Review and CommentWho Says <strong>Brooklyn</strong>itesDon’t Care?By Carl BlumenthalFor <strong>Brooklyn</strong> <strong>Daily</strong> <strong>Eagle</strong>I didn’t see it coming. Not a bus barreling through a red light, but ourcar breaking down after a Saturday night on the town.My wife, Susan, and I had celebrated our 18 th anniversary, with her sister,Rosemary, at an Indian restaurant on 3 rd Avenue at 73 rd Street in BayRidge. Afterwards, Susan and I headed south on 4 th Avenue toward the 17 thStreet entrance to the Prospect Expressway, and our home off the FortHamilton Parkway exit.When the various warning lights started flickering on the dash as wepassed Green-Wood Cemetery, I became concerned, but not overly so. Ibelieved it was just an electrical ghost in the machine; we could ride itout. However, when the headlights dimmed, I feared we wouldn’t makeit. Our 2004 Subaru Forrester ground to a halt in the right turning lane to17 th Street, where we were sitting ducks for anyone wanting to get on theProspect.And guess what? Not only was I slow to understand the meltdownwarning signs, but Susan and I are semi-Luddites in another way—wedon’t own cell phones. While she went into the corner grocery store,Earth’s Basket, to call Allstate for a tow, I tried to route vehicles aroundours, a dangerous proposition because even temporary parking isn’t allowedthere. Eventually, I moved a sawhorse on the sidewalk of an adjacentconstruction site to the road in front of my car to prevent a collision.Meanwhile, the store’s owners were nice enough to let my wife usetheir phone while she haggled with Allstate and their supposedly localcontractor to arrange our rescue. (They refused to deliver the car to ourmechanic, McGready’s, on Coney Island Avenue at Avenue U.)Back on the street, a dozen people of all races, classes, and genders offeredhelp, including a couple of local tow truck operators. In good faith,I could not accept their assistance because Allstate’s tower confirmed hewas on his way. Had a passing NYPD squad car and tow truck stopped, Iwould have refused them too.After more than two hours of waiting for Allstate, Earth Basket’s principalowner, Sam Sarsour, offered to move his legally-parked car fromin front of the store. With his and his brother’s help, as I steered our3,500-pound Subaru, we pushed it to that spot. Sam wouldn’t accept anymoney, neither for the use of his phone nor for his labor.On Monday morning I called our mechanic for the name of a reliabletowing company. While I stood in the rain for only 30 minutes duringrush hour until Citywide Towing arrived, Sam emerged from Earth’s Basketto confirm he closed at 1 a.m. Sunday; Allstate never showed.I suppose all’s well that ends well! Citywide jumped our car, allowingme to maneuver it to the back of one of the company’s new flat-bedtrucks. From there we went to McGready’s. As I belatedly suspected, anewly installed alternator had failed to deliver juice from the battery tothe electrical system. Fortunately, it was under warranty.Therefore, the moral of this tale is don’t depend in tight spots on thebig guys. Rely on the little people, who know what it’s like to be at themercy of impersonal forces. We, the real <strong>Brooklyn</strong>ites, have got to sticktogether.Is published daily except Saturdays, Sundays and Federal Holidaysby Everything <strong>Brooklyn</strong> Media, LLC (USPS 971380), located at16 Court Street, Suite 1208, <strong>Brooklyn</strong>, NY 11241. Subscription priceis $130 per year, $65 for six months. Periodicals Postage paidat <strong>Brooklyn</strong>, NY. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to<strong>Brooklyn</strong> <strong>Daily</strong> <strong>Eagle</strong>, Circulation Office, 16 Court Street, Suite 1208,<strong>Brooklyn</strong>, NY 11241. Telephone: 718-643-9099, ext. 103 Fax: 718-858-3291.Publisher - J.D. Hasty: jdh@brookylneagle.comManaging Editor - Raanan Geberer: news@<strong>Brooklyn</strong><strong>Eagle</strong>.comLegal Editor - Charisma Miller, Esq.: charisma@<strong>Brooklyn</strong><strong>Eagle</strong>.comFeatures Editor - Samantha Samel: sam@<strong>Brooklyn</strong><strong>Eagle</strong>.comSports Editor - John Torenli: sports@<strong>Brooklyn</strong><strong>Eagle</strong>.comCommunity Editor - Mary Frost: mary@<strong>Brooklyn</strong><strong>Eagle</strong>.comReligion Editor - Francesca N. Tate: francesca@<strong>Brooklyn</strong><strong>Eagle</strong>.comConsulting Editor - Chuck Otey: coteyesq@aol.comConsulting Editor - Sam Howe: samhowe@<strong>Brooklyn</strong><strong>Eagle</strong>.com2 • <strong>Brooklyn</strong> <strong>Daily</strong> <strong>Eagle</strong> • <strong>Fri</strong>day, <strong>June</strong> <strong>14</strong>, <strong>2013</strong>
