OEM Offers Tips For Upcoming Storm

The township Office of Emergency Management is urging residents to prepare for the upcoming storm that may affect the area early next week.

The storm’s path may change over the next few days, Wall Police Sgt. Joseph Wilbert said, and the office is urging residents to follow its developments closely.

Wall Township residents with special needs might need additional assistance. Be a good neighbor and check on members of your community who are elderly or homebound as well as those with limited mobility, communication barriers and transportation issues prior to a storm, Wilbert said.

Additionally, Wall Township residents with a special need and/or their caregivers can log on to www.registerready.nj.gov and sign up for the free, voluntary and confidential special needs registry. By registering, first responders will be given the ability to prepare, locate and assist those with a special need during emergencies and disasters, Wilbert said.

The office also recommends two emergency notification systems, Wilbert said.

• Global Connect: A free, voluntary and confidential emergency alerting system that allows members of the Wall Township Police Department to send telephone calls to Wall residents and businesses, and E-mail or text messages to cell phones and other enabled devices during an emergency event. Sign up for Global Connect by logging on to: www.wallpolice.org.
• NJ Alert: A free, voluntary and confidential emergency alerting system that allows NJ Office of Emergency Management officials to send E-mail or text messages to cell phones and other email enabled devices during an emergency event. Sign up for NJ Alert by logging on to: www.njalert.gov.

The office also recommends the following tips:

• For power outage problems log onto www.firstenergycorp.com.
• For telephone or cable problems contact your provider. Their name and contact information are on your bill.
• Property owners should make sure that leaves and debris from their property do not block storm drains.

Use credible websites to get information about natural hazards and emergency preparedness. OEM works closely with the National Weather Service regarding storm predictions and forecasts, Wilbert said.

• National Weather Service - http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/phi/
• American Red Cross - http://www.redcross.org/
• Federal Emergency Management Agency – www.ready.gov

NOAA Weather Radio - is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from the nearest National Weather Service Office. NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts official Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. NOAA Weather Radios are typically inexpensive, easily available in stores and can often be programmed for your specific area.