Township Proclamation Honors Emergency Responders to Hurricane Irene

It was truly a team effort that helped Manalapan weather the intense storm of Hurricane Irene, and during the Sept. 14 Township Committee meeting, Mayor Andrew Lucas formally recognized the contributions of both professional and volunteers who aided the relief effort.  

“Obviously the events of Hurricane Irene hit this community in a really tough way,” said Lucas. “There were quite a few disaster areas that were declared not only by our municipal emergency management coordinator but all the way up to FEMA. And it was really just a tremendous job done by our professional and our volunteers- your neighbors- that just really made this a wonderful and awesome effort.”

The following individuals and organizations were recognized: The Manalapan Township Office of Emergency Management and Chief Rick Hogan, The Manalapan Police Department, the CERT team lead by Kim Silverstein, TEEN CERT led by Steve Levine, the Health Department and Chief Health Officer Dave Richardson, RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service), Department of Public Works, Gordon’s Corner Fire Company, Milhurst Fire Company, and the Manalapan-Englishtown First Aid Squad.

Lucas then read the official proclamation:

Whereas our community was struck by the strongest hurricane in years and our community was in the path of hurricane Irene and received in excess of 11 inches of rain and was struck by winds in excess of 70 mph.

Whereas Hurricane Irene caused the interruption of electric power throughout our community for days.

Whereas people, agencies and organizations in our area which were named tonight responded and worked together side-by-side to rescue people threatened by the storm, take them to our shelters, treated the injured and ill, transported them to medical facilities, and maintained emergency response services and emergency resources all throughout the storm.

Whereas it is likely that people and property in our community would have been much more seriously affected by the hurricane had these agencies not stepped forward to assist. Now therefore, be it proclaimed that I, Mayor Lucas, along with the entire Township Committee wish to thank all of these individuals and organizations.

A separate proclamation was presented to the Manalapan Soccer Club, Manalapan Baseball Association, Manalapan Youth Football Association, and Yorktowne Club, all of which “went above and beyond in trying to get the word out for our emergency response.”

Lucas said he has been in contact with the Department of Environmental Protection, FEMA, and Monmouth County Office of Emergency Management in providing additional relief to a number of residents who experienced destructive flooding to their homes.

The Committee will be working with Township Engineer Greg Valesi to come up with a plan that helps residents in dire need of assistance. However, the proper solution may be a difficult one for these homeowners.

Valesi confirmed that homes on Greenleaf Drive and Elliott Street are directly in the floodway when normally there should be no structures built in such an area.

During new business, the committee agreed to move forward on an application for the 2011 Monmouth County Open Space Project. This project involves using public funds to buy the homes and raze them, thus clearing the floodway.

Patch will update this information as more details of the application and plan become known.