Hurricane Sandy: A Message from the NJ Emergency Operations Center

SITUATION REPORT # 4
NEW JERSEY STATE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER
October 27, 2012, 2000 Hours

A.     CURRENT SYNOPSIS:

The NJ ROIC and NJOEM are currently preparing for arrival of Hurricane Sandy, expected as a Category 1 Hurricane.  NJ ROIC and NJOEM operational level is currently at a Level 3 as of 1330 hrs October 26, 2012.  NJOEM will continue to provide situational awareness reports to the State, County, Local and allied agencies throughout the event.  The Governor declared a statewide State of Emergency at 1100, October 27, 2012.

B.  INCIDENTS

No incidents to report at this time.

Road Conditions

Dry and Clear

C.  RESOURCES DEPLOYED/REQUESTED

EMAC request #315-RR-1002 was made for 25 ALS and 50 BLS ambulances.  Responding States include Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.  Responses to the requests are pending.  When the EMAC requests are satisfied, the deployment will be sent to the Staging Area at the Anthony Canale Training Academy in Egg Harbor, NJ.

D.  ACTIVITIES

The Governor declared a statewide State of Emergency on October 27, 2012.  The Governor’s mandatory evacuation is amended as follows:
Monmouth County
Evacuation rescinded for Monmouth Beach and Sea Bright
Ocean County
Evacuation rescinded for Point Pleasant Beach and Point Pleasant.
Evacuation remains in place for:
Ocean County
All of Long Beach Island including; Barnegat Light, Beach Haven, Surf City, Harvey Cedars, Ship Bottom, Long Beach Township, and Bay Head, Berkeley Township (on island), Brick Township (on island), Lavallette, Mantoloking, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, Toms River Township (on island)
Atlantic County
Long Port, Margate City, Brigantine, Ventnor City
Atlantic City Casinos will be closing at 1600 hours tomorrow.
Cape May County
Atlantic City, Cape May City, Wildwood, North Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, Sea Isle City, Ocean City, Stone Harbor, Strathmere, Avalon

State/Allied Agencies:

NJ DOC, NJDEP, NJ DHS, NJDOT, NJDMVA, NJDFS and Civil Air Patrol are currently staffing the SEOC.  ESF leads and allied agencies are engaged in preparation and posturing for response to Hurricane Sandy.

ESFs

No concerns at this time.

Counties:

The four coastal counties (Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, and Ocean) have initiated the Governors mandatory evacuation of the barrier islands.  The following Counties have declared states of emergency:

Atlantic County:                   October 27, 2012 – 6:00 a.m. (0600 hrs)
Mercer County:                     October 27, 2012 – 8:41 a.m. (0841hrs)
Cumberland County:          October 27, 2012 – 12:10 p.m. (1210 hrs)
Cape May County:               October 27, 2012 – 1:00 p.m. (1300 hrs)
Salem County:                     October 26, 2012 – 2:00 p.m. (1400 hrs)

Shelters Open
Shelter

Type

Capacity

Evacuees

Atlantic County

Buena Regional High School

General Population and Pets

500

Buena Regional Middle School

General Population and Pets

500

Pleasantville Middle School

General Population and Pets

200

Pleasantville High School

General Population and Pets

200

St. Augustine Prep

Medical Needs

150

Bergen County

Bergen County College

General Population and Pets

300

Lyndhurst Senior Center

General Population

300

Northern Valley Region HS

General Population

300

Cumberland County

Cumberland County College

General Population

300

Monmouth County

Monmouth University MAC Center

General Population

1250

Arthur Brisbane Child Center

General Population

300

Ocean County

Southern Regional High School

General Population

200

Poland Springs Center

General Population and Pets

200

Pinelands Regional Middle School

General Population and Pets

200

Atlantic Shelters open as of 0800 October 28, 2012

Private Sector:

N/A

E.  WEATHER FORECAST:

Dangerous Hurricane Sandy continues to move parallel to the Southeast Coast. The sprawling storm is expected to turn northwest early Monday and near the coast of the Mid-Atlantic States by late Monday. Direct impacts including damaging winds, flooding rains at the coast and well inland, significant storm surge, and heavy snow are expected for the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast United States. Tropical Cyclone Sandy is forecast to move northward and is expected to affect our area in the Sunday through Tuesday time frame.  Heavy rainfall, high winds, coastal flooding and beach erosion are possible with this storm.  However, this will ultimately depend on the eventual track and evolution of the storm.

It will affect the mid-Atlantic region late this weekend into early next week. Sandy will bring the following dangers to our area:

• Strong damaging sustained winds up to or exceeding hurricane strength (74 mph) over a prolonged period of time (24 to 48 hours). Gusts will be higher.

• Extremely heavy rainfall.

• Major flooding along streams and rivers.

• Major coastal flooding maybe compounded by the full moon on October 29.

• The eventual track of this storm will determine the area which is impacted.

Sandy could still track a little further to our north, or a little further to our south, New Jersey will be feeling her effects one way or the other starting late this weekend (Sunday), continuing into Tuesday of next week.
New Jersey Office of Emergency Management
Box 7068 River Road
West Trenton, NJ  08628-0068

24 Hrs – (609) 963-6900
FAX – (609) 530-3620
njeoc@gw.njsp.org