Stop FEMA Now Holds Rally Critical of Sandy Recovery

The group Stop FEMA Now held a rally in Ortley Beach on Saturday.

Members are protesting what they see as FEMA's poor efforts in restoring the shore after Superstorm Sandy. The group's members contend that during the recovery from Sandy, FEMA has been long on bureaucratic red tape and short on action in helping victims.

Stop FEMA Now Founder George Kasimos and his group want to raise the size of dunes all along New Jersey's coast and fight a possible hike in flood insurance premiums. Kasimos says the state needs to take the lead in obtaining approval from homeowners to expand the size of dunes.  Group members fear that Ortley Beach and other shore towns may never come back without new, expanded dunes.

Kasimos tells the Berkeley Patch.com,  "FEMA needs to get it right and they need to get it right now, " he said. We need to make the barrier island a barrier."

He says that the group has more than 4000 people on Facebook as they continue their mission to pressure public officials for action.