As residents struggle to regain a sense of normalcy after Hurricane Sandy, despite thousands still without power and gas stations left depleted, Suffolk County has issued a critical update on services available on Friday.
"Gas supply was disrupted in the aftermath of the storm," the update reads. "The state and federal government have worked diligently to restore infrastructure and gas supplies should return to normal levels shortly."
In the meantime, Suffolk County officials have ordered gas station owners to limit customers to fill just one tank of gas per visit. Those without power are allowed an additional 10 gallons of gas per visit, until further notice.
County officials are advising residents to conserve gas throughout the weekend and stay home or close by. In addition, the county has restricted gas use at county facilities to only essential services and personnel.
- In other county new, the Red Cross is distributing lunch from 11 a.m. on and dinner from 4 p.m. on at the Dennison building in Hauppauge, the Riverhead County Center at 210 Center Drive in Riverside, the Mastic fire house, at 1088 Mastic Road and the Sound Beach Fire House on Sound Beach Boulevard.
- For those without power, Red Cross shelters are still open at Sachem East High School, Walt Whitman High School, Robert Frost Middle School, and Eastport-South Manor junior/senior high school.
- Long Island Rail Road Service is running from Babylon to Penn Station, Huntington to Penn Station and Ronkonkoma to Penn Station.
- Suffolk County Health Centers are open on Friday, except for the Brentwood Health Center, which remains closed.
- Charging stations are available from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at a number of locations. Residents are asked to bring no more than two devices as well as the chargers for them. Stations are open in Happauge at the H. Lee Dennison Building at 100 Veterans Highway, in Yaphank at the County Building C14, the old infirmary, at 30 Yaphank Avenue, and at the Riverhead County Center at 300 Center Street.
- To combat a blood emergency, a blood drive will be held Friday in the plaza of the H. Lee Dennison building in Hauppauge from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The drive is open to the community.
