Teamster Local 831 sanitation workers are finally getting recognized for their hard work putting New York back on its feet after Hurricane Sandy hit.
"New York's Strongest" are the subject of news reports, Facebook posts and "thank you" tweets as they haul away mountains of soggy debris.
The New York Times, for example, profiled Ed Shevlin, a New York City sanitation worker is cleaning up the hard-hit Rockaways:
“If these piles could talk, they’d be screaming,” said Mr. Shevlin, whose own apartment on Beach 103rd Street stayed dry, if without power as of Thursday. His parents’ apartment, and his brother’s house, were both flooded and severely damaged.
“I like to think I’m a strong guy, but this devastation has really gotten to me,” said Mr. Shevlin, who wears his green Department of Sanitation uniform proudly.
“I’ll be wearing this uniform every day for months,” he said. “We were the first boots on the ground and we’ll be the last to leave.”We told you yesterday about the Staten Island Advance's story, "Sanitation workers arrive like heroes in Staten Island's devastation zone." But we didn't share with you a comment signed by "rockinmom":
I have been out there on the streets and witnessed the hard work that these guys have been doing. I was out delivering food the other day, and not one of these guys even wanted a bottle of water. I heard over and over, "give it to someone who needs it". I say thank you to the sanitation workers who have been working so hard. Instead of knocking each other down, why can't we just say thanks for a job well done!Here are some tweets giving them their just due:
NYC Aviation @NYC Aviation: Hats off to the DSNY, a rarely credited team that has been cleaning up Sandy and now fighting a snowstorm as well. Thank you NY's Strongest!
Rich Muniz @richrico21: Just looked out my window! Wow!! I did NOT take this seriously. God Bless the DSNY! Guna be another long week for those guys.
FiDi New Yorker @FiDiNYer: Awesome job @NYCSanitation! Hard storm clean-up in the Rockaways & SI and now snow?!?!? Keep up the good work & drink @redbull #DSNYThe Chasing Sanitation Facebook page may be the best place to follow the cleanup. We especially like this post from SanMan Joseph Mosca:
I honestly believe that the clean up efforts of this hurricane have given many men and women on this job a new found sense of pride. Where many had seen themselves only as trash collectors and snow removers. With this disaster it really put into perspective that we are not just garbage men and women but the we are Sanitation Workers. We do everything we can to help keep our communities clean and disease free. We will work tireless hours, go with little to no sleep, not see our families, and push our minds and bodies past what normal people have to, just so we can get the job done. Seeing so many coworkers step up and just want to help has given myself as well as many others a breathe of fresh air. It shows that we still have people who care more for others than they do for themselves. I applaud my brother and sister Sanitation Workers. STAY STRONG!!!!!!!!Couldn't have said it better ourselves.
