Nov

2012

10:32am, EDT

'Couple more days' for fuel shortage, Bloomberg says; 'free gas' offer triggers rush

Lines are long and open gas stations are few and far between in New York and New Jersey, as drivers wait to fill up their tanks. NBC's Katy Tur reports.

Justin Lane / EPA

National Guard troops dispense gasoline in Queens on Saturday.

By Miguel Llanos, NBC News

The gasoline shortage in the New York City area should be over in "a couple more days," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Saturday, urging New Yorkers to be patient even as officials promised free gas only to then add this caveat: first responders first, then the public can line up.

Electrical power and deliveries are coming back online, Bloomberg said at a press conference, but even so "it may take a few more days before you see this additional supply."

Earlier Saturday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that "fuel is on the way" with the Department of Defense deploying five mobile fuel stations to New York City and Long Island, albeit with a 10 gallon limit.

"The good news," Cuomo said of the promised 12 million gallons, "is it's going to be free."

At least 1,000 drivers queued up at one site -- the Freeport Armory in Long Island -- only to be told the gasoline would not arrive for at least eight hours more, one driver said.

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"There's just so many people getting very frustrated. People don't know what to do,'' said Lauren Popkoff, a teacher who had been in line for four hours.

The mobile station that opened in Queens was also swamped, NBCNewYork.com reported, with a line of cars stretching 20 blocks.

But the state Division of Military and Naval Affairs later issued an advisory asking the public to stay away from the mobile stations until more fuel is released.

National Guard Col. Richard Goldenberg said Saturday afternoon that people who were already at the distribution sites would not be turned away.

Cuomo added that the reopening of New York Harbor has provided 8 million gallons of fuel and another 28 million will be delivered over the next two days.

Tempers flared as people camped out all night, waiting for their turn at the pump in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. NBC's Tom Costello reports.

A third of the stations in New York City were closed Saturday due to power outages or lack of fuel -- a significant improvement from Friday when two thirds were closed.

When word of free gas spread Saturday, people rushed to the mobile stations.

"I left my coffee on the table and ran out," said Tatiana Gomez of Staten Island, who heard about it on the news while having breakfast.

Her's was the sixth car in line but she still had to wait 2 1/2 hours for the delivery to arrive.

National Guardsmen walked through the crowd, handing out water to those waiting.

"I think since 9/11 we've pulled together as people," Robert Costantino said while in line. "Now, when there's a crisis, we pull together."

Long lines also continued at regular gas stations.

"It's pandemonium out here," said Chris Damon, who was waiting among hundreds, many honking their horns, at a Brooklyn station. "I feel like a victim of Hurricane Katrina. I never thought it could happen here in New York, but it's happened."

Desperate drivers continued to flood north to Connecticut in hopes of finding fuel. Gas lines snaked down surburban side streets as state troopers and local police maintained order and directed the traffic choking U.S. Route 1 , the main artery that runs parallel to Interstate 95 along the coast from New York city to Boston. The backups were mostly confined to stations in Greenwich and Stamford, the first locations across the state line. Gas stations further up the line were operating with little or not waiting.

The availability of fuel north of the city resulted largely because Connecticut dodged two major factors that crimped the flow of gasoline in New York and New Jersey. Many stations in New York City and New Jersey were without power and unable to pump gas.

The closure of New York Harbor – to clear dangerous debris and check navigation buoys – delayed some tanker shipments. Most coastal Connecticut stations, by contrast, had power restored by Saturday and tanker deliveries to coastal Long Island sound gasoline terminals in Bridgeport and New Haven were largely uninterrupted.

Tom Kloza, chief analyst at the Oil Price Information Service, told The Associated Press that drivers seem to fear that stations will be out of gas for a week or more.

"There are some people who need it, but there are a lot of people who are panicking," Kloza said. "There's plenty of fuel. This will be over in days."

Slideshow: Sandy slams into East Coast

Superstorm Sandy made landfall Monday evening on a destructive and deadly path across the Northeast.

Launch slideshow

In New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie on Friday ordered gas rationing in 12 counties to begin on Saturday under an "odd-even" system in which motorists with license plates ending in odd numbers would be able to buy gas on odd-numbered days.

Christie said Saturday that he hoped the restrictions would only last "a few days."

This article includes reporting by NBC News' John Schoen, Reuters and The Associated Press.

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Nov

2012

10:30am, EDT

Avoid superstorm Sandy insurance and repair scams

With property damage estimates topping out at $20 billion and homeowners desperate to get started recovering, there will be plenty of scammers coming out of the woodwork. CNBC's Sharon Epperson and Jeanne Salvatore of the Insurance Information Institute discuss how you can avoid getting ripped off.

By Ben Popken, TODAY contributor

After the storm comes the rebuilding, and the scammers capitalizing on fear and need. With $20 billion estimated in property damage, demand for clean-up and repair is high, putting anxious homeowners at risk for hard-sell fly-by-night contractors. They promise a big fix, push for your cash up front, then drive off with repairs poorly completed, or not at all. Now you've got a hole in your roof, and your wallet.

Jeanne Salvatore of the non-profit Insurance Information Institute and CNBC's Sharon Epperson spoke with TODAY's Savannah Guthrie this morning about how to protect yourself from what could be a secondary disaster - giving money too quickly to a con-artist trying to catch a ride off superstorm.

The number one red flag for any kind of scammer, but especially after a natural disaster, is that they come to you. Without a reputation or referrals, a grifter has to go cold-calling to drum up business. Squint your eyes carefully at anyone who comes knocking at your door, take their information, and don't get pressed into making an on-the-spot decision.

1. Don't pay in full up front
Never pay for more than 1/3 of the job before it's done. Otherwise there goes your security against work not completed or not done up to code.

2. Don't get rushed
Someone who promises to start work right away or bump you to the head of the line if you pay in full, and then threatens that you won't be able to get anyone else to fix it if they walk away, is trying to push your buttons.

3. Call your insurance agent

Your insurance agent "is a disaster clearing house," says Salvatore. Call them first. This is what you've been paying all those premiums all this time for! They can make recommendations from a list of pre-vetted contractors.

On top of being able to give you a referral, you need to be talking to them because your first priority should be reporting your claim to your insurance company, documenting all the damage, and taking photos and/or videos of everything.

4. Check to make sure they're legit

Ask to see their contractor's license and driver's license. Ask for references, and call them. Check out their BBB profile. Provided you have internet access, scanning their customer reviews on free sites like Yelp and pay sites like Angie's List can fill out the picture and give you a quick bead on their reputation.

In addition, "Make sure that the contractor is the one who will be paying the subcontractors -- the plumber, the electrician," says CNBC's Epperson. "So that you don't get an unanticipated bill."

5. Get quotes

Just because it's a catastrophe doesn't mean you shouldn't shop around. Take their business card and tell them you'll get back to them, after you've gotten quotes from at least two other providers.

Downed phone, electrical, and internet access may make it harder to comparison shop or reach the people you need to. It's worth taking the extra time. You don't want to rush from a natural disaster into a financial one.

6. Alert investigators

If you think you've been solicited or ripped off by a scammer, call the police. You can also file a report with the National Insurance Crime Bureau at 1-800-TEL-NICB (1-800-835-6422).

7. Trust your gut

Says Salvatore, "If something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't."