Cape May County Declares Emergency; Traffic Minimized

CAPE MAY COUNTY SIGNS EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION
Freeholder Vice-Director Ralph E. Sheets, Jr. and Frank McCall, Emergency Management Coordinator signed an Emergency Proclamation for Cape May County at 7 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 19.
EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION
TO ALL RESIDENTS AND PERSONS WITHIN THE
COUNTY OF CAPE MAY
AND TO ALL DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE
COUNTY OF CAPE MAY
WINTER SNOW STORM DECEMBER 18-19-20, 2009
WHEREAS, pursuant to the powers vested by (Chapter 251 of the laws of 1942 as amended and supplemented, N.J.S.A App. A: 9-30 et seq.; N.J.S.A. 40:48-1 (6); N.J.S.A 2c:33-1 et seq.; whichever law or laws apply, a local disaster emergency is declared to exist within the boundaries of the COUNTY OF CAPE MAY.
WHEREAS, the aforesaid laws authorize the promulgation of such orders, Rules and Regulations as are necessary to meet the various problems which have occurred or may occur due to such emergency, and
WHEREAS, by reason of the conditions which currently exist in certain areas of the COUNTY OF CAPE MAY, which may affect the health, safety and welfare of the people of the COUNTY OF CAPE MAY, and
WHEREAS, it has been determined that these areas of the COUNTY OF CAPE MAY should then be declared disaster areas and further that certain measures must be taken in order to insure that the authorities as well as maintaining an orderly flow of traffic, and further in order to protect the persons and property of the residents affected by the conditions, and
WHEREAS, the following areas are designated as potential disaster areas:
1. The Borough of AVALON, the City of CAPE MAY, The Borough of CAPE MAY POINT, the Township of DENNIS, the Township of LOWER, the Township of MIDDLE, the City of NORTH WILDWOOD, the City of OCEAN CITY, the City of SEA ISLE CITY, the Borough of STONE HARBOR, the Township of UPPER, the Borough of WEST CAPE MAY, the Borough of WEST WILDWOOD, the City of WILDWOOD, the Borough of WILDWOOD CREST, and the Borough of WOODBINE.
a. State resources may be needed to assist with the ATLANTIC CITY ELECTRIC COMPANY power outage that can affect all of CAPE MAY COUNTY.
b. The CAPE MAY CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS is pre-positioned to
open a number of shelters when requested by the affected municipality to do so.
c. NEW JERSEY FOREST FIRE SERVICE RESOURCES under a separate cover, via Eteam, will be requested should their services be necessary.
d. The Cape May County EMCC is partially activated at 0600 hours, Saturday, December 19, 2009 with a full activation preparations scheduled if necessary.
e. The Cape May County Fire Coordinator, EMS Coordinators, Cape May County Fire Chiefs Association, Cape May County Public Works Association, and the Cape May County Municipal Offices of Emergency Management are pre-positioned to respond to the potential disaster associated with the WINTER STORM DECEMBER 18-19-20, 2009.
f. Activation of the NJSP-OEM EAS / EBS System to call for, under “The Good Samaritan Act” a call for Volunteers to utilize 4 Wheel Drive Vehicles for the Emergency Transport of Physicians, Nurses and Dialysis Care patients.
THEREFORE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH the aforesaid laws, it is promulgated and declared that the following regulations shall be in addition to all other laws of the State of New Jersey and the COUNTY OF CAPE MAY,
1. There shall be no through traffic traversing the aforesaid area(s) except for movement of police, fire, first aid and any other such vehicles or as may be permitted by use or by authorized officials of the COUNTY OF CAPE MAY and the respective affected Municipal Jurisdictions should conditions warrant the action.
2. The COUNTY OF CAPE MAY and its municipalities are activating their respective Alert, Warning and Communications Annexes with the National Weather Service’s Warnings and will be disseminated using all appropriate communication media.
3. The COUNTY OF CAPE MAY and its respective Municipal Jurisdictions will take any and all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of the residents and visitors of CAPE MAY COUNTY.
4. The COUNTY OF CAPE MAY and its municipal jurisdictions shall ensure the safety of lives and property by initiating actions that will maintain the safety of life and the protection of property including; but, limited to, normal precautions and specific actions as authorized by the governing bodies of the respective Coastal and Mainland Jurisdictions.
5. The protective measures shall include beach replenishment, shore protection measures, removal of floatables, cleaning of storm drains and all other measures to impede the flow of dangerous ocean action and allow for the flow of water to recede.
6. Transportation of Dialysis Care Patients to Dialysis Treatment Centers may be necessary.
7. Transportation of Medical Personnel such as Physicians, Nurses to Nursing Homes, Dialysis Care Centers, Hospital and other Medical Facilities as necessary .
Cape May County
Office of Emergency Management
Declaration of Emergency via
CAPE MAY COUNTY EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION
For: DECEMBER 18-19-20, 2009 WINTER STORM
Ralph E. Sheets, Jr.
______________________________
Ralph E. Sheets, Jr.
Freeholder Vice Director
County of Cape May
Francis J. McCall
______________________________
Francis J. McCall
Emergency Management Coordinator
County of Cape May
Date: December 19, 2009 Time: 0700 Hours
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LIBRARY OPEN
Library openings and closings for Saturday, December 19th
The Cape May County Main Branch of the Library located on 30 Mechanic Street along with the Stone Harbor Branch of the Library are open today, Saturday, December 19, 2009.
ALL OTHER BRANCHES OF THE CAPE MAY COUNTY LIBRARY ARE CLOSED TODAY.
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The Cape May County Park and Zoo are closed today, December 19, 2009 due to the winter storm.
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WILDWOOD — Wildwood and Lower Township police are closing George Redding Bridge on Saturday, Dec. 19 at 10:57 a.m. due to flood conditions on the east (Wildwood) side of the bridge.
AVALON — Due to flooding, the Townsend’s Inlet Bridge has been closed as of Saturday morning.
NORTH WILDWOOD — Flood sirens were sounded in this city at about 8:37 a.m. to warn residents in low-lying areas to relocate their vehicles if they had not already done so.
High surf, wind and snow advisores have been issued for the entire day.