Announcements IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE BRADLEY BEACH OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT APP.COM Towns plan for what may be the Big One

Announcements

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE BRADLEY BEACH OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

OEM Officials are tracking a severe weather event that will likely impact the Borough between Saturday evening August 27^th through Monday afternoon August 29^th. Tropical storm to hurricane conditions is expected during this time.

The following storm related precautions should be taken:

1. Remove or firmly secure all movable property
2. Know the location of all utilities such as natural or propane gas and have tools ready in the event they need to be shut off
3. Prepare an Emergency Supply Kit which should include items such as water, non-perishable food, battery powered radio, flashlight and extra batteries, any medication immediately needed and sanitary items for your family. You may want to prepare a portable kit and keep it in your car in case you are told to evacuate
4. Make a Family Emergency Plan. It is important to know how you will contact family members in case of emergency or evacuations and how you will get back together
5. Be Informed. The Bradley Beach Office of Emergency Management will continue to update you on the progress of this severe weather event by means of the Reverse 911 system or visit the www.ready.gov website to obtain further information on emergency Supply Kits and Making Family Emergency Plans

Due to the impending storm, all beach lockers have been removed from the beach.

Please contact the Bradley Beach Police Department at 732 775-6900 for any questions or to arrange for the return of beach locker property

The Bradley Beach Office of Emergency Management thanks you for your cooperation in this matter.

Bradley Beach Office of Emergency Management

The Bradley Beach Office of Emergency Management in cooperation with the Monmouth County Division of Aging, Disability and Veterans’ Services is please to offer Register Ready Program.

The Register Ready Program allows our residents, who may require assistance in the case of an evacuation, to register for that help in advance. The reasons assistance may be required are many. It could be a disability, age, size, the need for use of medical equipment or the inability to speak or understand the English language.

Registration can be done online at www.registerready.nj.gov . Persons may also register by completing a registration form which can be obtained at the Bradley Beach Police Department, 701 Main Street, Bradley Beach, NJ 07720 or by calling 2-1-1.

With computer models putting Hurricane Irene on course to become a truly historic storm for the Jersey Shore, Gov. Chris Christie declared a state of emergency today, and seaside resorts moved toward beginning mandatory evacuations by Friday morning.While the National Hurricane Center could not forecast with certainty the storm’s likely intensity, its projected track is close to that of the fabled 1821 hurricane that flooded Cape May County and swamped lower Manhattan from the Battery north to Canal Street.
Emergency planners stressed that the storm has potential to cause long-term disruption to daily life, blocking roads, cutting off power supplies, cable television and land line telephone service for days.
Early today, Avalon officials issued a statement recommending that people stay away from the Cape May County resort. Long Beach Island officials soon followed suit with a call for voluntary evacuation.
But shortly after 4 p.m. today, local elected officials and emergency planners agreed to upgrade that to a mandatory evacuation as of 8 a.m. Friday, Harvey Cedars Police Chief Thomas Preiser said.
Monmouth County’s seaside mayors gave strong encouragement to residents leaving town to wait out the storm at a location inland. Asbury Park Mayor Ed Johnson recommended they leave by noon Saturday. Belmar Mayor Matthew Doherty suggested Friday night.
Monmouth County and the American Red Cross readied two emergency sites at Wall and Holmdel high schools with the expectation of them being open by Friday night.
Asbury Park was getting a school set up where people who needed transportation could go. Neptune said Neptune High School would be used for that purpose, a place to get transportation to either an emergency county shelter or elsewhere.
“We are asking people to be very cautious and serious and not play with this storm,” Johnson said. “Do not go down to see the hurricane at the beach. Don’t get in the way of emergency personnel. We’re asking people to stay inside, preferably at safe locations inland.”

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Monmouth County spokesman William K. Heine suggested that one reason mayors may be encouraging the evacuations right away is that recent storms have shown that Routes 33 and 36 became flooded and impassable.
Doherty said Belmar’s beaches would be closed Saturday and Sunday. All residents were asked to secure outside items on patios and balconies.
Leaders in Brick said they started organizing Wednesday on finalizing plans, and late today called for residents on the barrier beach communities like South Mantoloking to evacuate.
“This storm seems to pose a greater threat than any other hurricane in recent memory,” said Brick Mayor Stephen Acropolis. “Families should talk about what they are going to do if there is an evacuation, if power goes out and other situations that could arise.”
Brick officials will issue information via the town website at www.twp.brick.nj.us/
Communities on the upper Barnegat Bay peninsula are to meet Friday to finalize evacuation plans. Seaside Park Business Administrator Bob Martucci began coordinating plans with local agencies and fire department personnel this morning.
Preliminary plans are for Ocean County College, located on Hooper Avenue in Toms River, to be used as one of the barrier island's evacuation destinations, if needed.
Martucci said residents should monitor the town's website – seasideparknj.org – or local radio stations for updates over the next two days.
Waretown (Ocean Township) officials said they will open the Waretown and Fredric A. Priff schools on Wells Mills Road and Railroad Avenue as evacuation centers. Bayfront residents can expect sustained winds of 50 to 60 mph and gusts up to 80 mph, they said.
Waretown and Barnegat officials, whose towns lie opposite Barnegat Inlet, said they expect widespread flooding east of Route 9 on Sunday, given the storm forecast and higher than usual tide associated with the new moon. “Access to the bayfront on Sunday will be difficult and should be undertaken only in the most urgent of circumstances,” a joint advisory from the towns warned residents.

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Utilities including Jersey Central Power & Light, Atlantic City Electric and Verizon say they are pre-positioning emergency equipment and workers to respond to outages.
Power outages in the JCP&L area can be reported by calling 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877). Verizon customers should dial 611 to report loss of service.
Howell school officials said they are allowing JCP&L and emergency service agencies to use district parking areas to stage trucks and equipment, so residents should not be alarmed when they see those vehicles near schools.
In case power outages knock out water pumps, people should set aside three days’ worth of clean water for their households.
Before filling containers with drinking water, clean them thoroughly with soap and water and rinse with clean water, recommended officials with United Water in Toms River. Containers should be sealed with their original tops, and labeled “drinking water” with the date. Water should not be stored in direct sunlight or near toxic substances such as gasoline or chemicals, they said.
United Water is preparing for emergency measures by testing backup generators, ensuring that water storage facilities are full, and having an extra supply of water treatment chemicals on hand. Company officials will also work closely with local emergency response teams to coordinate emergency preparation and response activities.
“We watch the weather very carefully and we’re prepared to make any operating adjustments necessary to maintain the integrity of our facilities and water supplies,” said Rick Pfleiderer, director of operations, in a release. “With weather predictions for an upcoming storm, our goal is to provide uninterrupted service and to respond as quickly as possible to any emergency situations which may happen.”
“This storm concerns me more than any other event in my entire career as chief,” said Lakewood Police Chief Robert C. Lawson. “If this lands as a Category 2 with the saturated soil, the trees will fall like sticks.”
Lawson, who is head of emergency management for Lakewood, said he met today with department heads and volunteer groups in the town to go over details and preparations for the storm.
During a storm with powerful winds and heavy rain on July 29, the roof of the Peter Ward apartment building blew off and 62 people were evacuated to a shelter at Lakewood High School for three days, Lawson said. Since then, the roof has been repaired and is in good shape, he said. Power lines were downed and traffic signals were without power on state and municipal roadways and had to be manually directed for two days, police said.
Staff writers Margaret F. Bonafide, Nicholas Huba, Kim Predham Lueddeke, Chelsea Michels, Kirk Moore, Keith Ruscitti, Nancy Shields, Robert Vosseller and David P. Willis contributed to this report.