VENTNOR - Forecasters have predicted an active hurricane season, which lasts until Nov. 30, and the first named hurricane of the season is churning in the ocean. Hurricane Erin was upgraded to a Category 3 storm and will skirt the East Coast as it travels north. Forecasters are hoping a high approaching from the west will keep her away from the Jersey shore and push her out into the Atlantic Ocean.
The Downbeach area can expect high tides, rip currents and possibly some beach erosion and tidal flooding as she passes through during the early part of next week.
The question we ask is, “Are you Storm Ready?”
Downbeach residents should be prepared to deal with storms that could not only ruin your beach day, but could also impact your life and property.
This is a great time to become storm ready and set plans to protect your shore home and family in the event a major storm passes through, emergency management professionals recommend.
When a thunderstorm passed through on Aug. 6, it forced the weekly Sunset at Ski Beach concert indoors at St. James Memorial Hall. Despite a last-minute move to a different location, the concert was well attended and concert goers entertained. But before the band played, the Downbeach area’s top Emergency Management Coordinators held their annual Hurricane Preparedness Talk.
All three Downbeach municipalities participated in the information session, during which every representative of local and regional emergency management teams said the same thing – when it's time, evacuate. Do not stay behind. Because if you do, and sustained winds are above 47-miles-per-hour, emergency responders will not be able to come and save you, and if there's flooding, expensive emergency vehicles will be brought to higher ground.
Margate Emergency Management Coordinator Chuck LaBarre encouraged residents to prepare a Go Bag containing everything you need to survive for a week on your own, which could be with family, in a hotel or at an offshore shelter, which everyone agreed is not a pleasant place to be after a hurricane, especially if you have pets.
A go bag should contain prescriptions, non-perishable foods, water, flashlight, batteries, cell phone charger, crank radio, first aid kit, lightweight jacket with a hood, garbage bags and a Ziplock bag filled with important documents. Documents should include a will, advanced directives, insurance policies, prescriptions with dosages, bank account records, emergency phone numbers, contact information for relatives, etc. He recommended taking photos of all the documents on your cell phone to have as a backup. Scanning documents ahead of time and putting them on a jump drive is also recommended.
Pet owners should also prepare a go bag for Fido or Puff, said veterinarian Jessica Grant, who is a member of the Atlantic County Animal Response Team.
Residents with infirmities or special needs, such as oxygen or other electrical medical support systems, should register in advance on the county's Register Ready secure website. In an emergency, the county will notify local OEM offices to provide special assistance, which could include picking you up in a van with a wheelchair lift.
The main message was to get out while you can in the event a serious storm approaches the coastline.
Because some of the area's evacuation routes could be flooded, such as the intersection of Rt. 40/322 and West End/Wellington Avenue floods even during high tides, it is recommended that people not wait until the last minute to evacuate. Leave town as soon as you get an evacuation notice, even if it’s a voluntary evacuation.
Ventnor Emergency Management Coordinator Donna Peterson recommended property owners go to their municipality's website to sign up for the CodeRED notification system to receive weather advisories, evacuation warnings, flooding advisories, road closures and other important information.
If officials call for evacuation:
• Leave as soon as possible.
• Take a supply of cash and medications with you.
• Avoid flooded roads and watch for washed-out bridges. Turn Around, Don’t Drown.
• Secure your home by unplugging appliances and turning off electricity and the main water valve.
• Tell someone outside the storm area where you are going.
• Take a list of family contact information with you.
• Bring a wind-up or battery powered radio/flashlight with you. Some have connections that charge your cell phone. Don't forget extra batteries.
• If time permits, and you live in an identified surge zone, elevate furniture to protect it from flooding or better yet, move it to a higher floor.
• Bring pre-assembled emergency supplies and warm protective clothing.
• Take blankets and sleeping bags to shelter.
• Lock up home and leave.
For more information about hurricane season and how to protect yourself during a storm, see www.longportnj.gov, www.margate-nj.com or www.ventnorcity.org.
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