Happy Holidays!

Mt. Ephraim Office of Emergency Management would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

November 14, 2012 CERT Exercise

To all CERT members:

Please remember that we will be conducting a CERT exercise on November 14 at 6:30pm.  There will be hands on CERT training (Search and Rescue/Damage Assessment/Triage/Treatment) held at the Mt. Ephraim Office of Emergency Management 508 Lambert Ave.  (corner of Lambert and Station).  Please bring your CERT bags and dress appropriately.  Any questions, contact Jay or post on our Facebook page.  Hope to see you there. 

Hurricane Assistance

This is a message to all of those people who would like to assist the victims of Hurricane Sandy.  It is great that so many people want to help out but you have to be careful how you go about it.  You can't just get in your car and drive to an affected area and help.  The area is still dangerous and if you get hurt, you then become part of the problem, not the solution.  If you want to help, become a part of your local CERT, CART, MRC, RACES or the Red Cross where you will receive training and become part of the response community.  
Also, please be careful collecting donations and just sending them down. They may not be prepared to receive donations.  The problem with material goods is that they need to be stored and transported, etc. which uses manpower and space that is needed for other important parts of the response/recovery efforts.  The best way to help is to donate money to the Red Cross, this way it can be used to help victims as needed.  Whether it be for food, supplies, sheltering or any number of other things that are needed in these times, money goes a lot further.  You do not have to donate a lot, every little bit can make a difference.
It is unfortunate that I need to mention this but just be careful who you are donating money to.  It has happened in the past that people say they are collecting money for a certain cause but the money gets into the wrong hands.

Message to Camden County CERT members

First I would like to thank the CERT members that have either helped or have been on stand-by for Hurricane Sandy.

The work is not done.  Atlantic County OEM is struggling to staff their shelters and are asking us to help.  We are looking for availability of all CERT members from now until Monday for going down to staff shelters or any other requests we receive.  This message will also go out over the global connect system.  Please email me, call me or respond to the instructions that are sent over the global connect system.

Not a CERT member... Want to know more...  contact us    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mount-Ephraim-Office-of-Emergency-Management/241721132532593

or we are available at the EOC located at 804 Station Avenue on most Wednesday nights from 7pm to 8:30pm

EOC is closing

To all Mount Ephraim Residents, we are officially closing the EOC at this time.  If you have any emergency issues please contact 9-1-1.  For police, fire and EMS non-emergencies please contact the proper authority.

We thank you all for your cooperation.  If you are interested in speaking to us or learning more about our operations, contact us on facebook   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mount-Ephraim-Office-of-Emergency-Management/241721132532593?ref=hl   or feel free to stop into the EOC at 804 Lambert Avenue on Wednesday evenings between the hours of 7pm and 8:30pm.

Halloween

Halloween festivities have been rescheduled to Saturday, November 3, 2012.  The parade is scheduled for Saturday.  Registration begins at 10am and the parade will commence at 11am.  Trick-or-treat is scheduled for 12pm to 6pm.

Sandy Clean-up

This is a reminder to all residents, please do not go near any downed wires or walk/drive through large, unnatural bodies of water.  If you have or see any non-emergent issues please contact the EOC at (856)208-1623 or via our social media:  Facebook, Twitter or this Blog.  We are staffed and ready to coordinate recovery efforts.  For any dangerous issues please continue to contact 9-1-1.  

At this time, we look like we got pretty lucky with this storm again but this is no reason to feel that the efforts were not necessary and important.  The emergency services and DPW have been out throughout the storm  keeping our residents safe.  Thank you to all who were involved.  We thank everyone for their cooperation and look forward to your continued efforts in the future.

Hurricane Sandy

As of this posting at 2:30 am, the Weather Channel online is still showing sustained winds at 21 mph with gusts up to 38 mph.  There could still be damage due to winds and when the tides come in we may still experience some flooding.  Please remember to report any downed wires or power outages to PSE&G at 1-800-436-PSEG.   Remember not to touch any downed power lines and do not attempt to walk/drive through flood waters. The Office of Emergency Management will still be operational through sometime this afternoon at the least, we will post on our blog and Facebook when we decide to close.  Please contact us with any non-emergency storm-related issues.
Please continue to monitor the weather and we strongly recommend that you heed any advice that is given in relation to the storm and your safety.  Please be aware that the recovery from this storm could take days, if not weeks, please be patient with the efforts of the departments that will be involved in handling this daunting task.
I would like to take a moment to thank everyone for their patience and cooperation during this weather event.  Things could have been a lot worse if people had not listened to the advice of the emergency personnel and media.  We understand that sometimes it can feel like an over-reaction; unnecessary fuss but it is often a tough call for officials to make on what is the best path to take when handling these matters.  In general, it is better to err on the side of caution than to have the potential consequences that could come with taking these matters too lightly.
Please continue to follow our operations and those of other departments through our various media outlets.  The Office of Emergency Management is on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mount-Ephraim-Office-of-Emergency-Management/241721132532593   We are also on Twitter and of course you can follow our blogs at   mtephraimoem.blogspot.com    Please share these sites with your friends and family.  Also, if you are not a Verizon customer and would like to receive the telephone notifications from the county, you can go to   www.camdencounty.com   and click on the "Emergency Notifications" link to register yourself and your family members.  Thank you again for your cooperation.

