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Mayor: Warren Has Been 'Extremely Active' After Sandy

Letter to residents updates resource information and details some of officials' efforts.

  • November 8, 2012
 

The following is a letter from Warren Mayor Carolann Garafola to residents:

Myself, as Mayor, and my fellow members of the Township Committee, understand the significant hardship that the residents of Warren Township are currently going through as we recover from Superstorm Sandy. 

I have personally spoken to hundreds of Warren residents about the impact of power outages to your daily lives.  Our prayers go out to those residents whose homes were destroyed or severely damaged.   I have listened to the concerns of the elderly, those with serious medical conditions, and those with young children, who are trying to cope. The Township Committee is doing everything they can to get JCP&L and PSE&G to fully restore power to all Warren Township residents. 

The Township has been extremely active in preparations for the storm and continues to take action to deal with the aftermath.

  1. The Warren Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has prepared and submitted to the Somerset County OEM, the Township’s Emergency Management Plan which consists of multiple sections including Fire, Police, Resource Management, Public Information, Hazardous Material, and Preparedness, which guides the Township’s response in an emergency
  2. During this emergency by Superstorm Sandy, beginning on October 28, 2012, meetings at the Warren OEM office have been held attended by First Responders and Warren Elected Officials.
  3. The Warren Police Department has assisted residents with generators for those residents who are on oxygen.  If you are one of those residents, contact the Police Department at (908) 753-1000 if you need assistance.
  4. The Township Committee has advocated on behalf of its residents, that Somerset County be declared a Federal Disaster Area.  FEMA representatives have been active in Warren Township.  If you desire to register for this assistance, please call 1-800-621-3362.  You may be eligible for individual assistance.
  5. The Warren Police Department has assisted both JCP&L and PSE&G representatives in performing their duties by providing traffic assistance and guiding them to correct locations for tree removal and utility restoration.  Officers have also developed lists of hazardous conditions and provided that information to the utility. 
  6. There has been daily communication with JCP&L and PSE&G representatives to demand the restoration of power and have expressed the frustration of our residents.
  7. The Offices of Governor Chris Christie, Assemblyman Jon Bramnick, Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz, Senator Kean and Congressman Lance have been contacted to assist in expediting power restoration.
  8. Warming centers were opened at various times at Stonehouse Community Church, the Warren Court House, Central School, and Angelo L. Tomasso School.  These centers provided a place for residents to warm up, use the Internet and recharge their batteries. 
  9. An overnight shelter was opened at Stone House Community Church from Tuesday through Thursday for residents who needed a place to sleep.
  10. Police, Fire and Public Works crews cleared roadways from tree debris where trees were not impacted by live wires.

Please find below, a Resource Update which provides specific information for our residents to utilize to assist them in meeting the challenges of this event. 

It has been over 10 days since power was lost in this community and over 2,000 people are still without power.  Your Township Committee, Police Department, Office of Emergency Management, and Municipal Offices, are here to assist you in dealing with this crisis. Please do not hesitate to contact us at any time if we can assist you.

For further information please contact:  Township Administrator, Mark M. Krane at (908) 753-8000, Ext. 250 or 252. 

*** Resource Update 11/8/12 -- 12 PM *** 

When you have power back, please email Warren Twp. Office of Emergency Management (OEM)warrenoem@gmail.com with street address & nearest cross-street to add to the “Power Restoration Street List” on www.warrennj.org. 

Warren Twp. Library open regular hours 9:30A-9P @ 42 Mountain Blvd.

Free Bottled Drinking Water 9A – 5P 

Mt. Bethel Volunteer Fire Co., 128 Mt. Bethel Rd.

Limit 1 case per family 

Potable Water – Bring your own containers

Snack Shack Municipal Field, 46 Mountain Blvd.

**Pump to collect water for toilets is located at the batting cage near the Snack Shack

Ice -- Somerset County Emergency Services Training Academy, 402 Roycefield Road, Hillsborough 

Red Cross Overnight Shelter -- Bring toiletries, towel, sheets, pillow

25 Olcott Ave., Bernardsville @ Bernards High School

Showers – Bring photo ID, toiletries, & towels

  • Somerset Hills YMCA @ Riverwalk 665 Martinsville Rd, Basking Ridge 908.903.0870

o   Mon-Thurs 5:15A-10:30P, Fri 5:15A-8P, Sat 6A-6P, Sun 7A-6P

  • Somerset Hills YMCA @ 140 Mt. Airy Rd., Basking Ridge 908.766.7898

o   Mon-Thurs 5:15A-10:30P, Fri 5:15A-10P, Sat 6A-8P, Sun 7A-6P

Laundromats – Bring quarters, detergent, dryer sheets

  • 340 East Front St., Plainfield 908.753.6500
  • Washland 204 West 7th St., Plainfield 908.769.7833
  • Middlesex Laundromat 136 Boundbrook Rd., Middlesex 732.968.7133