Fort Hamilton Dedicates Bluff to Fallen SoldierBy Paula Katinas<strong>Brooklyn</strong> <strong>Eagle</strong>At <strong>Brooklyn</strong>’s Fort HamiltonArmy Base, there is abluff on the waterfront thatoffers a breathtaking viewof the Narrows and the Verrazano-NarrowsBridge. Startingthis past Thursday, thatbucolic space will foreverbe known as EngeldrumBluff in memory of ChristianEngeldrum, a firefighter-turned-soldierkilled in theIraq War.Engeldrum, 39, a staff sergeantin the 69th InfantryRegiment of the New YorkArmy National Guard, waskilled when his vehicle hit animprovised explosive device(IED) while he was on dutyoutside of Baghdad on Nov.29, 2004.Before his tour of duty inIraq, Engeldrum, who hailedfrom the Bronx, was a NewYork City firefighter assignedto Ladder Co. 61 in his nativeborough. He was a first responderat the World TradeCenter site following theSept. 11 attack, assisting in therecovery effort. He is buried atArlington National Cemetery.On Thursday, soldiers,firefighters, community leaders,Engeldrum’s wife Sharon,his mother Lenora and membersof his family gathered atthe fort for a ceremony dedicatingthe bluff in his name.The fort’s commander,Col. Eluyn Gines, had originallyplanned to hold theceremony on the bluff, but arainstorm forced a change ofvenue and the event was heldinside the fort’s Post Theater.The change gave the ceremonya much more intimate feelthat it might have had if it hadtaken place outside.A large photo showingthe plaque bearing Engeldrum’sname was unveiledon the theater’s stage duringthe ceremony.Gines called Engeldrum“an American hero,” and saidit was fitting that the ceremonywas taking place during aweek when the nation wascelebrating the 238th birthdayof the US Army and whenthe fort is marking its 188thbirthday. “It is a week of celebrationbut also of remembrance,”Gines said, addingthat it is important to recallthe lives lost in war and theloved ones they left behind.“Every life lost is a tragedy.There’s really no preparationfor it. It’s a pain that ripsthrough your soul,” he said.Gines announced thatin addition to the bluff dedication,the fort was also reservingfour permanent parkingspaces on the base for thefamilies of military memberskilled in war.New York City Fire CommissionerSalvatore Cassano,who noted that Engeldrumhad saved lives as afirefighter, said that he was“a true hero in every senseof the word.” After the Sept.11 attack, Engeldrum “rushedto the World Trade Center torescue thousands.” The firstresponders, Cassano said,were “among the first in thebattle against terrorism.”The firehouse where Engeldrumworked containsa plaque dedicated in hismemory. There is also a Veteransof Foreign Wars (VFW)post named after him, Cassanosaid. The fort dedicationis meaningful, the commissionersaid. “With this ceremony,Christian will foreverbecome a part of Fort Hamilton,”he said.The 69th Infantry Regiment,the unit Engeldrum belongedto, is known as the“Fighting 69th.” Lt. Col. JamesGonyo, commander of theregiment, recalled that Engeldrum’scolleagues called him“Chris,” or by his nickname,“Drum.” Gonyo said that visitingthe bluff “will allow us topause and remember; to goand remember and shed a tear.”Engeldrum Bluff will also givemilitary members a chance to“find the courage to go on withour lives,” Gonyo said.Gonyo read aloud theJoyce Kilmer poem “RougeBouquet,” about soldiersfrom the Fighting 69thkilled in a World War I battle.The poem included thelines, “Dead in their youthfulprime, never to laugh norThis portrait of Christian Engeldrum, firefighter and soldier who died in the Iraq War, was displayed atThursday’s ceremony at Fort Hamilton.<strong>Eagle</strong> photo by Paula Katinaslove again, nor taste the summertime.”Of all the speakers, the personwho received the mostsustained applause was theperson who spoke only a fewsentences. Engeldrum’s widow,Sharon, thanked all thosetaking part in the ceremony. “Ithank you for the great honor,”she said. She left the stage to astanding ovation.Following the ceremony,Lenora Engeldrum saidthe event made her happy.