FYI from PSEG

PSE&G Alert: Hurricane Sandy Update3:00pm PSE&G is reporting 36,000 outages as the winds have picked up dramatically due to the approach of Hurricane Sandy.   The number of utility workers and contractors who will be restoring service once the strong winds subside is now at 1,550 - 950 of them from outside NJ to assist PSE&G's own contingent of 600 linemen. PSE&G has also secured 526 tree contractors to clear damaged trees and limbs from power lines. Crews have been arriving from Texas, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Florida, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Georgia and New Jersey, as well as Canada. PSE&G urges customers to prepare for the possibility of lengthy outages - perhaps seven days or more -- due to the enormity of Hurricane Sandy, which forecasters predict may become the worst storm to hit the Northeast in 100 years. It may take until Wednesday until a full assessment of the storm's damage can be made and the utility can more accurately predict when full restoration can be made. PSE&G will be ready to respond to outages as soon as the strong winds subside and it is safe to work in bucket trucks and other equipment. Flooding and downed trees also can make it hard for crews to get to damage locations. We work closely with towns and counties to clear roads so that we can respond. Many of the outages are caused by falling trees and limbs, which bring down power lines. Downed wires should always be considered "live."  STAY AWAY FROM ALL DOWNED LINES.  Do not approach or drive over a downed line and do not touch anything that it might be in contact with.  To report a downed wire and other visible equipment damage, call 1-800-436-PSEG and tell PSE&G the nearest cross street. To report a power outage, call PSE&G's Customer Service line: 1-800-436-PSEG. In addition to widespread electric outages, PSE&G expects the heavy rain and predicted storm surge to result in gas outages. Water could enter the utility's gas distribution system, as well as flood customers' basements and gas appliances. Customers are reminded to call PSE&G to report gas odors, and contact their local fire department and municipal construction office to receive assistance in pumping the water out of their basements. Customers with wells are advised to have a supply of bottled drinking water on hand, and should fill the bathtub with water for sanitary purposes. Crews work around the clock to repair equipment and restore power. The utility's call center also will be fully staffed on a 24-hour basis to handle calls from customers. Other employees will assist with assessing storm damage, keeping the public away from any downed power lines and other functions that support restoration efforts. Electric crews work to restore power to the largest numbers of customers first, taking into account "priority" customers, such as hospitals, police stations, fire stations, water and sewer facilities, communications facilities (TV, radio, and telephone), and customers on life-sustaining medical equipment.  At the same time, the utility restores power to homes and businesses, starting with the circuits serving the largest number of customers. Customers with a handheld device, or who are at an alternate location with power, can also report power outages and view the status of their outage by logging in to My Account at pseg.com. General outage activity throughout our service territory is available online atwww.pseg.com/outagecenter and updates are posted on pseg.com during severe weather.  PSE&G has activated its Twitter page to keep the public informed about our restoration progress. Sign up as a follower at http://twitter.com/psegdelivers to monitor restoration progress.

Information per the Police Department

If you experience power outages, they need to be reported and logged with PSE&G. While they will not be responding during the worst of the storm, it is still important that they be reported and logged. In the event that you experience prolonged outages, downed wires or uprooted trees that take out utilities, please report them to:
1-800-436-PSEG 
Obviously, under ermegency circumstances call 9-1-1.

Please keep your cell phones charged and if your experience flooding, use plastic bags to keep your communication devices dry and functioning.  Try to keep your use of these communications devices to a minimum so that they stay charged and available to you should you have an emergency.  Turn off all your bluetooth controls and wifi settings if possible which will also assist in keeping them charged longer should power be out for extended time frames.

The Borough of Mount Ephraim Emergency Management personnel are here, staffed and prepared to handle this and we are with you friends.  Again, we can't say enough, that it is important that you make clear and responsible decisions regarding the safety of your families.  Stay indoors and away from windows if possible.  Stay away from downed wires, standing water and flooding zones and stay off the roads as much as possible.

As the Storm picks up...

Please remember that the brunt of the storm is just starting to come into our area.  The winds are picking up and it is unsafe to be on the roads.  Cars can be moved by the winds, the rain can be blinding;  for your safety and that of our emergency responders, please stay at home.  There are many road closures already and more scheduled to start soon.  Many of the local stores are closing or closed so there are no reasons to be out.  Please contact 9-1-1 or the Office of Emergency Management for any emergent situations.

Shelters

We would like to advise all residents that there ARE shelters available. At this time we are not publicly announcing these locations per instructions from the Camden County Office of Emergency Management. We are trying to avoid issues of overloading facilities with non-emergency cases by having all requests for sheltering go through either the 9-1-1 system or the Office of Emergency Management. There are staffing and safety requirements that need to be taken into consideration when determining what facilities qualify as shelters. There is also a pet friendly shelter available if needed. If you have a medical need or structural damage that would require evacuation please contact either 9-1-1 or the Office of Emergency Management via facebook, our blog or by calling (856)208-1623.