Township Info: www.warrennj.org

  • Construction Dept. --  Electrical Permits: Special hours for electrical service connections are on Saturday November 10th and Veteran’s Day, November 12th from  9 AM to 2 PM, waiving permit fees & expediting processing on a case-by-case basis. 908.753.8000 x-241 & x-241
  • Twp Zoning Dept.: Removal of tree down/damaged due to storm, no need for tree permit
  • Twp Debris & Brush Removal: Must have curbside by 11/12/2012. Branches & limbs no longer than 6’& 5”diameter.
  • Register for reverse-911: www.warrenpolice.com click on Global Connect icon
  • OEM (Office of Emergency Management) 908.753.8000 x-262

FEMA www.disasterassistance.gov 800.621.3362

  • Local disaster recover center @ Somerset County Human Services Building at 27 Warren St., Somerville
  • Thursday, Nov. 8, 2P-8P
  • Monday - Sunday 8A-8P until further notice

Electric

  • JCP&L 888.544.4877 http://outages.firstenergycorp.com/nj.html
  • PSE&G 800.436.7734 www.pseg.com/home/customer_service/outageinfo/outagemap.jsp

 Gas

  • Elizabethtown Gas 800.492.4009
  • PSE&G 800.436.7734

Complaints (gas & electric utilities): NJ Board of Public Utilities 800.624.0241 or 609.341.9188 

Other assistance: 211

 

Carolann Garafola 

Related Topics: Hurricane Sandy

suzann b. goldstein

8:10 am on Friday, November 9, 2012

Warren PO telephone # anyone? Thanks. Sue Goldstein

Reply

ambitiously blonde

8:51 am on Friday, November 9, 2012

Epic failure at all levels in this town. I really really hope the residents speak with their vote.

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ambitiously blonde

8:55 am on Friday, November 9, 2012

Oh---and it's hysterical that you have to bring ID to anything to receive a shower, etc. it shouldn't matter where you live. You just help your fellow human. This is why NJ is viewed by the world as a bunch of selfish greedy people. At a time of crisis you wanna make sure that whoever is receiving help is from your neighborhood. How truly sad. Help should be given without requirement. People are suffering for Pete's sake. There is no humanity in this snotty town

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shellynn

1:27 pm on Saturday, November 10, 2012

so right on the money with that comment. there are not many people left in world that show any EMPATHY at all. It's truly horrid that neighbors and friends cannot come together during a time of crisis and work together to resolve...no no..instead they just have to think of themselves and no one else. Way to go! That's exactly what we want to teach our kids in these trying times - - no show some compassion, some empathy toward your fellow neighbor whether they live next door, down the road or in the next town. Treat others as you would want to be treated, that's what I teach my children!

Resident Warren

9:11 am on Friday, November 9, 2012

Epic failure is absolutely correct. We are going to speak with our vote. The worksheet shows that we have power for the last 2 days. Really? Just take a drive after sundown, Warren officials!

Reply

Big Jim Givers

9:40 am on Friday, November 9, 2012

Oh please Mayor. I am on the forgotten stretch of Mountain Avenue that was amongst the last to be fixed after Hurricane Irene, also over a week. I am sure that her part of her town has never been out over a week. I called OEM yesterday and they told ME to call JCP&L. Why do we have local governments? For this kind of stuff, Keeping roads clear. Take a look at Hillcrest Road, it is still blocked. That is outrageous. THere is no reason for me to not have power, there are no downed lines, no damage. To me it is blah, blah, blah.

Reply

Dede Bernstein Kotler

11:08 am on Friday, November 9, 2012

Worksheet also shows that all of Brady and Sneider have power, we don't, we are 8 homes with power lines wrapped around trees, buried in the snow. OEM has no clue, just emailed 8 pix.

Reply

ambitiously blonde

1:38 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012

And where do all these tax dollars go? I think we should start a petition to impeach her and make her step down. We can and should DEMAND BETTER.

She clearly does not know what she is doing. I am angry and I VOTE.... This Mayor should be voted out of office and it would be ignorant of her to even attempt to run again. We need leadership in Warren, not lipservice.

Reply

Resident Warren

3:45 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012

I agree and will rally around the entire neighborhood to join. I can cut ribbons too. We elect people who can do something during a crisis.

