Hurricane Sandy Ramp-Up in Mendham and Chester

In Mendham Township, they are preparing emergency shelters.

In Chester Township, the police are bringing in extra staff.

Whether the storm is as devastating as forecasters predict or not, officials are prepared and are encouraging residents to be the same.

"Residents can make sure their gutters and storm drains are clear. The public works crew can do their best but that is how residents can help with flooding," Mendham Township Police Lieutenant Vito Abrusci said. "But if they see fallen trees they need to be careful of the lines they may see down. They need to treat them as live even if they think its a cable line."

Abrusci was attending a meeting led by Evan Thomas, whose award winning work with the office of emergency management was recognized this year, as the Mendham Township finalized their game plan for the storm.

The preparedness meeting was being held in the Brookside Firehouse, which Mayor Sam Tolley said was a designated warming station. Brookside Engine Company #1 Fire Chief Jay Alderton said that the firehouse will be open as a shelter, as it was during the two major storms last year.

"We've requested more cots as well," Alderton said. "And residents should try to make sure their cell phones are fully charged and have plenty of fresh water and supplies."

Aldteron said that if multiple calls are received they will be prioritizing responses based on urgency.

"If a Brookside area resident is in need of a pumpout please call the non-emergency number 973-543-7213," Alderton said.

Since last year, many residents have been proactive and purchased generators, and Alderton cautioned that safe use of generators will be crucial in the upcoming storm.

"It is important residents not run their generators in their homes or too close to their homes or near an open window to their house," Alderton said. "This is a common cause of carbon monoxide problems."

Over in Chester Township, Lieutenant Thomas Williver said that the police department, department of public works and the Office of Emergency Management are synching up to take care of any issues the impending storm may cause.
"We are ramping up with extra personnel on Sunday evening and will remain fully staffed with extra personnel until no longer needed," Williver said.  
Williver reminded residents they can follow Chester on @Chestertownship and can visit the Chester Township website and click on the Emergency Management tab for more information.
Williver encouraged residents to call their respective utilities if they do experience an outage so that the outage can be documented.

JCP&L  says FirstEnergy customer call centers will be fully staffed. Customers who are without power are encouraged to call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) to report their outage. PSE&G's Customer Service line is 1-800-436-PSEG. 

Williver also said residents shouldn't hesitate to call the police to report hazardous conditions.

"Residents should be urged to call the police if they see trees down on roads, trees on wires, trees and wires down or low hanging wires,"Williver said.

 As Hurricane Sandy tracks north up the Eastern seaboard, multiple OEM departments are encouraging preparedness for potential flooding and power outages should the storm impact our area. Residents should keep themselves informed by monitoring the Weather Channel, www.weather.com and www.noaa.gov/ for the most up to date storm track information.

What to do before the storm hits:
• Emergency generator: Test your generators and be sure you have an adequate fuel supply on hand.
• Fill your bathtub with water: An average bathtub will hold approximately 36 gallons of water, which can be used for basic bathing and hygiene needs, as well as flushing of household toilets.
• Flashlights: Check your flashlights and place them in different rooms in your house. Also look into buying a rechargeable flashlight that can be recharged using your vehicle’s cigarette lighter outlet.
• Candles: Keep candles on hand in case your flashlights fail, just remember to extinguish any unattended candles, especially before going to bed.
• Firewood: If your house has a fireplace, keep a stack of wood in a dry place such as your garage for use during power outages in the winter months.
• Telephones: Make sure you have a car charger for your cell phone and if you don’t already have one, purchase an “Old fashioned” corded telephone, as these types of phones will usually still work during a power outage, so long as your telephone lines are still operational.
• Water & dry goods: Stock up on water, dry goods (crackers, snacks, etc.) and ready to eat meals.
• Propane: If you have a propane grill, make sure you pick-up a fresh tank, as a grill can be used for cooking more than just steaks, hamburgers and hot dogs.
• JCP&L’s Critical Customer Care Program: If you, a loved one or someone you know depend on electrically powered life sustaining medical equipment in your home, please register with JCP&L’s Critical Customer Care Program by calling 1-800-662-3115.

 What to do during the storm:
• Staying home: Unless it becomes a life threatening situation, please remain in your homes as the storm passes through our area.
• Driving: Limit vehicular travel to emergencies only.
• Road closures: Obey all road closures posted by the local, county and state officials.
• Downed trees and wires: Report all downed trees and utility wires to the Chester Township Police Dispatch Center at 908-879-5514.
• Power Outages: Report all power outages DIRECTLY to JCP&L at 888-544-4877.
• Power Restorations: Contact JCP&L regarding all restoration of power questions you may have.
• Updated public safety information: Visit this website for important public safety information updates.