Belleville issues advisories; BHS available for shelter – NorthJersey.com
Attention Belleville residents: Belleville police are asking for voluntary evacuation of parts of the valley by Saturday afternoon.
AP PHOTO
Surfers look at the waves crashing against the Oceana Pier on Friday morning in Atlantic Beach, N.C., as Hurricane Irene heads toward the North Carolina coast. The storm is expected to hit New Jersey early Sunday.
Residents from the lower end of Fairway Avenue, 725 Joralemon St., all of Main Street and 1-3 Franklin Ave., are subject to the request. They are asked to seek shelter with a friend or family member until the storm is over, Belleville Police Chief Joseph Rotonda said on Friday.
Hurricane Irene is expected to hit New Jersey in the early hours Sunday, according to the latest meteorology reports. She is predicted to be a Category 2 hurricane at that point, expected to bring torrential rain and winds of 100 mph.
With the already waterlogged soil from this rainy August, flood-prone areas are at a particularly high threat for considerable water damage, officials say.
The soggy grounds and winds will also be conducive to downed trees and utility lines.
Belleville residents living anywhere in the valley – especially in the aforementioned areas – are advised to move their vehicles to higher ground, Rotonda said. Parking restrictions and meters are suspended this weekend, and vehicles from low-lying neighborhoods should be parked on Washington Avenue or above, Rotonda added.
Belleville High School will serve as the township’s fall-out shelter, set to open at 5 a.m. Sunday. Township officials will monitor local forecasts, and should they see a need to open the shelter earlier, they will, Rotonda said. Police and fire officials will be there to oversee shelter operations.
Buses and boats are on-hand to transport people to the high school, need be, and pets are welcome to seek refuge with their owners, the chief said.
Dogs and cats will be housed with their owners in the high school gym. Non-pet-owning residents will be in the high school auditorium, and other rooms and hallways if necessary.
Residents are welcome to spend the night, and the Red Cross will provide cots for that purpose. Water will be provided, but residents should bring at least two days worth of non-perishable food with them.
They should also bring a few days worth of clothes, a blanket, flashlights and batteries, Rotonda said.
“We’re hoping the power is okay at the high school,” he said. “We have some portable generators, but they won’t be able to light the whole place.”
All Belleville police officers and firefighters who had vacations scheduled for this week have been ordered back to work, Rotonda said, and extra personnel will be placed on all weekend shifts.
Both the Belleville police and fire chiefs will work all weekend, as will Police Capt. Victor Mesce and Fire Deputy Chief George Pedalino – the township’s emergency management liaisons, Rotonda said.
Code Enforcement officials are on standby to check buildings for potential structural damage, he added.
Belleville residents will begin to receive instructional messages 6 p.m. Friday, via the township’s automated reverse 9-1-1 feature, according to Rotonda.
Chief’s tips
• Once the storm starts, stay off the roads. New Jersey is under a State of Emergency. Only emergency personnel and those that must go to work (such as hospital employees) will be allowed on the roads.
• All lawn furniture and any loose items outside your home (garbage cans, kiddie pools, etc.) should be stored away.
• Stock up on non-perishable food, water, flashlights and batteries.