They handed out antibiotics to virtually everyone in affected neighborhoods.

The Queens officials have called upon Gov. George E. Pataki to have the affected neighborhoods declared a federal disaster area.

He said the utility would leave its emergency generators in affected neighborhoods.

Legally, the city has to give affected neighborhoods 45 days' notice of any closing.

Residents of the most affected neighborhoods, in southern Brooklyn and eastern Queens, turned out by the hundreds and organized letter-writing and phone-calling campaigns to restore the service.

Two weeks ago, after neighbors complained bitterly at a town board meeting about the volleyball games, he met with OLA and residents of the most affected neighborhood.

The council seeks to offer aid to every offender returning to the most affected neighborhoods, like South Providence.

And neighbors and business owners in affected neighborhoods like Astoria, Woodside and Sunnyside took to the steamy streets, wondering what had gone wrong.

Casualty figures may prove to be higher when curfews are lifted and surveys can be made in affected neighborhoods.

City officials said they would also impose tighter rules on how commercial waste stations operate in order to reduce pollution, odor and traffic in affected neighborhoods.