Christie Signs State of Emergency Order

[UPDATED 5:45 p.m.] New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has signed a state of emergency declaration ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irene, state officials said Thursday afternoon.

The governor has also urged a voluntary evacuation of Shore areas.

In a news conference at the State Police Regional Operations Intelligence Center, Christie urged tourists to abandon their plans for a weekend trip to the Shore and instead asked residents to immediately focus on hurricane preparedness.

Alex Sosnowski, an expert senior meteorologist at AccuWeather.com, said Hurricane Irene "has the potential to be a disaster."

He said the New York metro area, including Newark, is expected to get six to 12 inches of rain and 40 to 50 mph sustained winds when the storm hits early Sunday. The meteorologist said Irene likely will cause downed trees and power lines and flooded roads.

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said he's mobilized teams to assist the county's 22 municipalities, "This is all minute-by-minute, so we're carefully monitoring the situation and acting appropriately."

Sosnowski said the New York metro area is on the verge of breaking the "all-time wettest month" in August, "That has left the ground in a saturated state and if it gets more rain … there's going to be major flooding problems."

He said the storm is expected to move into southern New Jersey late Saturday. By that time, he said, the hurricane likely will weaken to a Category 2.

As of Thursday evening, the National Weather Service listed Irene as a Category 3 hurricane, making its way up the east coast after ripping through the Bahamas.

The forecast track of the hurricane will cause significant impacts regardless of its exact course, forecasters from the National Hurricane Center warned in an update released at 11 a.m. Thursday.

Christie's declaration will allow National Guard units to be activated and help during the storm.

Emergency officials are hoping today’s rain will make people take notice of the impending hurricane headed our way this weekend and get prepared. Officials also hope residents will not be lulled into a false sense of security because of Friday's forecast. 

According to the National Weather Service forecast, Friday may be sunny and that might make it hard to visualize the conditions New Jersey might experience Sunday.

"Impacts from Hurricane Irene are likely from Saturday night into
Sunday night. The exact timing is still uncertain...but heavy rain
causing flooding and strong winds will likely begin as early as
Saturday night,” according the weather service release.

While the effects and course of the storm are unknown, the Bloomfield Office of Emergency Management offers the following tips for residents to follow during the storm:

 ■ Residents should continue to monitor the storm by watching local newscasts and heed all warnings.
■ Residents should make sure that they have a working flashlight and battery operated radio in case of a power failure.
■ All loose patio furniture and outdoor items should be securely fastened in anticipation of high winds.
■ Homeowners should double check their sump pumps (if they have them) to insure they are in proper working order.

The Bloomfield Office of Emergency Management will continue to post updates on the township’s website, Channel 35 on Comcast and Channel 30 on Verizon FiOS.

Here are some ways the American Red Cross suggests to prepare:

Supplies

The Red Cross recommends having the following items on hand:

• Water — one gallon per person, per day (3­-day supply for evacuation, 2­-week supply for home)
• Food — non­perishable, easy ­to ­prepare items; can opener (3-­day supply for evacuation, 2-­week supply for home)
• Flashlight
• Battery ­powered or hand­ crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
• Extra batteries
• First-aid kit
• Medications (7-­day supply) and medical items
• Sanitation and personal hygiene items
• Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)
• Cell phones with chargers
• Family and emergency contact information
• Extra cash
• Emergency blanket

Communications and Transportation
Cellular phone access was extremely limited in the hours following Tuesday’s earthquake, but many people were still able to send email or text messages. People with land-based phones lines had more luck getting through to people.

Police and Emergency Management  reminded people yesterday to only call 9-1-1 for immediate medical and other emergencies.

In some cases, it may be safest to just stay where you are rather than venture onto the crowded roadways and trains. Emergency and government officials frequently use the news media to let the public know the best course of action, so try to look for news reports before making a decision.

Other Red Cross suggestions include:

• Plan routes to emergency shelters and register family members with special needs as required.
• Make plans for pets. 

• Bring items inside that can be picked up by the wind.
• Turn the refrigerator and freezer to the coldest settings and keep them closed as much as possible so food will last longer if the power goes out.
• Turn off any propane tanks and unplug small appliances.
• Fill their vehicle’s gas tank.
• Close windows, doors and hurricane shutters. If hurricane shutters aren’t an option, close and board up windows and doors with plywood.