Health & Fitness
11/2/12 Hurricane Sandy Update 7:30PM
Notes from our meeting with the West Orange Office of Emergency Management
Repairs:
-50% of power is now up.
-PSEG continues to work hard to address neighborhood grid problems. There has been increasing collaboration with the Department of Public Works.
Find out what's happening in West Orangewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
-In addition, the municipality remains in close contact with the utility company
communicating pockets of heavy damage.
-You will continue to see a steady increase in the amount of homes being turned on. Exercise patience, if you see a side of a street or neighborhood going on and not others. It has not been easy to predict cause and effect due to a continuous damage assessment.
Find out what's happening in West Orangewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
-If possible, communicate when your power goes on via our town facebook page or other social media mediums so that OEM maps can be updated.
-The administration reported an increase in the amount of PSEG crews on the roads, which is comprised of 80-100 miles. More are expected as the effort moves forward.
Shelter:
-The Liberty Middle School shelter is now up and running under the administration of the West Orange CERT team. The shelter is for West Orange residents only.
-Residents should not be shy as the shelter is offering warmth, food, and entertainment. A movie will be show in the auditorium tomorrow at 10am.
-No pets are allowed at this shelter.
Precautions:
-Exercise safety when using candles
-Be very mindful about carbon monoxide as it relates to generators. Keep your
generator at least 25 feet from your home.
-There is an increase in calls relating to downed wires, surges, and alarm activation in areas where power is turned on. If your power is still out please unplug any electric equipment to avoid issues.
-The police department reports that public safety has been maintained and that the curfew has been very helpful.
-FEMA has opened an office in Livingston. More details to follow.
West Orange statistics to date:
-1,200 emergency calls
-152 public trees down
-245 downed wires
-10 reported fires
-1.8 million in property losses
To stay more informed, please visit the town website at: http://westorange.org/index.aspx?NID=870
