Note: Slideshow begins after blog on page 2. Slideshowphotos credited to PC360's Mark Ruquet.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.—Like many in our neighborhood of MidlandBeach on Staten Island, N.Y., we hunkered down for what we thoughtwould be a long night as we awaited Hurricane Sandy.

We were under no illusions that our home would not take onwater. Last year's Hurricane Irene had taught us that. But wethought the worst would be a bit more water than Irene, and we hadpumps and a generator in place for that eventuality.

SEE ALSO: Slideshow:Sandy Destruction from the NJ Governor's Office

I went outside numerous times to inspect the area, and after 8p.m., I took a walk to see if any water was going to come inanywhere.

As I walked back to our home I saw water draining down thewalkway and found the source to be one of the pumps. Good, Ithought. The plan is working.

Inspecting inside the basement, I saw the water that had alreadygotten in (pictured right). At least everything was raised off thefloor.

Looking outside, I saw a police car make a sudden U-turn infront of our house. I decided to make another inspection.

When I went outside, to my shock, I saw a stream of waterrushing up the street and I quickly realized this was going to beworse than I imagined.

I rushed back. We hadn't prepared to leave. We grabbed a fewthings in minutes and ran through calf-deep water to my fiancée'scar. I forgot I parked mine closer to the main street where waterwas streaming in and it was too late to get back and move it.

We spent frantic minutes trying to get out. Roads werealready blocked off. We ended up at a neighbor's house that was,thankfully, on high ground.

It was a long night watching the water rise and hoping itwouldn't reach higher ground. After the water stopped rising, wereturned to our house, or at least as close as we could get to it.Water was up to the top step of the house. My car was notvisible.

The following day, Tuesday, the water receded and we got backinto the house. We inspected the damage. Water had reached theceiling in the basement and everything downstairs was destroyed.Outside, we didn't fare much better. The pool was empty of water;the sides bent in (pictured left). The shed was filled with ruinedodds and ends we thought would be safe.

The following pages show the flooding and devastation inthe surrounding areas that I observed on Tuesday.

Basement and pool photos on this page credited to JosephineCirmi.

Rescue crews went into the flooded neighborhood by boatevacuating people. Two volunteers say they pulled out about 150people.

We got a chance to tour the neighborhood. Everywhere we went,people were working to clean up and you could see the force of thewater all around.

A walk down Greeley St. (pictured above and below) found carsthrown against poles, and debris everywhere. Closer to the shore,people said water got into their basement and reached their upperfloor where they were trapped until water levels came down.

Other sections of the neighborhood had to rely on storm drainsto take the water out.

Along Father Capodanno Blvd. (pictured above and below), whichfaces the ocean, a senior citizens complex bore the full force ofthe water surge. Other homes had their windows blown out andcontents destroyed.

On Midland Ave. (pictured above and below) one structure burneddown and what appears to be a house or container had floated outinto the middle of thestreet.

I've been reporting on these events for years. Like many, wefailed to heed the advice gained from other people's experience inthese disasters. Now we're a statistic, seeking federal help andtrying to figure out how to clean up, survive and rebuild. As areporter, you never expect to become part of the story.