joelis Jardines. Miami-Dade police, acting on a tip, went to his front door six years ago with Franky in tow. The animal quickly responded, barking in the driveway, sniffing at the door, then sitting as he was trained-- a signal drugs were nearby. A detective testified he, too, smelled an unusual odor and noticed the air conditioning running continuously, along with the presence of moth balls on the stoop, used to mask scents. The officers remained nearby on the premises while a search warrant was obtained. Marijuana was found growing in the house. The Florida Supreme Court overturned the conviction, concluding the warrantless use of Franky was "unreasonable government intrusion into the sanctity of the home." The high court -- especially in this case -- appeared ready to pare the discretion of officers to conduct surveillance outside a private residence then rely on marijuana odors to secure a warrant. "It seems to me crucial that this officer went onto the portion of the house to which there is privacy," said Justice Antonin Scalia, "and used a means of discerning what was in the house that should not have been available in that space." Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said that unlike trick-or-treaters, or a door-to-door salesman, there was no implied consent for the presence of police in this case. "You can say, yes, there's an implied invitation to the Girl Scout cookie seller, to the postman, even to the police officer, but not police officer with dog, when the only reason for having the dog is to find out if there's contraband in the house," she said. Gregory Garre, arguing for the state, cited 2005 U.S. Supreme Court precedent that concluded dog sniffs are not an invasion of privacy. Several justices appeared unconvinced, worried about the potential for police stepping over the constitutional line. Several justices also wondered whether advances in technology beyond a dog's wet snout would create greater constitutional concerns. On the other side, several justices said the defendant's actions in part contributed to police bringing a drug dog and initiating a search. "Are we talking about the expectation of privacy in the marijuana or the expectation of privacy in the odor?" asked Chief Justice John Roberts. "It seems to me that you may have an expectation of privacy in the marijuana plants, but you don't have an expectation of privacy in the odor, because you're emitting it out, out into the world, and it's the odor that was detected." Howard Blumberg, Jardines public defender, told the court this was a clear violation -- "exactly what a narcotics detection dog is doing, revealing details in the home the individual seeks to keep private." Justice Samuel Alito shook his head, saying that reasoning "is so broad, it is clearly incorrect." "Two officers go up to two identical houses. One goes up with the subjective intent to sniff. The other one goes up with the subjective intent to drop off the tickets to the Policeman's Ball. Your answer is one is a search, one is not a search." Roberts wondered whether a drug sniff from the sidewalk would be acceptable. Blumberg said while not a "search," it was not permissible, since the homeowner's privacy was still being violated. Aldo The second case involved Clayton Harris, who was stopped by a sheriff's deputy in Liberty County outside Tallahassee in 2006 for an expired license tag. The officer brought in Aldo the shepherd, who focused on the truck's door handle. A subsequent search produced 200 pills inside the vehicle used to make methamphetamine. Harris was charged, and the state high court also later reversed the conviction. Those justices found the dog to be unreliable, since a few weeks after the initial search, the man was again stopped in his vehicle and the dog again alerted the door handle for the presence of drugs. But this time, none were found. The state high court concluded the state's general assertion a dog was sufficiently "trained" and "certified" was not enough alone to establish probable cause justifying vehicle searches. The cases argued Wednesday are Florida v. Jardines (11-564) and Florida v. Harris (11-817). Rulings are expected in coming months. Despite hurricane, the Supreme Court opens as scheduled

For some New Yorkers, back to business as usual

By Becky Bratu, NBC News Despite power outages, flooding and a crippled transportation system, New Yorkers stepped out into the streets Wednesday, trying to regain their daily fast-paced rhythm.  Getting to work  The sun was not up yet over Central Park and torn branches and debris from Superstorm Sandy were still scattered along Fifth Avenue as several New Yorkers huddled around a bus stop on the Upper East Side. They lined up as the bus approached, and, as a woman wearing scrubs took the first steps into the bus, the driver stopped her from paying the fare.  "It's free today," she said.  Buses and taxis were only a small part of the traffic crisscrossing streets at a brisk and, at times, busy pace for 6:45 a.m. The congestion became a serious concern as the day progressed, and Wednesday afternoon New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he would restrict car traffic coming into Manhattan to vehicles carrying three or more passengers until Friday.  