Camden County Opens Emergency Operations Center

Camden County has opened its Emergency Operations Center ahead of a winter storm expected to drop between 10 and 16 inches of snow on the region on Tuesday.

“This will be our nerve center throughout the storm, and it will be where we will allocate assets wherever they may be needed across Camden County,” Camden County Freeholder Jonathan Young, liaison to the Camden County Office of Emergency Management, said. “If any municipality or county department has a request for additional assistance, this is where the calls come and the help is set from.”

The Camden County Freeholder Board has postponed their caucus meeting originally scheduled for Tuesday until Wednesday at 6 p.m. Rutgers University-Camden has canceled classes for Tuesday.

Officials also said preparations are underway to help keep traffic moving in the event of a serious storm.

“Our crews will be out well in advance of the first snowflake treating roadways throughout the county,” Camden County Freeholder Susan Shin Angulo, liaison to the Camden County Department of Public Works, said. “This is an all hands on deck weather event for the department and all personnel will be on the job.”

At the public works complex in Lindenwold, more than 100 pieces of equipment stand ready to keep county roadways passable and motorists moving. If the weather becomes treacherous, personnel will be dispatched to 12 winter maintenance districts to salt and plow 1,400 lane miles of roadways across Camden County. The county’s response plan calls for crews to be dispatched only to the zones where they are needed.

“Our county crews will be on the job to address any and all situations that may arise,” Shin Angulo said. “Our equipment is prepped, our trucks are loaded and our Public Works employees will be on the job to keep roadways clear, but we need everyone to remain extra cautious behind the wheel based on a messy forecast. As always when we get significant, fast accumulation during rush hour, public transportation is always a good commuting option to stay off the roads and allow our crews to work.”

Monday night's temperatures are expected to dip below freezing as snow begins after 9 p.m. The storm system will bring wind gusts up to 25 miles per hour. There is the potential for 10 to 16 inches of snow to accumulate before the storm ends Tuesday night.

“Anyone on the roadways during these times should be prepared to encounter slick road conditions,” Shin Angulo said. “Remember to leave at least six car lengths behind our DPW vehicles while they work. Also, while our crews are working in the community please park all vehicles off the roadways so we can effectively plow the area.”

“During the harsh weather conditions that are on the way, please stay indoors to keep warm and stay out of the elements whenever possible,” Young said. “If you must go out, please take precautions to keep you and your family safe from the extreme temperatures.”

Young offers residents the following tips:

· Dress in layers and cover your exposed skin to avoid frostbite.

· It only takes 30 to 45 minutes for exposed skin to develop frostbite

· Mittens keep children’s hands warmer than gloves.

· Avoid wearing cotton, it holds in moisture and loses its insulating properties.

· Remember that even clear-looking sidewalks can be slippery.

· Keep dog walks brief, don’t leave animals outside and consider a dog coat.

· Please check on your neighbors, especially those that are elderly, disabled or live alone.

· Using your ceiling fan clockwise on low recirculates warm air through the room.

· Never use a stove, oven or a gas grill to heat your home.

· Use space heaters safely on a level, hard surface and keep anything flammable at least three feet away. Turn off space heaters before going to bed.

· Wood -burning fireplaces should have a glass or metal screen large enough to catch sparks or rolling logs. Never leave children alone in the room when a fire is lit. Keep all flammable items at least three feet away from the fireplace. Always make sure fireplace embers are out before leaving the room or going to bed.

· Keep your thermostat at the same temperature day and night. Your heating bill may be a little higher, but you could avoid the costly repair of pipes that freeze and burst.

· To prevent pipes from freezing, run water, even at a trickle. Open the kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing, but be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals out of the reach of children. Keep garage doors closed if there are water lines in the garage.

· In order to conserve electricity, turn off lights and appliances that you do not need or are not using.

· At night, cover windows with drapes or blankets to minimize heat loss. During the day, open blinds to let sun warm the space.

This storm has the potential to bring down trees and power lines residents need to be extra cognizant of any power failures. Below are numbers and contact info for the two power providers in Camden County:

• PSE&G: 1-800-436-PSEG (7734)
• PSEG website: http://pseg.com/home/customer_service/outage_info/index.jsp
• Atlantic City Electric: 1-800-833-7476
• Atlantic City Electric website: http://www.atlanticcityelectri...
• South Jersey Gas: 1-800-582-7060
• South Jersey Gas website: http://southjerseygas.com/

As always, use 911 for emergencies only. Anyone who sees a problem on a county road is asked to call the county’s 24-hour hotline at 856-566-2980 to report it to the Department of Public Works.

“In these extreme weather conditions, please remember to check on elderly relatives and neighbors, or handicapped relatives and neighbors that live alone,” Young said. “Remember to bring your pets indoors, and stock your home with enough food and medication you may need to ride out the storm.”

Patch file photo