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Alyson

6:36 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012

I just have to say that thinking that our town officials are in control of whether or not we have electricity restored is like thinking that we had control of Superstorm Sandy devastating our state and town. The best you can do is work to improve on things in the future. My belief that the town council, the superintendent and the OEM did far better this year than last year. PRemember you are dealing with something not experienced in most of our lifetimes before.
I was without power last year for 8 days and this year 10 days, do I blame my town and all of it's volunteers and elected officials? No, I expect them to do the best they can given the circumstances and that we live in Warren NJ. By choice we live in a heavily treed rural area that is not very heavily populated. Perhaps we would all prefer to live in a highly populated area instead and see how we are treated in a time of crisis. YOU ALL CAN GO FIRST AND LET ME KNOW HOW THAT WORKS OUT FOR YOUR FAMILY. I will stay in WARREN and be thankful to all those who have been fighting and working so hard for us.

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shellynn

1:17 pm on Saturday, November 10, 2012

You have got to be kidding me! My sister, her husband and 6 month old son have been without power now for almost two weeks and you're saying that the town, the mayor, JCPL and whomever else is supposed to be working on restoring the power is doing their best, NOT ON YOUR LIFE!!! In Warren there are still trees, live wires and poles down in the street and in front of homeowners driveways - there are no cones to flag it nor are there police or anyone directing drivers. It's irresponsible and pathetic how JCPL gives conflicting information on when the power will be restored, if anyone is working on it and what exactly the problem is. Please, give me a break!! I have talked to JCPL more than 10 times in a day everyday until my power was restored which took an entire week. One would sayt...1 million customers without power, we are working on the problem and hope to have it restored as soon as possible, they say they do not have any specific information nor can they give that information out ." then I contact another rep within the same day and that person tells me they are in the area working on so and so street and should have the problem resolved within the next day. So here is JCPL saying conflicting stories, giving customers false hope or none at all, and JCPL have been turning away people from other states to assist us in restoring the power. So tell me, who is really doing their job???????????

Xwd AS

7:16 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012

Well said Alyson. I think the power companies should be the focus of our collective frustrations, predominantly due to the almost total lack of communication and activity on our roads. I would like to see what, if anything, can be done at the township OEM level for next time (e.g. requiring generators on critical service providers, and coordinating the clearance of the roadways in the first 24 hours by getting all power shut off to allow OEM to clear it), but the rest I think has to be done at state level with the utilities.

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Snappy Windbreaker

7:32 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012

Alyson you might be more stressed out than you think, unless you're playing some sort of Owen Meaney game with your toddler to keep entertained. :D I agree with Big Jim and all the other complainers -- we are lucky we have this forum to complain (which, unlike most patch threads isn't overrun by out-of-towners). The Mayor has reaped a lot of benefits from this town -- if she does leave, maybe her husband can take that amateurish hulking fright-fest of a 9/11 memorial with him, oh, and the traffic light that serves her well-lit cul-de-sac. :D Also, Big Jim, did you notice the irony of the JCP&L truck crashing into the light pole on Stirling Road? Seemed like power had only been restored for hours before it got bowling pinned. Nobody hurt, thank goodness. Unlike when those wheelin'-stealerman busses get up to speed. I wonder if a Dinardo wrecker got the call? I mean, we want the money to stay in this town. And thanks again, Big Jim, for inspiring me to take on the mantel of the Snappy Windbreaker! :D Maybe we should all become committee members and give ourselves the business! Hah hah hah!!!! Instead of just getting the business. Oh wait, that's not really funny. Anybody got an idea for a better sculpture in front of town hall?

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Patricia Zohn

8:44 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012

My husband, myself and our three young children spent many days at the Red Cross Shelter/Warming Center located at StoneCrest Church. Like many, we had no power, no heat, no running water, no local family, and no way to reach friends who were on the other side of blocked roads. I cannot say enough thanks to the volunteers of the Warren Office of Emergency Management and members of StoneCrest for their generosity of time and effort.
We routinely spent twelve hours at the shelter and saw many volunteers doing the same. Many of them also had no power in their homes, yet they were giving tremendous effort to the relief of those who were displaced. I saw dozens of elderly and young families from our community and nearby communities show up for a meal or a shower or companionship. My children made new friends and found ways to occupy themselves.
No other local community had the organization shown by Warren.
This has been a stressful, exhausting period, yet I am filled with gratitude beyond measure.
Thank you Ye, Jon, Andy, Wendy, Lisa, Pastor Jeff, Wanda, and the countless others. Thank you.

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Karen

9:31 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012

We really need new leadership in this town. It's the same people, year after year, and enough is enough. They talk a good game, but I look at results and their results stink. I know that they can't control Mother Nature, but they can take affirmative action before a storm to mitigate the anticipated damage (i.e. an active town tree pruning program) and they can be more effective after such a storm (i.e. clearing the roadways quicker and obtaining the attention of the utilities).

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woody44

9:09 am on Saturday, November 10, 2012

Snappy windbreaker. Not only hysterically funny and sad at the same time but oh so true.

Reply

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