Same here, about the assistance. (S. IL & W. KY.) News reports today showed utility crews here organizing to go to the NE if needed. Looks like the if has been erased. :-(
Crews from all over the country showed up here after our big ice storm in 2009, followed by a “once in a lifetime” derecho in the spring. An accident while working on line repairs killed one utility crew member and injured another. We remember, gratefully, very well...
Temp agencies here are hiring & training workers to fill in at temporary call centers for insurance companies, since many centers in the NE will be down for who knows how long. I imagine a lot of that sort of thing is happening. Good ‘ol capitalism lends a hand.
No kidding. We're probably looking at months, if not years, to get the city back in perfect working condition. I fully expect to see a large exodus out of New York City because of this disaster.