Trenton, NJ – In the aftermath of storm Sandy, one of the most devastating storms to ever strike New Jersey, the Christie Administration and Department of Banking and Acting Insurance Commissioner Ken Kobylowski today offered guidance to New Jersey consumers on filing insurance claims to restore damaged homes and repair or replace property.
“The first consideration is safety. People should wait until it is absolutely safe to return to their homes before doing so. Once people are safely able to inspect their property, there are a few basic steps they can follow to file their insurance claims, restore their property and move forward with their lives.”
“Filing claims is a significant process, especially at a time when a resident has lost a home or suffered major damage to property as a result of Sandy,” Acting Commissioner Kobylowski said. “But it is essential to getting all the help that consumers are entitled to under their policies.”
“I urge consumers to contact their insurance carriers as soon as possible and get the process started. The State’s insurance companies are facing an unusual event in New Jersey, but they are prepared for an increased level of activity.”
The Acting Commissioner offered the following suggestions to New Jersey residents:
Trenton, NJ –The formal “alert’’ status at the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant in Lacey Township was terminated at 3:52 a.m. today after the water levels at the plant’s intake system decreased to normal levels, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has confirmed this morning.
Offsite power also has been restored to the nuclear power facility, which had lost electrical service due to Hurricane Sandy and was using backup generators to power water pumps that cool the fuel stored in the nuclear reactor.
Water levels at the plant’s intake system are now at about 3 feet and declining, below the six-foot level that triggers a formal alert notification. The rising levels were the result of high tides, wind direction and storm surge that were caused by the storm. The notification of an “alert’’ is the second lowest NRC action level.
The NRC in a statement noted that Oyster Creek was in “safe condition,’’ with agency inspectors on site.
Formal notifications of the alert were properly made, as required by the Exelon Corp, owners of the plant, to the NRC, state Department of Environmental Protection and state Office of Emergency Management.
The Oyster Creek reactor had been off-line prior to Sandy for previously scheduled refueling and maintenance operations. The DEP and NRC continue to observe operations at Oyster Creek and the state’s other nuclear facilities.
DEP nuclear engineers monitor daily operations at the state’s power plants on a regular basis and will continue to monitor their status throughout the aftermath of the storm. Under the New Jersey Radiation Accident Response Act, the DEP and State Police coordinate and implement comprehensive state, county, and municipal response to nuclear emergencies and establish requirements for protecting the public in the event of nuclear emergencies.
The state has highly trained staff ready to initiate, at a moment’s notice, an effective response to any nuclear power plant issue.
For NRC news releases on monitoring of nuclear power plants during the storm, visit: http://www.nrc.gov/
Governor Chris Christie signed Executive Order 105 this morning postponing Halloween celebrations across New Jersey until Monday November 5.
“I’ve taken this action to minimize additional risks to lives and the public safety as we begin the process of rebuilding and recovering from Hurricane Sandy,”said Governor Christie. “In too many communities in our state, the damage and losses from this storm are still being sorted out, and dangerous conditions abound even as our emergency management and response officials continue their work. As Governor, it is my responsibility to use all available resources of the state government to protect against the emergency created by Hurricane Sandy – postponing Halloween celebrations by five days is a commonsense and necessary step to accomplish that.”
The damage sustained from Hurricane Sandy poses a continued threat to public safety in communities across New Jersey due to flooding, fallen trees, downed power lines, roadway closures, and disruptions in electrical service, making it unsafe and imprudent to participate in traditional celebrations, such as trick-or-treat walks. Local officials are advised to notify and encourage their communities and residents to delay any planned celebrations until Monday.
During his press briefing this evening, Governor Chris Christie announced that New Jersey State offices will remained closted on Weds, October 31. Christie said he wants to give the Department of Transportation as well as local authorities another day to clear the roads and the electric utilities another day to restore power to all State offices.
Non-essential employees should not report for their normal day shift tomorrow. Essential employees should report to work on schedule. All notifications are currently being made and coordinated by the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management in an expeditious manner.
The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management in coordination with the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the Board of Public Utilities as well as various State agencies will continue to monitor the storm and continue statewide cleanup efforts until the event concludes. New Jerseyans are encouraged to comply with orders and guidance from their local emergency management and government officials in preparing for the storm and to avoid any unnecessary risks when the storm makes landfall.
Drivers are advised to stay off of the roads whenever possible and otherwise drive with caution in consideration of the continued threat of downed power lines, trees, branches, and the work of emergency management and utility crews. When necessary, drivers should follow the rules of the road, stay alert and respect the weather elements and the guidance and orders of emergency management and government officials. Unnecessary travel is not recommended.
During a conference call with elected officials this morning, Governor Chris Christie and DEP Commissioner Bob Martin urge New Jersey residents to conserve drinking water during the clean up of Hurricane Sandy.
There are 10 water facitlities throughout the state that are suffering minor to major difficulties due to power outages and water surges. If clean drinking water falls below acceptable levels, the government will have to issue a boil water advisory.
“We don’t want people spaying the leaves off their patios,” said Chrisite