Questions regarding sheltering

There have been some questions as to the sheltering plans for the storm so to clarify, we are asking all residents to remain sheltered in their homes for the duration of the storm.  We will only evacuate residents that have structural damage or medical need due to power outages. MEPRI and the fire hall are not currently being used as shelters, if you have a medical need or structural damage to your home you will be directed to the appropriate shelter.  There is a strong chance that there will be power outages for hours, days or longer.  Only use 9-1-1 for emergencies.  Direct all power outages to PSEG.  Again please shelter in place do not go out.  For any information visit our twitter, facebook, or the blog at mtephraimoem.blogspot.com and for information call 856-208-1623.  If you know of anyone who is not on the Verizon database but would like to receive our notifications, please tell them to go to   www.camdencounty.com   the Emergency Notifications link to register their information.  Also, if you know of people who are not able to receive our calls or social media updates, please share pertinent information with them.

Hurricane Sandy

Remember that the storm has not officially come through yet.  The county has declared the roads closed to all but emergency personnel.  If you are following the weather, the storm seems to be strengthening with landfall expected between 7 and 8 pm.  If you have not done so already, please secure all outdoor furniture, toys, Halloween decorations, etc.

More Hurricane Sandy

Mt. Ephraim and Audubon schools are closed Monday, October 29, 2012 and Tuesday, October 30, 2012.  Please check website for any updates to these closings.

Road restrictions have been posted for Camden County since 7pm, Sunday, October 28, 2012.  Camden County and Federal States of Emergency have been declared.  Employers cannot force you to be in work unless you are considered essential personnel such as hospital workers or emergency services so please keep the roads clear.

Please shelter in place.  If you feel a need to evacuate at this time, please make your own arrangements. Shelters will be available ONLY for those with medical issues or structural damage to their home that makes it necessary to evacuate.  If you do have a medical need or structural damage to your home, please call 911.  If you do need to evacuate, please bring your storm supplies including medicine and water with you to the shelters.

The Department of Public Works has asked that if you have an illegal sump pump to sewer hook-up, please remove the hook-up from the sewer and run it into the street.  This will help to alleviate issues with sewer backup.

Trick or Treat and the Halloween parade have been postponed.  The parade will commence on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 10 am and Trick-or-Treating will be from 12pm-6pm on Saturday.

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HURRICANE SANDY

IN PREPARATION FOR THE UPCOMING STORM...

The National Weather Service is advising that there is strong chance that we will be directly impacted by Hurricane Sandy. There is the potential for very heavy rain and sustained high winds. There is likely to be flooding. In an effort to reduce the chance of sewer back-ups from the effects of flooding, we ask that you refrain from any unnecessary use of water during the storms. For example limit your flushes and this is not the best time to catch up on your excess laundry.
Also, please be sure to secure all lawn furniture, kids' play things, trash cans and Halloween decorations. Check to make sure that your sump pumps are operational. If you are prone to flooding, it may be wise to move anything that you do not want to get damaged.
Make sure that you have water, non-perishable food supplies, medication, flashlights, batteries, an am/fm radio and any additional supplies specific to your family's needs. There is a very real potential that our community may lose power due to strong and damaging wind gusts. Power outages could last from a few hours to several days depending on the damage. Please refer calls and inquiries to your respective power companies. If you have a back-up generator for your residence, please be sure to keep it outside of your home in a well ventilated are in order to reduce issues resulting from carbon monoxide fumes.
Please use 911 for emergencies only. A list of non-emergency numbers can be found at www.camdencounty.com. Watch our social media pages for updates and important news.

In light of the recent weather

In light of the recent weather...
I just wanted to take a moment to put out a few simple reminders on how to keep yourself, your family & your neighbors safe in these & other severe weather situations. Most importantly, when the storm clouds are forming & there are tornado "watches" (there MIGHT be a storm) and "warnings" (there WILL PROBABLY be a storm); this is NOT the time to go outside. I

know that these things don't happen in our area often & they can be cool to watch, but these storms are hard to predict. Storms can strike hard & strike fast, with little to no warning. It is important that you do not become a part of a potential problem by being somewhere that you should not be. Also remember to always have a disaster supply kit & evacuation plan in place in the event that the authorities let you know that evacuation is necessary.

There are many ways to learn more about preparing your family for emergency situations. The Mt. Ephraim Office of Emergency Management has information on preparing yourself & your families for disaster. We are usually available at the EOC (former Lambert Ave firehouse) on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30pm or call Jay Vilardo at (609)929-9604 or you can contact our department via this page. There is also information available at http://www.FEMA.gov/ or http://www.Redcross.org/

As always, there is also the CERT(Community Emergency Response Team) program for adults 18 and up. Teen CERT is our newest program, started for young adults ages 13 and over. Either program is a 20 hour class where you can be trained in disaster preparedness, basic first aid, search and rescue, and fire suppression. If you have special skills, are motivated to help your community or just want to learn more ways to help your family in a disaster situation, this is a great program for you.