By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
VENTNOR – The Sunset at Ski Beach concert Wednesday, July 18 provided Downbeach towns with the opportunity to share important and potentially life-saving information to about 3,000 concert goers.
Ventnor Special Events Coordinator Donna Peterson said holding the information sharing event during the concert series gets the message out to more people than meetings held in past years at indoor venues.
Holding information sharing sessions about how residents should prepare for and respond in the event of a major storm not only provides the public with lifesaving information, but also helps the city reduce the cost of flood insurance for property owners through FEMA’s score-based Community Rating System, Longport OEM Coordinator Bruce Funk said. The program awards additional points to municipalities that hold outreach events for citizens.
All three Downbeach municipalities sent their OEM coordinators to the event to educate those present about how to access important information in the event of a hurricane or flooding event. Emergency Management Coordinators Chuck LaBarre of Margate, Karen Koptic of Atlantic County OEM and Funk were joined by longtime Meteorologist Jim Eberwine of Absecon and freelance Meteorologist Joe Martucci, who shared a preview of the 2024 hurricane season that runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.
“Holding it here where there is better attendance provides more people with the information needed to save a life,” said Martucci, who is contracted by Ventnor City to provide officials with weather updates in advance of special events. “Instead of people coming to us, were going to the people.”
Martucci said Colorado State University recently updated its hurricane predictions for this year. He said there is a 32% chance of a tropical storm coming within 50 miles of the NJ coast, up from the normal 23%, and a 10% chance of it being a hurricane, up from the normal 7%.
“It’s an above average chance so you always want to be weather-aware,” he said.
Although upwelling is keeping temperatures cool in the ocean locally, tropical waters are at above average temperatures, which could bring a tropical storm or hurricane here, he said.
“The temperatures in tropical waters in April were as warm as they normally are in July,” which puts a lot of moisture into the atmosphere, he said. “The cold water we are experiencing is localized and won’t stop a storm from approaching.”
The National Hurricane Center has predicted 25 named storms with winds of up to 39 miles-per-hour,” Eberwine told the crowd.
“I advise you to have a good time at the shore 99% of the time, but heed any voluntary or mandatory evacuation warnings,” he said.
First responders will not be able to rescue people when the wind speeds go above 39 miles-per-hour, he said.
“It will be hard for them to rescue you in your hour of need, because they have to follow mandatory safety precautions for themselves,” he said, advising people to get off the barrier island and onto the mainland if advised to do so.
At the OEM tent at the rear of the concert venue, officials distributed information and giveaways.
Ventnor veterinarian Jessica Grant urged residents to have everything needed in an emergency to properly care for their pets as well.
Residents were also advised to sign up for CodeRED notifications, which they can receive by telephone, text or email. The notification app is available on the front pages of each municipal website – www.ventnorcity.org, www.margate-NJ.com, and www.longportnj.gov.
Copyright Access Network 2024
