Monday Morning High Tide

Downtown Highlands: photos by LoriAnn Nolan

Dock at Salt Creek Grill, Rumson, photo by Brian Nelson

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Governor Christie’s Sunday Evening Briefing on Hurriane Sandy

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Christie: “If I turn out to be right, and you turn out to be dead, that’s not a good equation. Don’t be stupid. Get out.”

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Hurricane Sandy updates for Monmouth County

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Governor Chris Christie Requests Pre-Landfall Emergency Declaration for New Jersey in Anticipation of Hurricane Sandy

Trenton, NJ – Governor Chris Christie this morning formally requested that President Barack Obama declare a pre-landfall emergency for New Jersey. This declaration would allow the State to request funding and other assistance for actions taken in advance of Hurricane Sandy, which is expected to make landfall in New Jersey late Monday evening.

“We have taken this action to assist communities which have taken extraordinary measures to insure the safety of the public during this very serious and dangerous storm,” said Governor Christie.

“The National Hurricane Center predicts that Hurricane Sandy will move along the New Jersey coast beginning on or about October 28, 2012, bringing the potential for severe weather conditions, including heavy rains, high winds, dangerous storm surges and stream and river flooding that may threaten homes and other structures, and endanger lives in the state,” added Governor Christie.

Hurricane Sandy is expected to bring flooding, high winds and heavy rain across the state over a period of 36 hours starting early Monday morning.

A copy of the Governor’s letter to President Obama is attached to the here.

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Christie activates National Guard and Airmen, Closes State Offices, Closes NJ Transit and PATH. Suspends tolls on GSP north and Atlantic City Expressway. MVC Operations Suspended

Governor Chris Christie has activated the National Guard to assist New Jersey during Hurricane Sandy.

State offices will be closed on Monday.

NJ Transit and Access Link will gradually shut down all operations starting at 4PM and continuing until 2am Monday morning.

The PATH system will close at midnight.

Tolls on the Garden State Parkway North from Cape May through the Driscoll Bridge are suspended.  Tolls are suspended both ways of on the Atlantic City Expressway.

The Motor Vehicle Commission’s operations are closed on Monday.  All scheduled drivers tests, both road and written are cancelled on October 29, 30, and 31.

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Christie: “If it looks stupid, it is stupid”

Governor Declares State of Emergency

Orders Mandatory Evacuation of Barrier Islands and Atlantic City Effective 4PM Sunday

Urges Residents to Use Nice Weather Saturday and Sunday to Get Prepared

Warns Retailers Against Price Gouging

Governor Chris Christie thanks first responders from the East Keansburg Fire Company prior to his Hurricane Sandy preparedness briefing in North Middletown

Middletown- Governor Chris Christie flew into to Middletown this morning to announce that he has declared all of New Jersey under a State of Emergency in preparation of Hurricane Sandy.  The storm is expect to made landfall in New Jersey, somewhere between Cape May and Seaside late Sunday.

Christie has ordered a mandatory evacuation of New Jersey’s barrier islands south of Seaside and Atlantic City effective at 4PM on Sunday.  All roads heading into those locations will be closed.

Residents of the northern coastal regions of Monmouth and Ocean Counties are left to their own discretion to voluntarily evacuate, pending updates from the National Weather Service.

Christie said that when shelter is needed that, except in those areas being evactuated, residents should stay in their homes or arrange to stay with family members.  Shelters are being set up in all counties for those who can not stay at home or with family.  The State will have five shelters open in the event of overflow at the county shelters.

“As we move towards what is an increasingly likelihood of seeing Sandy make landfall in New Jersey, I am urging all New Jerseyans to take every possible and reasonable precaution to ready themselves for the storm’s potential impact. That means having an emergency action plan for their families and other loved ones who may require assistance, and avoiding unnecessary risks in the severe weather, including staying off of the roads,” said Governor Christie. “At the state level, we are taking immediate steps to prepare for the storm’s impact and ensure that state, local and county governments have the tools they need to manage and respond in a coordinated way. With this, government at every level can respond more effectively to conditions on the ground, activate emergency operations plans, and ensure that resources are being marshaled to assist and protect the public through this storm.”

