Town Prepares For Hurricane Sandy

The National Weather Service has issued a warning that Hurricane Sandy, a large coastal nor'easter, is forecast to arrive in Bergen County somewhere between Sunday and Tuesday.

In preparation for the storm, officials said that PSE&G is setting up temporary power stations in the event the power goes down in New Milford and United Water is hosting a meeting Friday for Borough officials.

Chief of Police Frank Papapietro, who also heads New Milford's OEM, is closely monitoring Hurricane Sandy and is in close contact with the BCOEM.

"Although there are no weather advisories at this time, residents in flood prone areas should carefully monitor weather conditions and prepare to protect their valuables in the event the storm affects us," Papapietro said.

Last week the Bergen County Office of Emergency Management (BCOEM) conducted a drill that focused on scenarios designed to test the communication systems between municipal OEM's, the county OEM and the state OEM during a severe weather emergency. According to Lt. Dwane Razzetti, head of the BCOEM, 40 municipalities took part in the drill, along with representatives from PSE&G and Rockland Electric.

Papapietro participated in this drill and reported that all communications systems operated smoothly and without incident.

To prepare for the impending storm, residents are advised: 

• Register for the town's Reverse 9-1-1 by clicking here.
• Anyone taking any prescription medication that's running low refill them now
• People with special needs (or caregivers on their behalf) are encouraged to register with Register Ready -- New Jersey's Special Needs Registry for Disasters -- through  www.registerready.nj.gov.  Alternatively, they can call New Jersey’s toll-free 2-1-1 telephone service. This service will register people, offer free translation, and provide TTY services for the hearing-impaired.
• Stock up on ready-to-eat foods and bottled water.
• Have a contingency plan for your pet should you need to evacuate. Click here for NJOEM's emergency plan for your pet.  

"We will keep residents advised of developments," Papapietro said.

To keep updated on the storm, and to receive breaking news alerts, sign-up for New Milford Patch's Newsletter by clicking here.