County and Towns Begin Post-Sandy Assessments and Clean Up

As the new day began throughout Cape May County, municipalities remain in response mode as officials begin the task of assessing and cleaning up in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
According to Leonore Bonifonte, Cape May County Communication Director, “Cape May County remains in a response mode. The mandatory evacuation for barrier islands has not yet been lifted as communities are clearing debris and assessing damage to ensure the safety of their residents. Also, County Emergency Management crews are visiting all barrier islands to assist officials and assess damage.”
“Del Haven, Stone Harbor Manor and Avalon Manor took a lot of damage,” said Capt. John Edwards of the Middle Township police. Edwards added Reeds Beach was “devastated.”
Overall, said Edwards, “Most of the township fared pretty well.” According to Edwards approximately 4,000 customers, mainly in the Burleigh, Mayville and Goshen sections of the township remain without power. Atlantic City Electric has reported 31,263 customers without power in the aftermath of Sandy.
Wildwood’s vast beach found itself under water during the storm. With Sandy’s high winds and rain, coupled with an astronomical high tide, the ocean met the bay during the height of the storm, said Wildwoods Convention Center Director of Sales and Entertainment John Lynch.
“From everything we looked at last night (Oct. 29), it looks as though there was minor damage to the Boardwalk,” said Lynch. He, along with members of the city’s police and fire departments, assessed the city’s most famous attraction during a lull in the storm as its eye passed over the city.
Lynch said the Convention Center did not sustain damage. “The protective dune that surrounds the Convention Center certainly did its job.”
Lynch, who was imbedded with emergency personnel for the hurricane’s duration, said as the storm reached its fury, emergency personnel recused ten people. “There were rescues from people in their 80s to a 2-month-old baby.”
Like the rest of the county, the city remains under a state of emergency as it conducts a clean up.
“There is debris in the streets, downed power lines and areas of flooding,” said Mayor Ernest Troiano. “Everything is closed. No one should be on the streets.”
The mayor asked everyone to stay inside until the city is safe to navigate and the state of emergency has been lifted.
Bonifonte said county road crews are out clearing causeways and roads in throughout the county. Clearing debris and down tree branches is the focus on the mainland in addition to clearing the causeways to barrier islands.
“Cape May County is still under a state of emergency,” said Bonifonte. “The mandatory evacuation of barrier islands remains in effect. State highways, county roads and bridges are being inspected today (Oct. 30). Traffic will be restricted on all county and state roads until further notice.”