Christie encouraged residents to stay off of the roads during the storm and announced that NJ Transit will cross honor tickets and passes, Monday through Wednesday, giving those commuting to work greater access and flexibilty to public transportation in the event that their normal routes are closed due to the storm.

The governor emphasised that, unlike previous storms that have move through quickly, Sandy is expect to move slowly and impact the area for up to three days.

Utilities repair crews will not restore power while the storm is ongoing. Power outages are expected to last for as long as 7 to 10 days.

Residents should consult http://www.ready.gov/ for updates and preparedness tips.

In response to a reporter’s question, Christie urged residents who are using power generators to make sure they are doing so correctly according to the manufacturers’ directions.  “If it looks stupid, it is stupid,” the governor said, responding to the question about residents sharing power from generators with their neighbors via extension cords.

Following Christie’s briefing to the press and about 200 Middletown residents, his office issued a warning to merchants against price gouging.

“During emergencies, New Jerseyans should look out for each other – not seek to take advantage of each other,” said Christie. “The State Division of Consumer Affairs will look closely at any and all complaints about alleged price gouging. Anyone found to have violated the law will face significant penalties.”

Price increases are deemed excessive under the law if they are more than 10 percent above the price at which the good or service was sold during the normal course of business, prior to the state of emergency.  The law does allow that, if the merchant faces additional costs imposed by suppliers or legitimate logistical concerns, a price increase is considered excessive if it is more than 10 percent above the amount of markup from cost, compared with the markup normally applied.

Violations of the price-gouging law are punishable by civil penalties of up to $10,000 for the first offense and $20,000 for the second and subsequent offenses. Each individual sale of merchandise is considered a separate and distinct event.

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Frankenstorm Sandy

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Christie Administration Issues Generator Safety Advisory Ahead of Hurricane Sandy

State Fire Officials Warn of Electrocution Risk from “Backfeeding” of Power Lines

Trenton, NJ – New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Commissioner Richard E. Constable, III today issued a warning to residents regarding the potential dangers of portable generators and “backfeeding” during power outages. An increase in the use of generators is expected with the arrival of Hurricane Sandy in the coming days, raising the importance of educating New Jerseyans on their proper and safe use.

Portable generators, widely used when power lines are down, can prove fatal to homeowners, utility workers and even your neighbors when used improperly. A generator connected to a home’s wiring or plugged into a regular household outlet can cause ‘backfeeding’ along power lines and electrocute anyone who comes in contact with them – even if the line seems dead.

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Governor Christie Directs Cabinet to Make All Necessary Preparations for Coordinated Response to Hurricane Sandy

Urges Residents to Take Commonsense Precautions as Movement
of Sandy Continues to be Tracked

Trenton, NJ – Governor Chris Christie today directed cabinet officials to mobilize preparations for a coordinated response to the potential October storm that is trending towards an impact on the East Coast. The Governor also urged New Jersey residents to take the time now – ahead of the storm – to activate and supply their family preparedness plans and to closely monitor the track of Hurricane Sandy.

“While Sandy’s exact track is still uncertain, New Jersey has the potential to experience a major impact from high winds, heavy rain, flooding and power outages,” said Governor Christie. “That’s why it’s important from the State level on down to prepare in advance of this serious storm. The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management’s Hurricane Survival Guide is available to residents online with important information about emergency preparedness. Now, ahead of any potential impact of Sandy, is the time for families to ensure they are prepared and are tuned in for the latest path of the storm for our coast. I encourage all of our families to stay informed, get ready, and reach out to those you know who may be isolated, or in need of extra assistance during adverse conditions.”

The State Emergency Operations Center was activated at 8 a.m. today to coordinate preparations related to the storm.

New Jersey residents can maintain situation awareness in the following ways:

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