Prepare and Plan: National Weather Service issued a “Hazardous Weather Outlook”

Office of Emergency Management continues to keep a close eye on the path and storm track of Hurricane Joaquin

Oct 1, 2015

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PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany Office of Emergency Management and The Morris County Office of Emergency Management continues to keep a close eye on the path and storm track of Hurricane Joaquin which is currently a Category 3 Hurricane. Joaquin will likely be upgraded to a Category 4 Hurricane as we move forward in the storm track process. Since we cannot wait for the final verdict, our preparedness planning processes remain in full motion. As we continue our planning efforts the Office of Emergency Management has elevated our operational status within the Emergency Operations Center.

The focus remains on Sunday night and Monday. Keep in mind that the storm track continues to change and we are not locking into any specific model at this time since significant variability currently exists.

To receive Emergency Text Messages & Phone Alerts click here on this registration link.

Some of the storm models reviewed this morning suggest that Hurricane Joaquin will make landfall South of the state Sunday night and Monday while other tracks suggest an East Coast landfall or an Out-to-Sea solution. The longer that Joaquin remains in the Bahamas area, the greater the likelihood that we could possibly see an Out-to-Sea solution.

Periods of rain will be likely Sunday night and Monday and this could become heavy at times. Breezy conditions can be expected today through Sunday with wind gusts to 30-35 mph possible. Higher gusts will be possible Sunday night and Monday depending on the ultimate track of Joaquin.

First Energy/Jersey Central Power and Light has activated storm plans and additional crews have already been mobilized ahead of the storm. The First Energy 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 or click the “Report Outage” link at www.firstenergycorp.com

FirstEnergy customers also can subscribe to email and text message alert notifications to receive important information in advance of major storms, and updates on extended power outages. Customers can also use two-way text messaging to report outages, request updates on restoration efforts.

More information about these communications tools is available online, by clicking here.

The Morris County Office of Emergency Management will continue to post weather related updates via Facebook (facebook.com/MCUrgent) and Twitter (search for the handle @MCUrgent).

“My job is make sure that everyone knows who is responsible ahead of time, who has the authority, and how we’re going to communicate before the emergency happens,” said Eric Hubner, Deputy Director of Parsippany’s Office of Emergency Management.

Safety Tips During Power Outages:

Keep flashlights and fresh batteries in your home. Avoid using candles to light your home, especially around children and pets.

If you have a water well and pump, keep an emergency supply of bottled water and/or fill your bathtub with fresh water.

Stock an emergency supply of convenience foods that do not require cooking.

Have a hard-wired telephone or a charged cell phone handy in the event you need to report your electricity is out. Mobile phones can be charged in your vehicle using a car charger when the power is out.

Gather extra blankets or a sleeping bag for each person.

Do not use gas stoves, kerosene heaters or other open-flame heat sources to prevent deadly carbon monoxide gas from building up in your home.

Keep a battery-powered radio with extra batteries on hand. Tune to a local station for current storm information.

Basic Preparedness Tips

Fill vehicle fuel tanks and make sure you have cell phone car plug adapters to charge phones and portable devices in the event of extended power outages

Fill spare gasoline containers in the event that you have a gas generator or other critical gas powered items

Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the local hurricane evacuation route(s) to take and have a plan for where you can stay. Contact your local emergency management agency for more information.

Put together a disaster supply kit, including a flashlight, batteries, cash, first aid supplies, and copies of your critical information if you need to evacuate

If you are not in an area that is advised to evacuate and you decide to stay in your home, plan for adequate supplies in case you lose power and water for several days and you are not able to leave due to flooding or blocked roads.

Make a family emergency plan, including third party communications contacts and rendezvous points.

Morris County Municipalities have the ability to utilize the Morris County Office of Emergency Management’s Everbridge communication platform. This system will be utilized in the event that critical information needs to be disseminated. In addition, many of our Morris County communities have text or email alerting systems for emergency notifications. To find out what alerts are available in your municipality, check the municipal website.

To sign up for the Morris County MCURGENT notification systems text “Follow @MCUrgent” to 40404, follow us on Twitter: @MCUrgent, or find us on Facebook: facebook.com/MCUrgent

Preparing your Car

Every vehicle should have an emergency supply kit located in the trunk.

Vehicle emergency supply kids should include:

A properly inflated spare tire, wheel wrench and tripod jack
Jumper cables
Tool kit and/or a multipurpose utility tool
Flashlight and extra batteries
Reflective triangles and brightly colored cloth to make your vehicle more visible
Compass
First aid kit with gauze, tape, bandages, antibiotic ointment, aspirin, a blanket, nonlatex gloves, scissors, hydrocortisone, thermometer, tweezers and instant cold compress
Nonperishable, high-energy foods, such as unsalted nuts, dried fruits and hard candy
Drinking water
Reflective vest in case you need to walk to get help
Car charger for your cell phone
Fire extinguisher
Duct tape
Rain poncho
Additional items for cold weather include a snow brush, shovel, windshield washer fluid, warm clothing, cat litter for traction and blankets

It’s also a good idea to keep family and emergency phone numbers, including your auto insurance provider and a towing company, in your phone.

Preparing Your Home

Hurricane winds can cause trees and branches to fall, trim or remove damaged trees and limbs to keep you and your property safe.

Secure loose rain gutters and downspouts and clear any clogged areas or debris to prevent water damage to your property.

Reduce property damage by retrofitting to secure and reinforce the roof, windows and doors, including the garage doors.

Nonperishable food that does not require the use of a stove/oven etc

Purchase a portable generator or install a generator for use during power outages. Remember to keep generators and other alternate power/heat sources outside, at least 20 feet away from windows and doors and protected from moisture; and NEVER try to power the house wiring by plugging a generator into a wall outlet.

Check operational status of generators. Old fuel should be changed to allow for efficient operation.

Basic Disaster Supplies Kit

A basic emergency supply kit could include the following recommended items:

Have appropriate medications on hand
Baby supplies
Pet supplies
Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
Flashlight and extra batteries
First aid kit
Whistle to signal for help
Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
Manual can opener for food
Local maps
Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger

We encourage the public to look at travel plans and preparedness activities ahead of the storm.

Community Preparedness: The Facts

Research on preparedness shows that people who believe themselves “prepared” for disasters often aren’t as prepared as they think. Forty percent of survey respondents did not have household plans, 80 percent had not conducted home evacuation drills, and nearly 60 percent did not know their community’s evacuation routes.

Nearly 20 percent of survey respondents reported having a disability that would affect their capacity to respond to an emergency situation, but shockingly only one out of four of them had made arrangements specific to their disability to help them respond safely in the event of an emergency.

Our nation’s emergency managers, firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMT/paramedics, and other emergency responders do an incredible job of keeping us safe, but they can’t do it alone. We must all embrace our individual responsibility to be prepared – in doing so, we contribute to the safety and security of the nation as well.

Becoming more prepared in case of an emergency is easier than you might think. Whether it’s your home, your neighborhood, your place of business, or your school, you can take a few simple steps to prepare your community. This toolkit gives you the basics for getting started.

The following links can be useful in case of an emergency.