Jonathan Sanger / NBC News Restaurant workers remove water from the flooded basement of the 11B Express pizzeria in the East Village, New York, on Wednesday. While some bus service resumed and some bridges reopened, transit officials said they couldn't predict when the entire subway would be fully restored. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that parts of the subway would begin running again Thursday morning.  On Broadway  Many of Broadway's 40 theaters, which had been closed Monday and Tuesday, were open Wednesday, but "The Lion King," "Mary Poppins" and "Evita" were among the performances that were canceled. That sent several dozen people – mostly tourists – to Minskoff Theater, where they waited in an orderly line at the box office to sort out their tickets.  Museums, the Empire State Building and many stores also reopened Wednesday but parks, the 9/11 Memorial, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and many other top attractions remained shuttered.  At the New York Stock Exchange  Financial markets reopened after a two-day shutdown, with Bloomberg ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. If you took a quick glance at the neighborhood around the exchange, you would have thought it was a normal Wednesday morning on Wall Street. Traffic was moving, and a combination of locals, exchange workers and tourists populated the sidewalks.  Brendan Mcdermid / Reuters Traders and staff report to work at the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday. But this was no typical morning. No stores or restaurants were open -- not even a Starbucks. The traffic light at the corner of Broadway and Wall Street was dark; there was no power anywhere.   The only building within view that had electricity was the iconic New York Stock Exchange, which has always been heavily fortified, with backups upon backups, lest the edifice of American capitalism be compromised.  The building –- lit red, white and blue -- stood out against the rest of the Financial District, which was pitch black before dawn.  Exchange workers began showing up slowly, some working on connecting their firms with the trading floor.  "We'll have to run the servers from the floor," one worker said to another.  Others walked around looking for a good cell signal.  As the morning went on, traffic built up, and more workers arrived, some by taxi, some by limo, others in vans or buses.  Many left behind difficult circumstances at home caused by the massive storm.  "I need to find a whole-house generator," a security guard said. His house was without power, and he had toddlers at home.  "You and me, we live through it," he said. "But the babies, they don't understand."  Two exchange workers walked past. One pumped his fist. "We're back," he said. "We're back!"  National Guard lends a hand  Military trucks parked along Lexington Avenue with the Chrysler Building in the background is the type of sight that stops people in their tracks.  "It's pretty cool," a biker said, snapping a photo on his iPhone. "You just don't see this in New York."  Jonathan Sanger / NBC News Army National Guard troops from upstate New York stand in front of the the 69th Regiment Armory in Manhattan, on Wednesday. Army National Guard troops from upstate New York were deployed on a 24-hour schedule to the city to supplement the rescue and recovery efforts of the New York Police and Fire Departments in the storm's aftermath. The troops are stationed at the 69th Regiment Armory, a historic building currently powered by a generator courtesy of the organizers of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which takes place there later this year.  "We're here to help with anything the city can't handle," Capt. Brian Reed told NBC News.  Capt. Kevin O'Reilly said the troops will likely stick around for a while as there's still a lot of work to be done. So far, they helped evacuate a nursing home in the Rockaways, changed batteries in cell towers and brought fuel up numerous flights of stairs to Bellevue Hospital, among other things.  "Our biggest challenge is ensuring that everybody around here is taken care of because of the power outages," he said.  A couple of blocks away, a deli worker who had poked a hole in a pizza box, wrote "open" in big letters across the front and put the box around his neck was standing in front of the Gramercy Star Café, hoping to attract customers to one of the very few open businesses on that block.  The deli was without power, but the gas stoves were working, so kitchen staff worked by candlelight, making sandwiches and baking pastries.  In the East Village Vincent Sgarlato's restaurant, "11B Express," was closed Wednesday and dealing with a flooded basement, but residents in the neighborhood told us the pizzeria had given out free slices for most of the day Tuesday.  Sgarlato said that once the restaurant lost power, he decided not to let the pizza dough go to waste. He and his team spent more than seven hours baking more than 125 pies, he said, which they sliced and gave away to whomever wandered in the restaurant.  "It felt so good to do it," Sgarlato, who opened the pizzeria about six years ago, told NBC News, adding that people wanted to give him tips but he couldn't take them.  "I don't have the heart to do that," he said. Jonathan Sanger / NBC News Vincent Sgarlato, owner of the 11B Express restaurant in the East Village, New York, stands behind the counter by the pizza ovens on Wednesday. His restaurant was closed for the day he gave away free pizza for several hours Tuesday. CNBC's Scott Cohn contributed to this report.  More content from NBCNews.com: As National Guard comes to rescue, so do NJ residents -- with power outlets Devastated NY community built by firefighters burned beyond their reach For some who stayed behind in New York, it wasn't too bad Subway-dependent businesses see traffic slow to halt Fed up with waiting, air travelers rush rental car counters NY's Bellevue Hospital evacuates patients as power stays cut Off-duty NYPD officer dies saving his family from Sandy Toppled tree exposes skeletal remains, cement box Your Sandy photos: Show us the heroes in your life Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Women file $15 million suit, claim teacher sex abuse