“It’s great to know that Chrisis being remembered,” shetold the <strong>Brooklyn</strong> <strong>Daily</strong> <strong>Eagle</strong>.She described her son as“an action man” and said hesigned up for the NationalGuard following the Sept. 11attacks. “He was outraged bywhat happened on 9/11,” sherecalled. Her son always hada sense of fairness and wouldbecome upset if he sawsomething unfair, she said.She wasn’t surprisedwhen Chris served in boththe military and the Fire Department.“That he was a littleboy, he was always playingwith a G.I. Joe. And hehad firetrucks, too,” she saidwith a smile.Thompson in Coney: CityMust Prepare for DisastersBy Paula Katinas<strong>Brooklyn</strong> <strong>Eagle</strong>The city needs to do abetter job of preparing andresponding to natural disasters,former Comptroller BillThompson said after takinga tour of areas of Coney Islanddamaged by SuperstormSandy.During a visit to a ConeyIsland senior center on <strong>June</strong>13, Thompson, one of the sixcandidates running in theDemocratic Party primaryfor mayor in September, outlineda series of steps he saidwould help prepare the cityfor the next natural disasteror terrorist attack.Thompson said that if heis elected mayor, he wouldcreate a new post of deputymayor for infrastructure andconstruction. The deputymayor would be in charge ofconverting billions of dollarsin post-Sandy federal aid intolong-term city planning toupgrade power, sewage andtelecommunication systems.“We must plan — andact — today to prepare fortomorrow,” Thompson said.“We cannot secure New York’spromise of opportunity ifsome families and communitiesare left fending for themselveswhen disaster strikes.”“When I’m mayor, communitiesin southeast Queens,Mayoral hopeful and former Comptroller Bill Thompson tours theSea Gate area with a community leader. Photo courtesy of Thompson campaignthe South Shore, City Islandand southern <strong>Brooklyn</strong> willreceive the same resources ascorporations on Wall Street orbusinesses on Fifth Avenue,”the candidate said.Under the plan, the citywould elevate substations,reposition emergency generatorsin buildings, andwork to make sure there areenough back-up generatorsin the city. Thompson calledfor the building and expansionof sand dunes and thestabilization of sand dunesand beach shrubs along theRockaways, in Jamaica Bayand in waterfront areas.His disaster preparednessplan includes the creationof a new emergency call systemthat would automaticallyroute fire and life-threateningcalls to local dispatchersin each borough, a move thatThompson said would savetime and lives. The calls wouldbypass the city’s Unified CallTaker System.Recalling the gasolineshortage that hit New Yorkersin the wake of Sandy, andthe long lines at gas stations,Thompson called for a temporarysuspension of maritimelaws that block bargesfrom delivering fuel to thecity. The plan would deliverlarger quantities of fuel tothe hardest-hit communities,remove trucks from alreadystrained roads, and help preventthe long gasoline linesexperienced after the hurricanehit, he said.Thompson said he wouldlaunch a new “Bringing BusinessesBack” initiative to assistsmall businesses withinsurance, planning, and resourcesbefore, during, andafter disasters. His plan alsoincludes using federal stimulusto lower the cost of renters’insurance for residentswho live in New York CityHousing Authority buildings,especially senior citizens andfamilies on fixed incomes livingin evacuation zones.Thompson also called forincreased support for families,small businesses andcommunities still reelingfrom Hurricane Sandy.Flood Watch Issued for<strong>Brooklyn</strong> and VicinityBy Mary Frost<strong>Brooklyn</strong> <strong>Eagle</strong>The National WeatherService issued a floodwatch through <strong>Fri</strong>day eveningfor <strong>Brooklyn</strong> and therest of the city’s five boroughs,as a powerful stormcontinued along a pathtaking it from the OhioValley to south and east ofLong Island.This system is expectedto produce high windsand heavy rain, with rainfalltotals ranging from 2to 3 inches, and in someareas up to 4 inches.The watch is in effectthrough <strong>Fri</strong>day evening.Early Thursday morning,winds estimated toA flood watch is in effect for<strong>Brooklyn</strong> and the GreaterNew York York area through<strong>Fri</strong>day evening.have reached 70 to 80 mphblew through some areassouth of Chicago fromthe same weather pattern.The storm briefly suspendedcompetition at the U.S.Open near Philadelphia onThursday morning.<strong>Fri</strong>day, <strong>June</strong> <strong>14</strong>, <strong>2013</strong> • <strong>Brooklyn</strong> <strong>Eagle</strong> • 3
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