HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS -- Information from the Township: With Hurricane season once again upon us, the Toms River Office of Emergency Management cannot stress enough that all residents and visitors need to be prepared. Now is the time to arrange your family’s emergency action plan and build a Disaster Supplies Kit. A great list can be found online at ready.gov. The site gives great tips on how to prepare for emergencies and what to pack for your family, from water, batteries and flashlights to clothing and bedding.” said Paul Daley, Coordinator for the Toms River Office of Emergency Management. Lessons learned from Superstorm Sandy Mayor Tom Kelaher stated, “What we learned from Sandy was that we couldn’t reach the people we needed to reach the most. Many, many people were unprepared. I can’t emphasize enough that residents need to have a radio and fresh batteries. Also, without power, residents were unable to charge their cell phones for days, and weren’t getting updates from the internet. There were numerous residents that didn’t know what was going on because their power was out and due to the flooding, they were unable to drive.” Kelaher also noted that many elderly residents who went to a shelter left their medications behind. What you can do today: • Sign up for Nixle. The email or texting option will send you emergency and traffic updates throughout the year, not just during hurricane season. Sign up at Nixle. • “Friend” us on Facebook so that you can receive important updates at Toms River Township or Toms River Office of Emergency Management. • Buy a car phone battery charger so that you can keep your phone charged when the power is out. • Regularly check the Township website at TomsRiverTownship for important information. • Buy food that will keep and store drinking water. • Buy plywood or other material to protect your home if you dont already have it. • Trim trees and shrubbery so branches dont fly into your home. • Clear clogged rain gutters and downspouts. • Decide where to move your boat. • Review your insurance policy. • Find pet-friendly hotels on your evacuation route. Before the Storm Hits Residents should make sure that important documents, money, food and medicine are in their emergency kit. It is recommended that people keep one gallon of water per person each day, and at least a three day supply. Before a storm hits, residents should fill up their gas tank with gasoline and have extra cash on them. They should also have plans in place if they need to evacuate, including plans on where to go, what to do with pets and having supplies on hand if they cannot return to their home in a timely manner. A Hurricane Warning will give you a 36 hour notice. Take this time to pack up your supplies kit. You should watch TV, listen to the radio or check the Internet often for official news and instructions as they become available. • Bring in anything that can be picked up by the wind (bicycles, lawn furniture, tools, garbage cans.) • Turn your refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting. Keep them closed as much as possible so that food will last longer if the power goes out. • Turn off propane tanks. • Unplug small appliances. • Fill your car’s gas tank. • Plan to stay with friends or relatives at a low-rise inland hotel or at a designated public shelter outside the flood zone. If you are asked to evacuate, it’s for your own safety Daley said. “And if you do evacuate, return home only when officials say it is safe for you to return. Shelters The shelters that will be in use will be announced through the media and the Township website. The Township has 10 options for shelters and we will not know until about a day before a hurricane strike which areas will be opened. Typically, our High Schools and Intermediate Schools will be used as a shelter. During Superstorm Sandy, pets were housed in the library at Toms River High School North. What to Bring to a Shelter • First-aid kit • Medicine, prescriptions • Baby food and diapers • Games, books, music players with headphones • Toiletries • Battery-powered radio and cell phone • Flashlights • Extra batteries • A blanket or sleeping bag for each person • Identification • Copies of key papers such as insurance policies • Cash, credit card If you are without power: • From your Smartphone, check in on Facebook at: Toms River Township or Toms River Office of Emergency Management. Both sites will have updates during a severe storm. • Listen to radio stations 92.7 WOBM or 101.5 for local updates • Call JCP&L to advise them that you are without power. Call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) If you use a portable generator, make sure it is not used indoors and only used in conjunction with the manufacturer’s instructions. “We were flooded with calls during Sandy with residents not knowing what to do. That is not the time for preparing” Daley states.
Posted on: Thu, 12 Jun 2014 14:30:32 +0000
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