Officials Prepare for Potential Floods

As storm clouds continue to hover over much of New Jersey, including Scotch Plains and Fanwood, the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management issued an advisory Tuesday afternoon urging all residents "to monitor weather conditions over the next several days." 

Locally, officials have already made preparations for possible floods.

"We do try to clean out as many catch basins as possible," Scotch Plains Department of Public Property director Kevin Ward said in a telephone interview. "We're cleaning up the final streets left from brush pick-up. We're down to the last two or three roads." 

The Route 22 overpass off Park Avenue, a source of initial concern to the township's public property department, has "no issues" and "seems to be flowing clearly," Ward noted.

Nevertheless, the Department of Public Property has loaded its vehicles with barricades in the event there is an overnight flood, he continued, and will continue monitoring weather reports closely. It is also working in close coordination with the and departments.

In the hours since the Office of Emergency Management issued its advisory, meteorologists' predictions have improved. Although rain is expected to continue falling through Friday, weather experts predict that there will be breaks in the precipitation, allowing swollen creeks to recede and drain systems to clear.

"The fire, police and department of public works are always ready for an event of this magnitude," Scotch Plains Mayor Nancy Malool said in a telephone interview. "We are prepared."

Added Ward, "It's refreshing not to be talking about snow."