Disabled Lakehurst Emergency Alert Siren Expected to Come Back On-Line

A disabled emergency alert siren is expected to come back on-line now that a company has been located to do repairs, said a  councilman at the body's Thursday night meeting.

"We have talked on the [office of emergency management] level for a good number of months, if not years, about getting a public alert system that would be audible throughout the town," said councilman Steven Oglesby, who serves on the borough's public safety board along with councilman James Davis.  

Oglesby said that the borough had three working sirens, but "cost was always a factor in why we didn't get them hooked back up." 

The borough's fire chief Ed Seaman located a company that will do the work for $2,260, a fee that will be shouldered among three borough agencies.

"At this point it looks like fire, first aid and OEM will split the cost three ways," Oglesby said. "The fire chief also took it upon himself to contact JCP&L, which will donate a pole to mount the siren on."

The original siren would be refurbished and not present any additional cost to the borough, Oglesby said. The siren would be placed at the  on Proving Ground Road.

Should the council approve the siren, Oglesby said that there would be a test period and if all goes well, a second siren would be considered next year.

"Between two sirens, you'd probably be able to hear that throughout town," he said.

A public alert system is required, and the borough does have other methods in place for emergency alerts. 

"We do have reverse 9-1-1, which works very well assuming the phones are working. Other public alert system we have is riding around in cares with a [public address] system, which isn't terribly efficient," Oglesby said. "The siren would be a good thing."

The fire and first aid departments, as well as the office of emergency management are all behind it.

"All of the agencies would like to see it implemented," Oglesby said. 

The siren would be placed on an automatic timer system which would turn it off between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. as to not disturb residents, according to Oglesby.

"This would activate for fire and first aid calls," he said.

Under the old system, the series of siren blasts would indicate the type of emergency.

"Twice, in the middle of winter, kids would jump up and down because it meant school was closed," Oglesby said. 

Mayor Timothy Borsetti said that the proposal sounds "very good" and asked the councilman to alert other members when the agencies are ready to install the siren so that the council can work on approving the siren.

"Once these guys are ready to move on, the council will make a motion to approve," the mayor said.