Mercer County Now Under 'Limited' State of Emergency

Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes today declared a limited state of emergency for the county and also announced that the Sun National Bank Center arena in Trenton will be used as an emergency shelter to house people displaced from other areas of the state should such evacuations become necessary.

The Red Cross will open an emergency shelter at a firehouse in Ewing Township for Mercer County residents who become displaced from their homes, he said.

With Hurricane Irene heading up the Atlantic coast toward New Jersey, Hughes again urged all residents and business owners to get ready.

“I want our residents to take this storm seriously and be as prepared as possible,” Hughes said. “The time to prepare is now. The storm is coming, and even if it is reduced to tropical storm status, it will bring heavy winds and rain. You can be of most help to our emergency teams and road crews if you prepare now and travel only if absolutely necessary.”

Hughes said resident should stay in their homes unless there is an emergency.”

Residents who are forced out because of flooding or damage to their homes, or who are ordered to evacuate by law enforcement officials, can go to the West Trenton Volunteer Fire Co. firehouse at 40 W. Upper Ferry Rd. in Ewing Township, where the American Red Cross of Central New Jersey will open up a shelter at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Hughes said the state has accepted Mercer County’s offer to use the Sun National Bank Center as a shelter. If that becomes necessary, he said, the state will provide food and water, the Red Cross will administer the shelter, and the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office will provide law enforcement.

Hughes said most recent forecast models show that Irene will bring significant rainfall to the region which could lead to flooding of streets and streams, flooding of basements and, depending on the location of the storm, a rise in the level of the Delaware River.

He also noted that recent heavy rains have already saturated the ground and weakened some tree roots. With more rain and strong winds on the way, many trees are likely to be toppled.

At Trenton-Mercer Airport, administrators are monitoring the weather and sending advisories to airport tenants asking they ensure that all materials and objects are secured, including aircraft.

“Although we hope to keep the airport operational, if sustained winds reach 58 mph, we will be required to close the control tower,” Hughes said. In case of closure, aircraft would be diverted to other regional airports.

People who are expecting to arrive at or depart from Trenton-Mercer Airport should check with their airline before venturing out, he said.

Mercer County Park Commission has suspended all play at its four golf courses on Sunday, Aug. 28. The commission also has secured all watercraft at the marina and the cocks on the Delaware River, behind Waterfront Park, in Trenton, he said.

If power should go out at the county’s two fuel stations, Hughes said the county has a tanker truck that can supply county work trucks and generators with an additional 1,000 gallons of fuel.

Hughes noted that local emergency management volunteer groups such as Community Emergency Response Teams have been notified to be ready to respond. He said CERT members “give critical support to first responders in emergencies, provide immediate assistance to victims, organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site, and collect disaster intelligence to support first responder efforts.”

He said anyone who has not already done so should prepare an emergency kit as outlined on theNew Jersey Office of Emergency Management’s website.

Related Topics: Hurricane Irene