Westfield Officials Prepare for Hurricane Joaquin

A State of Emergency has been issued in New Jersey as Hurricane Joaquin makes its way up the East Coast and Westfield officials are keeping a close eye on the storm.

According to the Westfield Township website:

The Town of Westfield is closely monitoring the track of Hurricane Joaquin.

Though very much still in its early stages and there is no definitive determination of its path as yet, the National Weather Service reports that the storm has strengthened and the possibility exists that it could make landfall in New Jersey late Sunday evening, October 4, or early Monday morning, October 5.

Please be assured that the Town will keep abreast of developments and mobilize its resources accordingly.

What you can do right now to prepare:

1. It is suggested that, if you haven’t done so already, you go to the Town’s website (www.westfieldnj.gov) and sign up for Twitter and Nixle so you are able to receive emergency messages and any relevant updates via your hand held devices in the event of a power outage.

a. If you have a gasoline powered generator, make sure you have a supply of gasoline on hand, but do not stockpile as per the following safety guidelines:

b. Absolutely no more than 25 gallons total in approved (specially marked) containers of no more than 5 gallons capacity each, filled 95% to leave room for expansion, and tightly closed to prevent the release of vapors which are highly combustible

1. Store containers outside of the home, covered, and out of direct sunlight (preferably in a shed or detached garage), at least 50 feet away from any ignition source.
2. Make sure you have enough flashlights, batteries, water, and non-perishable food for your family and pets to last at least 3 days. Stock up on baby formula as needed.
3. Keep the gas tank to your vehicle(s) full.
4. PSE&G is the state-regulated utility company that provides electrical power to the region that includes Westfield. As such, only PSE&G is able to restore power should there be an outage. It is suggested that you go to the PSE&G “Preparing for a storm” webpage at www.pseg.com/home/customer_service/outage_info/prep.jsp to register for PSE&G’s MyAccount. According to PSE&G, by registering with PSE&G, it “not only gives you the ability to report problems and track progress online, it also gives you the option, via MyAlerts, to receive updates about your service via email and text message. “