Mayor Mahr Declares State of Emergency for Fanwood

The following information was provided by fanwoodnj.org

FANWOOD DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY. STAY OFF THE ROADS!

Mayor Mahr signs emergency declaration

Mayor Colleen Mahr has signed an emergency declaration giving police more authority to keep our citizens safe during Hurricane Sandy. All residents are advised to stay off the roads and call 911 in an emergency.

On Monday and Tuesday Fanwood Borough Administrative Offices will be open only for emergency business.

Fanwood-Scotch Plains public schools are closed today.

Flooding and high winds are well underway in southern NJ. The latest forecast from the National Weather Serviceindicates wind and rain will be picking up in intensity in Fanwood as the day progresses, with the peak of the storm hitting tonight into Tuesday. Non-stop rain is expected to cause flooding and steady, high winds will likely bring down some power lines and tree limbs.

Fanwood's Police Department, Fire Department, Rescue Squad, Public Works Department and our local utilities are poised for whatever the storm brings. We will provide regular information updates on this website, via email blasts and on Community Televison (Comcast channel 35 and Verizon channel 24). If the power goes out, you can read our emails on your cell phone. Also, our website is optimized for smartphones. We also have the ability to telephone your home directly with recorded messages.

Here's the latest from Mayor Colleen Mahr and Police Chief Richard Trigo:

• STATE OF EMERGENCY EXISTS IN FANWOOD AND ACROSS NEW JERSEY. Stay off roads. Follow police direction.
• CALL 911 ONLY FOR TRUE EMERGENCIES. The dispatch desk will not be able to give weather forecasts or estimate when power will be restored. It is essential to keep the 911 lines open for true emergencies.
• PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED MONDAY in Fanwood and Scotch Plains.
• BOROUGH OFFICES CLOSED MONDAY AND TUESDAY except for emergency operations.
• SHELTERS. Fanwood local authorities and the Office of Emergency Management have designated shelters IF they are needed. If you need shelter, call Fanwood Police at 908-322-5000. Governor Christie has suggested shelter in this order of priority: 1) Shelter at home 2) Shelter with family or friends 3) Shelter in the local town 4) County shelters 5) State shelters.
• GET OTHERS TO SUBSCRIBE TO THESE EMAIL UPDATES. Forward this email to friends and family. They can click here and fill out the form. We do not share our email list with anyone else. Subscribers get our weekly email newsletter, special announcements and public safety information.
• LEAVES. The leaf collection program, which began last week, is suspended during storm conditions. Please do not rake or blow leaves into the street. Leave them on your property until the storm passes. Leaf piles in the street impede the flow of water run-off. Also, please keep storm drains clear. Leaf collection will resume at some point after the storm.
• POWER OUTAGES. PSE&G has assured us they will have extra manpower ready to respond to power outages, and have increased the power system's reliability since the last major storms in 2011. However, power outages are still likely. Keep flashlights and portable radios on hand. Keep refrigerators closed as long as possible to preserve food. Never run portable generators inside the home. If you have no power and no telephone service, you are safest if you stay at home. STAY AWAY FROM DOWNED WIRES OF ANY KIND. IF YOU SEE A DOWNED WIRE, CALL 911
• ELIZABETHTOWN GAS urges customers in Fanwood who experience service interruption to call our emergency 24-hour response line at 800 492-4009. IF YOU SMELL GAS, DIAL 911 IMMEDIATELY.
• YOUR SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT: STAY OFF THE ROADS! Do not approach downed wires. IF YOU SEE A DOWNED WIRE, DIAL 911 IMMEDIATELY.

You are safest at home. Keep a special eye on the very young and your elderly neighbors. We ask all our citizens to be patient and exercise extreme caution and common sense over the next several days.