Sign up for emergency notifications before hurricane season.
Learn how to protect life and home at special concert event
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
VENTNOR – It rained Sunday…a lot. Streets were flooded in all three Downbeach communities. Although weather warnings urged motorists to avoid low-lying areas, videos on social media showed motorists driving through floodwaters at higher than necessary speeds creating wakes that pushed stormwater into homes.
Residents and visitors are urged to learn more about hurricane preparedness and how to protect their lives and property during extreme weather events.
Downbeach communities of Ventnor, Margate and Longport will unite 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, July 17 to share important information about emergency management procedures during the Sunset at Ski Beach concert being held in Ventnor Heights.
According to the Ventnor Office of Emergency Management, the information sharing event held last year was extremely helpful in getting the word out to a wider audience than in past years when hurricane preparedness meetings were held at indoor locations in the community.
Special Events Coordinator Donna Peterson said those who attended the concert and information sharing event were engaged in learning to heed weather warnings, evacuation procedures and how to protect their homes from flooding and wind damage.
As in past years, weather information will be presented by National Weather Service forecaster and Absecon OEM Coordinator Jim Eberwine and Meteorologist Joe Martucci, who is under contract with the City of Ventnor to provide timely weather updates and forecasts needed to properly prepare for numerous special events held in the city.
Hurricane season starts June 1 and lasts until November. Forecasters have predicted greater than normal hurricane activity due to the switch from El Nino to La Nina. A Category 4 hurricane is currently headed toward the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf states.
NOAA
Information will be presented before the concert starts, and during breaks in entertainment. Vendors will set up tables where the public can interact with emergency professionals from each municipality and the Atlantic County Office of Emergency Management, and from Atlantic City Electric, South Jersey Gas and Comcast. A veterinarian will also be there to talk about how to care for pets during an emergency.
Participants will learn to heed evacuation orders, prepare a go bag and sign up in advance for emergency notifications that can be sent automatically via email or text.
The program will also provide updates to the South Jersey Coastal Resiliency Plan, and Atlantic County Multi-Jurisdictional National Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Insurance professionals will also be on hand to talk about how to save money on the cost of flood insurance and provide more information about what municipalities are doing to reduce the cost of insurance through the Community Rating System. The CRS issues points for municipal actions undertaken that increase resiliency against extreme weather conditions, which will continue to affect shore communities due to climate change and subsidence. The higher the rating, the greater the discount on premiums thorugh the National Flood Insurance Program. Ventnor, Margate and Longport are Class 5 communities offering a 25% discount on the cost of flood insurance.
Ski Beach is located at Dorset and Burk avenues. Rain date for the event is Wednesday, July 24. The bands playing are Xtreme Queen and We May Be Right.
Atlantic City Electric crews will be ready if a hurricane decides to visit New Jersey.
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