Blizzard Should Taper Off, Allow Brick To Clean Up Sunday

BRICK, NJ -- Most residents of Brick Township spent their Saturday like Fran Rafferty’s dog -- watching the snow fall and waiting.

Some spent much of the day waiting for their power to be restored by Jersey Central Power & Light crews, which were hampered by impassable roads and strongly gusting winds. By nightfall, the utility company had about 17,000 customers still without power, not including a large outage in Toms River that occurred just after 5 p.m.

Nearly 90,000 customers had been without power because of the storm at some point on Saturday, JCP&L officials said. JCP&L says it should have power restored to all of its customers by 9 p.m. Sunday, with crews that are working around the clock to restore it.

The blizzard is expected to finally taper off Sunday afternoon, but not before adding to the 15 inches already dropped in Brick, according to a 9:45 p.m. report from the National Weather Service.

Flooding that has brutalized southern Ocean County and coastal towns in Atlantic and Cape May counties has so far not affected Brick, though officials are closely monitoring the situation.

Mayor John Ducey tweeted Saturday afternoon that he and other township officials had inspected a number of areas in town and there had been no flooding. While the steel revetment wall was exposed to a depth of 20 feet, it was holding strong in the face of pounding surf, he said.

In Brick, crews continue to work to plow the roads to make them passable again. Ducey said additional plow crews were brought in from Pennsylvania to assist, giving the town 96 pieces of equipment on the roads working to clear them. The crews are working 15-hour shifts around the clock, he said, and additional help will be joining the effort sometime Sunday.

The Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Office continues to urge motorists to stay off the roads, which remain problematic. An ambulance carrying a patient got stuck in the snow attempting to get on the Garden State Parkway in Toms River late Saturday evening.

“Ocean County residents, please do not drive anytime in the next 12 hours,” the sheriff’s office wrote on Facebook. “The State of Emergency is still in effect. Please allow police, fire, EMS, and utilities the chance to get to real emergencies instead of stopping at intersections for disabled vehicles.”

If you are shoveling the snow, remember that the heavy, wet snow can be significantly more stressful to shovel.

The National Safety Council shares these tips to shovel safely.

• Do not shovel after eating or while smoking
• Take it slow and stretch out before you begin
• Push the snow; don’t lift it
• If you do lift it, use a small shovel or only partially fill the shovel
• Lift with your legs, not your back
• Do not work to the point of exhaustion

Pushing a heavy snow blower comes with its own risks, including the strain of cold temperatures for anyone age 40 or older or those with heart problems. Cold weather can make blood clot more easily and constrict arteries, even in healthy people.

Experts say that the keys to not overdoing snow removal are to keep shoveling in shifts, and wear layers.

• Stay on top of the snowfall. Clear the snow every few inches instead of waiting for the snow to stop falling. It’s easier on you physically, and keeps the snow from sticking to surfaces.

• Wear loose layers. As you warm up, take off a layer of light clothing; be sure the material lets sweat evaporate. Put on cotton and silk, or manmade materials that breathe, rather than heavy wools.

• Check your feet. Keep your feet warm in waterproof boots with good traction to avoid falls.

• Stay hydrated. One expert says you should drink water when shoveling as if you were doing a workout at the gym or running five miles.

(With additional reporting by Deb Belt, Patch Staff)