Township of Long Hill

MESSAGE form the Morris County Office of Emergency Management
Tuesday, March 6th, 2018

The Morris County Office of Emergency Management has activated its Emergency Operations Center, and is monitoring the pending storm.

We have serious concerns with regards to the current forecast data due to our current Morris County electrical outage issues, and our many Morris County residents that still remain without power. At the time of this communication, we currently have 11,094 JCP&L customers without power. We spoke with members of the JCP&L team throughout the day, and it does not appear that we will see resolve of all of our pending outages prior to the arrival of this next storm. The current restoration time estimate provided by the JCP&L team is Thursday, March 8th at 11:30PM, however, we expect this estimate will likely change depending on the magnitude of the incoming storm.

With each forecast update, we see increased confidence that we will be dealing with a major storm, as snowfall totals have significantly increased since our communication yesterday. Current snowfall totals between 6-14” have been forecasted. At the height of the storm, we anticipate seeing snowfall rates of 1-2”+ per hour. The forecast data suggests that the snow is expected to begin late this evening and continue into Wednesday Morning with conditions quickly deteriorating by 9 or 10AM. We anticipate that the worst of the storm will be between 10AM - 7PM. Due to the heavy and wet nature of the snow, trees and power lines will once again be at a higher risk to come down, especially those that suffered damage from the last storm. Although the winds will not be as significant as the last storm, we anticipate seeing gusts between 25-35mph.

Please see below for our Winter Preparedness Tips:

Prepare at Home: Stock up!

  • Food that doesn’t require heating or refrigeration
  • Water (1 gallon per person per day)
  • Flashlights and batteries
  • Battery powered or hand-crank radio
  • Battery powered clock
  • First Aid Kit
  • Medications and Medical Items (if necessary)
  • Cellphones with chargers
  • Pet food, water, and additional supplies
  • Baby supplies (formula, bottles, diapers, etc.)
  • Alternate heating methods (wood, coal burning stoves, etc.)
  • Warm coats, gloves or mittens, boots, and extra blankets

On the Road: Winterize your vehicle. 

  • Keep the gas tank full. A full tank will keep the fuel line from freezing.
  • Check tires for proper inflation
  • Check antifreeze
  • Pack emergency supplies in a backpack for a kit on-the-go: 
  • Ice scraper
  • Jumper cables
  • Tire chains
  • Small shovel
  • First Aid Kit
  • Flashlight and batteries
  • Warning Flares or reflective triangle

Have a Plan. Be Prepared.

Thank you!

Jeffrey S. Paul
Director, Office of Emergency Management
Morris County Dept. of Law & Public Safety
PO Box 900
Morristown, NJ  07963-0900
Morris County EMS Coordinator