Public Officials, Law Enforcement, And Residents Recount Hurrican

Five years ago, the Jersey Shore experienced a storm that would shape its future forever.

On October 29th, 2012, Hurricane Sandy tore through the Jersey Shore leaving thousands of its residents without a place to call home.

With its anniversary just days away, take a look as public officials, law enforcement, and Jersey Shore residents come together to recount Hurricane Sandy after there has been some time to heal.

Michael G. Mastronardy, chief of Toms River's Police Department at the time of Hurricane Sandy but is now the Ocean County Sheriff

"I was going zero miles an hour; it was dark, it was windy, I couldn't believe the truck was becoming a motorized boat. The truck was making noises; I didn't know how deep the water was. That's when it really hit me how bad it was; this wasn't a typical nor'easter. This is something I've never seen before."

Gary Szatkowski, former head meteorologist in New Jersey for the National Weather Service

"Normally when the briefing packages are prepared you prepare a draft first. I'd say [to my team] ˜You guys look at this and tell me if you need me to change anything.' This time I didn't do that because I thought that it might scare some of my co-workers. After I sent it out, I told the staff what I did and there was some shock. That was the one time I broke the ground rules."

Lori Dibble, homeowner in the Paradise Park mobile home community in Highlands

"I evacuated on Sunday to New York City. I already had a suitcase packed [because] I was going to go to a conference in Washington D.C.Â the next weekend. But I didn't think what happened was going to happen. I thought I might get some water, so picked things up off the floor and covered furniture with drop cloths and tarps.

Thomas Boyd, chief of the Seaside Heights Police Department

"We realized it was going to be bad. But I don't think I knew how bad it was going to be until about 6 o'clock that night. I saw the water break through at Carteret Avenue. That was still a couple of hours before the storm came onshore. I saw it come across and I thought, 'This is going to be really bad.' When that wind was coming through the Ferris wheel (on Casino Pier), it sounded like a pack of wolves howling.

Scott Woolley, former chief of the Union Beach Police Department

"We had people calling us to rescue them and we had no way to get to you. We just have no way to get to you until this water goes down. You feel helpless (as a first responder). If there was a way we could get to you, we'd be there."

Edwin Byk, resident of Little Egg Harbor's Mystic Island section

"When the water started to come in, we went up to the second floor. We looked down and I could see everything just floating around. We were watching the water come up, up, up. The refrigerator started floating, the washer and dryer were floating."

Lori Dibble, homeowner in the Paradise Park mobile home community in Highlands

"It was chaos. It was like a bomb had dropped. Many of the homes were all twisted up and broken open. The contents of the homes were everywhere. You couldn't see the roads because of all the debris."

You can read additional quotes on others' account of the day at APP.com.

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