By NBC News staff Two women who say they were sexually abused in the 1990s by a teacher who later committed suicide have each filed a $15 million claim against a California school district and three former administrators. The women, referred to as Jane Doe #1 and Jane Doe #2 in court documents, contend the Moraga School District had received multiple complaints of inappropriate conduct by the teacher, Dan Witters, over the years but did little or nothing to stop it. Witters, who taught at Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School, killed himself in 1996 shortly after the Jane Does came forward with allegations of sexual abuse, according to the Contra Costa Times.  Witter never faced criminal charges and Moraga police stopped their investigation upon his death, according to the newspaper. The tort claims filed last week follow an earlier claim filed in August by Kristen Cunnane, now a 30-year-old swim coach at UC Berkeley, against the same defendants. Cunnane alleges she was abused by Witters and another teacher two decades ago. Her claim was denied, and she filed a lawsuit Sept. 25 seeking unspecified damages, the Contra Costa Times reported. According to the latest Jane Doe claims: Claimant never suspected wrongdoing by Moraga School District until late May or early June 2012, when, for the first time, it was revealed to her that Moraga School District had received multiple complaints demonstrating that Witters was sexually abusing certain female students during the 1990-1994 timeframe and then had covered-up and concealed its knowledge after Witters killed himself in 1996. Claimant learned this information for the first time when she read an investigative news story in a local newspaper that detailed the District's culpability. The news story was based on internal District documents that had never been previously released to the public and, in fact, had been previously concealed by the District. After Witters committed suicide, the school district concealed and covered up its knowledge of past complaints, the claims allege. "Claimant now knows that if District officials had simply done what the law required of them to do – report suspected child abuse and supervise their teacher appropriately – then Claimant would never have been abused or harmed by Witters," the claims say. Bruce Burns, superintendent of the Moraga School District, did not immediately return a telephone call for comment on Wednesday from NBC News. More content from NBCNews.com: 2 children stabbed to death in Ill. home; victim's mom in custody Trial begins for boy who admitted to shooting neo-Nazi father Cops: Mom leaves two kids on side of I-90 in Idaho Blaze devastates NY community built by firefighters Tree toppled by Sandy exposes skeletal remains Romney training manual for poll watchers causes stir Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

New Jersey investigating reports of price gouging

1 hr. Bill Briggs, NBC News contributor Prices for gasoline, hotel rooms, electrical generators and other post-storm necessities have risen sharply from New York to West Virginia in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, and many residents are complaining of gouging. In New Jersey alone, about 100 consumers have called the attorney general's office to complain, said Neal Buccino, spokesman for the state's Division of Consumer Affairs. "Some gas stations have raised their prices by 20 to 30 percent in one day," Buccino said. "Some hardware stores have doubled the price they charge for generators overnight." Those types of increases would appear to be illegal under New Jersey's anti-gouging law, which prohibits price hikes of more than 10 percent in an emergency. The law does make an exception for merchants who face increased costs, but the markup is still limited to 10 percent above normal, according to the state attorney general's office.  "We will not hesitate to impose the strictest penalties on profiteers who, in direct violation of our consumer protection laws, seek to capitalize on the misfortune of others in the midst of a crisis and recovery period," Gov. Chris Christie said, issuing his second warning in as many days on the issue. The state has deployed teams of investigators to check out complaints against specific retailers. Violations are punishable by $10,000 fines. At least one gas station operator paid $20,000 to settle gouging charges in New Jersey related to Tropical Storm Irene last year. Rising gas prices were a special topic of interest to many residents, especially those depending on generator power, as lines grew long at many stations, raising concern about potential shortages. In some cases, it was not immediately clear whether price increases were examples of illegal gouging or simply reflected the law of supply and demand. One reader reported that the price of an economy car rental at Baltimore's main airport jumped from $15 a day to $230 immediately before the storm, when flights were grounded up and down the East Coast. The higher rate reflected a one-way rental at a time when cars were almost certainly in very short supply. NBC News staffers who booked hotel rooms in midtown Manhattan for $269 per night before the storm were informed Wednesday that the rate for the same rooms had increased to $679 per night. The rate seemed excessive, even though rates typically rise sharply ahead of the New York City Marathon, which is expected to go forward as planned this weekend. (The staffers later negotiated a corporate rate of $599.) New York's law on gouging is somewhat vague, forbidding sellers of "essential consumer goods and services from charging excessive prices during what is clearly an abnormal disruption of the market," according to a statement from Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. "While most vendors understand that customers are also neighbors, and would never think of taking advantage of others during such disruptive times, these circumstances always require an extra sense of vigilance and preparation," Schneiderman said. At one Sam's Club store in Manchester, Conn., some customers complained that generators priced at $349 two weeks ago suddenly cost $999 as the storm approached, said Laura Lavoie, a nearby resident who visited that store Sunday. "People were buying them and complaining about it," she said. "One guy stormed out while we were walking in. ... The guy said his wife wouldn't let him buy (the same generator) three weeks ago when it was $349 and now he can't afford to buy it." A spokesman for Wal-Mart, which owns Sam's Club, said the store ran out of the lower-priced generator, a 3,600-watt model, and was forced to substitute the more expensive 7,000-watt unit. "At no time did we raise the price of either model of generator in anticipation of, during, or following the storm," said spokesman Mark Scott. In the New York City borough of Queens, where the subway was out of order, reader Glenda Burgos told NBC News that cabs were charging $70 to $80 for a ride to Manhattan, about twice the usual rate. A separate report from TechCruch said Uber, a car-service app, had switched to "surge pricing," which only goes into effect when there is more demand for cars than can be fulfilled. At La Delice Pastry Shop on Manhattan's east side, the price for a cup of coffee had been raised from $1 to $3, Reuters reported. A store clerk said the reason was that they had to use bottled water to make the coffee. Other reports could not be verified, such as tales of D batteries being sold at $15 for a two-pack. With power still out to millions of homes and businesses, many merchants were accepting cash only, making reports of gouging even harder to prove. In Brooklyn, where flood waters rose due to the hurricane, reader Danny Funaro reported that Polsteins Home Center was selling sandbags for $5 apiece, when, he said, a sandbag is "worth less than a dollar." At Polsteins, a clerk who spoke to NBC News said individual sandbags have long been priced at $5.  Have you seen examples of price gouging? Send photos of price tags or receipts to Bill Briggs.

Joplin survivors' advice

Sandy devastated millions of residents in the eastern U.S., including New York's Rockaway neighborhood. People who survived Katrina and the Joplin tornado share their experiences, wisdom Their advice: Stand in the ruins of your old life; it's fine to be sad Ask for help and give help, no matter how large or small, they say They say it will get better, but it will always stay with you (CNN) -- Devastation is devastation, whether a hurricane rips up your home or a tornado takes the person you love most in the world. It's loss, shock and confusion. It's anger and sadness and resentment. It's being flustered like you've never been flustered before. But it's going to be OK: Take it from the people who survived Hurricane Katrina and the Missourians from Joplin whose town was leveled by the worst tornado in U.S. history. They want Sandy survivors to know a few things: You're probably on autopilot right now. You're moving through it. Stand in the ruins of the life you had before the disaster. Understand that was before. The after is when you're good and ready. Hours will still go by though. Days will happen. You might not remember to eat because you're filling out paperwork and talking to insurance operators. You will get put on hold. Your life will feel forever on hold. At some point, when you think you're handling it, you will stumble on something that reminds you of that old life, maybe it's a thing or it's a memory. Maybe this will happen when you finally get the sleep you've gone without since the disaster. You're going to feel really, really awful again for awhile. Make yourself anew Eileen Romero still feels the weight on her chest. It has just gotten a little lighter in the years since Katrina. As a nurse, she saw heinous things in the hospital where she worked. Eight years on, it's hard to speak in full sentences without crying. She watched the wall-to-wall television coverage of Hurricane Sandy, transfixed by the nurses who manually pumped air into newborns after carrying the infants down nine fights of stairs at NYU Langone Medical Center. Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans when it struck the Gulf Coast in late August 2005. "I was right back in that hospital in New Orleans," Romero said. "I know those people. I felt that." There are always burdens and rewards of being a caregiver. But in an emergencies, they are tenfold. "They need to know it's going to be hard," Romero continued. "I mean, they saved those babies and they should feel good. But later it might hit them what they were able to get through just because they were trained to do that. And I would tell them, 'It's alright to be upset and to take time out to understand what you've been through.' " It was comforting to Romero to watch the coverage of Sandy. While she was in the middle of Katrina, she didn't consider that it was the world's focus for days. "I didn't even realize that we were being covered 24 hours a day," she said. "It was only months later that I comprehended that New Orleans was on TV all the time, that people cared so much about it." Then again, there's another side to massive media coverage. People might feel obligated to talk about their pain if a reporter asks. If you don't have the words, you don't have to conjure up something for anyone. No one else has the right to your story. Tell it when and how you want. Romero became a photographer after Katrina because words kept failing her. When she tried to talk about it, her words were inadequate. "Understand that the life you had before something like this isn't coming back, and that's not always a bad thing," she said. "Discover and make yourself anew." Look for what's funny Every day, Romero takes her Yorkies out for a walk. It's a simple, effortless routine that has nothing to do with bad things in the world. Find something like that, or keep doing that one, pure, sweet thing that you always did, she said. You're going to need lightness. Your sense of humor will be tested. Use it a lot. When you're learning about how it feels to be suddenly dependent on others, you have to look for what's funny. Michael Tisserand, Katrina survivor You might have to move into a place that you'd never imagined you'd ever have to live, like a trailer or someone's garage. This could last for months, maybe a whole year. Your kids, spouse, in-laws and maybe some strangers will all be crammed in there. They might snore. There are going to be fights and moments where you swear your head is gonna pop. Writer Michael Tisserand and his wife, Tami, took damage to their home in Katrina. They and their two kids -- now 11 and 14 -- moved in with a friend. "We were laughing about sleeping in these two twin beds that were squished together," Tisserand recalled. "We were getting food stamps for food banks for the first time. When you're learning about how it feels to be suddenly dependent on others, you have to look for what's funny." Ask for help, give help Don't be afraid to give or receive help, he said. Don't sit inside. Try not to compare your pain or loss to someone else's. You don't have to swim through your living room to say you've been through hell. Tisserand remembers being stunned and then weeping uncontrollably when he received a package from a friend. It was a new laptop. "You will feel helpless. I just felt like I was not the agency of my life then," he said. "It was so unbelievable to me that someone did that for me." When anyone gives you anything, small or large, cheap or expensive, know that they are trying to be there for you. The Tisserands are at home in New Orleans, a city they never want to leave. For many disaster survivors, the tragedy redefines their definition of home. Take pictures of everything Kelly Maddy grew up in Joplin, Missouri. The 29-year-old and his wife thought it would be fun to go out and chase a tornado that was set to hit in April 2011. Tornadoes got little more than a shrug in Missouri, so this wasn't really the craziest decision. A search team looks for possible victims from the tornado that hit Joplin, Missouri, in May 2011. It's like choosing to stay at home when there's a Category 1 hurricane forecast for your area. You've gotten through nor'easters before, so what's the harm? When the Maddys finally made it back to their house, it was kindling. Their cars were gone. "The night was a blur," he said. "You just stare and wonder what happened to my life? Then the panic." "Document everything," Maddy said. "Every single insurance person you talk to -- and you'll be bounced around from person to person -- write their name down, write down everything they say. Use your iPhone. Take pictures of everything." Know what supplies you have and how much you're going to need. Get that stuff soon. Don't put it off, he said. There's going to be a level of bureaucracy worse than you ever imagined. Insurance workers will be kind, of course, because it's not personal. It's just the system. Call them constantly. Don't expect them to call you, he said. The Maddys lived in a basement apartment with their animals until finally rebuilding their house in February. "Going through all of that almost broke us," he said. "Almost. 'Cause we're still here." Live blog: Get the latest news on the aftermath of Sandy