Get Prepared For Hurricane Joaquin In Livingston

As Hurricane Joaquin closes in on North Jersey, emergency responders and utility companies are hunkering down in Essex County in case of possible stormy weather and flooding.

As of Wednesday, forecasters were predicting that the storm – and accompanying winds up to 100 mph - could reach the New Jersey region by late Sunday or early Monday morning.

• See related article: Joaquin Becomes Hurricane, Expected To Head Toward N.J.

GETTING PREPARED

All across Essex County, municipal agencies are getting ready for Joaquin.

“The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for our region as Joaquin is forecast to track somewhere off the mid-Atlantic coast through the next five days,” the Township of Montclair announced in a Wednesday email.

“Although we are a few days out and forecast models are still unclear, residents should take the time now to ensure they are prepared,” the Verona Fire Department stated via Twitter.

“There is potential impact from Hurricane Joaquin,” the Township of Millburn stated in a Twitter alert on Wednesday. “Please watch weather forecasts and take necessary precautions.”

PSE&G sent an advisory on Wednesday that stated the utility is making preparations for a possible landfall of Hurricane Joaquin in its service area.

“While it is too early to know with any certainty when and where Joaquin will make land -- and the strength of the storm when it does -- we take every storm with the potential for outages seriously,” said John Latka, senior vice president of electric and gas operations for PSE&G. “We are activating our emergency protocol and personnel, and performing system checks on critical transmission and distribution equipment. Also, we are requesting mutual aid from other utilities, securing additional tree crews and ensuring the availability of materials and supplies.”

PSE&G officials suggest that residents:

• Be ready to communicate,
• Make sure they have a family emergency plan
• Prepare an emergency kit

“Residents should take the time to ensure they are prepared,” the North Caldwell Police Department stated in a Wednesday advisory.

The NCPD preparedness tips included:

• Make sure all generators are in good working order
• Keep gas cans filled and ready in the event of a power outage
• Keep flashlights or lanterns in working order with extra batteries on hand
• Make sure bottled water and non-perishable food is available
• Top off all vehicles with fuel.
• Make sure all cell phones are charged and car chargers working
• Make sure all prescriptions are filled

Impacted by stormy weather from Hurricane Joaquin in Essex County? Get a storm or weather-related photo that you’d like to share? Send an email to [email protected]