West Deptford Officials: Stay Off Roads, Leave Flood-Prone Areas

West Deptford officials kept it short and sweet in regards to how residents should handle Hurricane Irene.

The message is simple: If you're in a flood-prone area, get out as soon as possible, before the predicted five to 10 inches of rain from the storm hits.

“We're strongly encouraging them to evacuate,” police Chief Craig Mangano said, pointing to neighborhoods like Willows Woods, 1st Avenue and River Drive along Mantua Creek, and Cedar, Miller and Asbury avenues in the Red Bank section of town–all areas susceptible to floods. Firefighters were heading to those neighborhoods and other low-lying spots to notify residents of the recommended evacuation.

Part of that flooding concern is also because a storm surge up the Delaware River, anywhere from two to five feet above the normal river level, is also possible, Mangano said. Emergency officials are particularly concerned about three high tides that will peak during the storm. A pair of overnight new moon tides early Sunday and Monday will push the river to seven feet or higher, with another high tide pushing the Delaware to close to six-and-a-half feet during the day Sunday.

Township officials recommended evacuees head to friends or relatives as a first resort, but said about 200 beds will be available at the Red Cross shelter at West Deptford High School, which will open at noon Saturday. Any overflow will likely be directed to the second Gloucester County shelter at Rowan University, officials said.

Once the high school's shelter is open, evacuees can call 856-845-2300 for information; Mangano said they're also working on transportation to the shelters, should that be necessary.

Mangano said the biggest concern is flooding, but downed wires, fallen trees and power outages are all possible, and he advised anyone who isn't evacuating to stay put Saturday night and Sunday.

“Stay home–don't go out on the road,” he said. “Hunker down and make sure you have supplies to get through the storm.”

Township officials also notified the state Department of Transportation to get Crown Point Road closed, figuring that creek will end up over the road at some point during the weekend.

Mangano said all four fire companies will have firefighters on standby and the police department will be staffed for the emergency, with a contingent of officers working at the high school's shelter.

Township administrator Eric Campo and township Office of Emergency Management head Joe Gill said there'll be a coordinated response from the township to deal with the effects of the hurricane.

“We're trying to bring in every department,” Campo said.

It's not just planning for evacuations and potential damage, though, Campo said. Some of what township workers were out doing Friday was basic preventative measures, like clearing out catch basins and making sure storm drains are clear, in an attempt to alleviate some of the flooding.