Monmouth County Freeholders Declare State of Emergency

Original article updated at 7:45 pm.

The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders issued a state of emergency Thursday night in advance of Hurricane Irene. The declaration was approved unanimously during the governing body's regular meeting in Farmingdale.

Residents in coastal and low-lying areas are urged to evacuate voluntarily, according to a press release from the county. The Red Cross will operate emergency shelters at Holmdel High School, 36 Crawford’s Corner Road, and Wall High School, 1630 18^th Ave., beginning Friday at 5 p.m., according to Sheriff Shaun Golden. Freeholder Director Robert Clifton said Colts Neck High School, 59 Five Points Road, will be available for overflow in the event Holmdel High School and Wall High School become full. Earlier plans for Brookdale Community College in Lincroft to serve as a shelter fell through because of a lack of generators at the facility, Public Information Officer William Heine said. Pets will not be permitted at the shelters, according to Monmouth County spokesperson Laura Kirkpatrick.

“Last weekend we had 4 inches of rain and some of our evacuation routes were impassable because of flooding,” Clifton said in the release. “This weekend we expect even more rain and wind, so it is important to make the decision to leave early before it becomes too late.”

Residents remaining in their homes should make preparations for the coming storm., which is expected to begin impacting the area late Saturday, Aug. 27. The National Weather Service forecasts the brunt of the storm will hit late Sunday, Aug. 28.

“We are encouraging people to prepare an emergency kit and make a plan should family members be separated,” said Laura Kirkpatrick, a Monmouth County spokesperson.

Multiple county departments are beginning storm preparations, according to Kirkpatrick. Department of Public Works and Engineering employees are clearing catch basins, loading vehicles with cones and barricades, and filling up gas tanks of county vehicles, she noted.

“We’re working closely with JCP&L and putting resources out in the field,” Kirkpatrick said.

A state of emergency will allow the Office of Emergency Management to mobilize all county resources and direct them where they are needed, according to the release. These actions include ordering mandatory evacuations and controlling traffic on all roadways.

In addition to emergency planning, residents can assist the county’s response by putting outdoor lawn furniture away and cleaning storm drains in front of their homes.

The county has prepared storm response information on its Web site.

Gov. Chris Christie declared a state of emergency ahead of the hurricane just before 1 p.m. today, urging a voluntary evacuation of shore areas.

"People at the Shore should leave within 24 to 48 hours," said Christie.

In a news conference at State Police Regional Operations Intelligence Center, he urged tourists to abandon their plans for a weekend trip to the Jersey Shore and for residents to instead immediately focus on hurricane preparedness. He said residents should stock up on five days of food and water.

"There is the very real possibility of structural damage from flooding. If it continues on the current track, from a flooding perspective this could be a 100 year event," Christie said.

The forecast track of Hurricane Irene will cause significant impacts regardless of its exact course, forecasters from the National Hurricane Center warned in an update released at 11 a.m. Thursday.

The state of emergency mobilizes the National Guard to address the hurricane preparedness.

Christie said he will not call for mandatory evacuation unless conditions make the risk of loss of life possible.