How to Prepare For Hurricane Sandy

Officials from the Westwood, Washington Township and Hillsdale Offices of Emergency Management have been closely tracking the progress of Hurricane Sandy as the storm makes its way toward New Jersey.

The Hillsdale OEM has already called for residents of flood-prone areas to evacuate by 4 p.m. Sunday.

DPWs from all three towns are asking residents to refrain from putting leaves out at the curb, as these will clog storm drains and cause worse flooding.

Additionally, the Washington Township OEM posted tips to prepare for a hurricane on the township's website. The recommended actions include:

• Put important documents in a safe place, preferably in a waterproof container.
• Have some extra cash on hand.
• Fill up your car's gas tank.
• Bring in lawn furniture, garden tools, toys and any other outdoor items that could get blown around in the storm.
• Fill your prescriptions and stock up on medical supplies.
• Clean out gutters.
• Turn your fridge and freezer to the coldest setting so as to keep food from spoiling for as long as possible in the event of power loss.

Officials also recommend that residents prepare an emergency supply kit before the storm. A list of items recommended to be included by the Red Cross can be found on Hillsdale's website.

To find out what's happening during the storm, you can sign up for Patch's newsletters and breaking news alerts here. We'll also be updating on Facebook and Twitter. Additionally, Washingon Township, Westwood and Hillsdale all offer alerts for their residents.