Tag: emergency management

Neptune educates residents for Hurricane Preparedness Month

Story by Lauren Wanko, Correspondent | NJTV | September 29, 2017

In a matter of minutes, storms and other natural disasters can destroy homes and entire communities

“When you consider all of those impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, the earthquake in Mexico, the upcoming five year anniversary of Sandy. We use disasters like this unfortunately to help share information with the community to them be better prepared themselves when disaster strikes closer to home,” said Michael Bascom, emergency management coordinator of Neptune Township.

As part of National Preparedness Month, Neptune Township, Neptune City, and other local, county, state and federal organizations partnered to educate residents about protecting themselves and their families during storms and other emergencies.

“You are the help until help arrives. Until someone comes there to help you need to know what to do,” said Bascom.

EMS Manager Bil Rosen taught people how stop massive, life-threatening bleeding.

“Bleeding from an artery is critical. Someone can bleed to death from an artery in as little as two to four minutes, so being able to stop the bleed with tourniquets and wound packing is the ability to save a life,” said Rosen.

Rescue workers demonstrated some of the work they do when disaster strikes.

“The demo behind this, just demonstrates some of our capabilities as far as establishing a rope rescue system, establishing a high point and then having the capabilities to raise a rescuer and lower a rescuer and ultimately a victim,” said Donald Colarusso, team leader of Neptune Township Special Operations.

During a demo, rescue workers simulated a car accident in which the passengers were unable to get out of the car, which was severely damaged. It required the jaws of life to save them.

“The jaws of life, as they’ve been known since the early 1970s, are hydraulic rescue tools. They are extremely powerful and they help to remove the metal from around the people trapped in the vehicle. These tools have multiple uses and can be used if someone was trapped inside a small space in their house or vehicle floating away and they’re not dependent on electricity. They can run on gasoline power, electric or battery,” said Michael Dileo, deputy emergency management coordinator of Neptune Township Special Operations.

Events like this one aren’t only for residents, first responders can benefit, too.

“You have to be on top of your game, a tragedy can strike at any time, a weather event. We have to be above board and we have to able to respond to any situation. We have to be able to have the equipment to do so,” said Edward Kirschenbaum, director of public safety with the Neptune City Police Department.

During Superstorm Sandy, floodwaters wiped out homes and businesses in this community.

Residents are urged to “know your zone.” It’s a Monmouth County Office of Emergency Management initiative in which all of the coastal communities participate and every home is assigned an evacuation zone based on storm surge projection. The assignments are noted “a” through “d,” with “a” being the most vulnerable. Folks can easily find those zones online.

“It’s good to be informed so you know what to have together and how to have an evacuation plan,” said Lindsay Eppley, Neptune Township resident.

Eppley hopes she doesn’t have to evacuate anytime soon, and still she feels better knowing she’s prepared for the next storm.

 

Neptune Township advises residents to prepare for potential storms

NEPTUNE, N.J.—With Tropical Storm Joaquin having become a hurricane, Neptune Township Emergency Management Coordinator, Michael J. Bascom is advising residents to prepare now for potential weather-related power outages, localized flooding and wind damage this weekend.

“While it is too early to determine what path this storm will take and how it will impact our region, it is not too early to take measures to protect your family and property from the potential impact of Joaquin and the Nor’easter that are currently forecasted to impact our area.,” Bascom said. “Protecting ourselves from potential storm damage is something we have become accustomed to along the Jersey Shore.”

Bascom said people should have an ample supply of food and water at home in case of power outages or travel restrictions. People should limit travel and stay indoors while the storm is active. Coastal flooding is currently projected to cause roadway flooding, but emergency management officials will monitor forecasts closely and take appropriate actions should the flood threat become more significant.

“With the possibility of threatening weather, I urge our residents to follow reports on local radio, TV and the Internet for the latest weather information.” said Mayor Mary Beth Jahn. “If you haven’t already done so, now would be a good time to load the free Neptune OEM “app” on your cellular phone.”

The Township is monitoring the levels of Lake Alberta, Fletcher Lake, and Wesley Lake and plans to lower the lakes to increase their capacity to accept storm water from the street drainage systems. While this helps, it does eliminate the threat of street flooding, thus residents are urged not to park in flood prone areas.

Bascom suggested taking the following readiness steps in preparation for storms:

  • Put together a kit of emergency supplies that includes a three-day supply of canned, non-perishable, ready-to-eat food; a three-day supply of water (a total of 3 gallons per family member); a battery-operated radio and extra batteries; a flashlight and extra batteries; and a first aid kit. Additional information and checkslists can be found at www.ready.gov and www.neptuneoem.com.
  • Make a plan for what you and your family will do during an emergency. This includes knowing how to evacuate and how to “shelter in place,” which means stay home and avoid driving if at all possible.
  • Stay informed of possible threats by tuning in to your local media outlets for the latest breaking weather news.

The State Office of Emergency Management has prepared a “Hurricane Survival Guide for New Jersey” that’s a complete resource for preparing your home or business for hurricane season. You can find it on the New Jersey OEM website, www.ready.nj.gov/.

Release by Neptune Township – September 30, 2015 @ 4:00 PM

 

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Neptune OEM offers information on Nor’Easter storms

IMG_9660What is a Nor”Easter?  It is a cyclonic storm that moves along the east coast of North America.  It’s called “nor’easter” because the winds over coastal areas blow from a northeasterly direction.

Nor’easters may occur any time of the year, but are most frequent and strongest between September and April. These storms usually develop between Georgia and New Jersey within 100 miles of the coastline and generally move north or northeastward.

Nor’easters typically become most intense near New England and the Canadian Maritime Provinces. In addition to heavy snow and rain, nor’easters can bring gale force winds greater than 58 miles per hour. These storms can produce rough seas, coastal flooding and beach erosion.

The East Coast of North America provides an ideal breeding ground for nor’easters.  During winter, the polar jet stream transports cold Arctic air southward across the plains of Canada and the U.S., and eastward toward the Atlantic Ocean, as warm air from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic tries to move northward. The warm waters of the Gulf Stream help keep the coastal waters relatively mild during the winter, which in turn helps warm the cold winter air over the water. This difference in temperature between the warm air over the water and cold Arctic air over the land is the area where nor’easters are born.

– Source:  http://www.noaa.gov/features/03_protecting/noreasters.html  

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