MARKOWITZ CALLS FOR MORE NATIONAL GUARD IN HARD HIT BROOKLYN TO PREVENT LOOTING

Just received this from the Borough Prez office,asking for more National Guard troops in certain Brooklyn neighborhoods to prevent looting in the wake of Hurricane Sandy:

"In addition to flooding, power outages, lack of utilities, sanitation and water issues, and no transportation in neighborhoods such as Coney Island, Sea Gate, Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, Gerritsen Beach, Mill Basin, Sheepshead Bay, DUMBO, Red Hook and others, there have been unfortunate incidents of looting in some locations. All of our resources have been stretched to the limit, but in the name of public safety we need to send more National Guard personnel into Coney Island, Manhattan Beach, Gerritsen Beach, Red Hook and any other locations the governor deems appropriate. After my survey of the affected areas, I also reached out to the American Red Cross and the appropriate city agencies to ask that more help be brought in, particularly water--which is in very short supply right now--sanitation, portable electricity and possibly another shelter in Gerritsen Beach."

Today's NY Daily News reports looting in broad daylight in Coney Island. Huffington Post carries an alarming photo of a looted drug store. I cannot verify this, but the site www.dnainfo.com reports that the most vulnerable businesses in Coney Island are around 30th Street on Mermaid Avenue:  Citibank, Family Drug Store and 99 Cent and Up, and the Mega Aid Pharmacy.