TOWNSHIP OF MORRIS

POLICE DEPARTMENT
49 WOODLAND AVENUE P.O. BOX 7603 CONVENT STATION, NEW JERSEY 07961-7603 FAX NO. (973) 326-7485

Township Committee
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(973) 326-7360

HURRICANE SANDY UPDATE OCTOBER 31, 2012

Dear Residents, The following provides various updates as of today, October 31: Power restoration Unfortunately the impacts of Sandy are proving to be even worse than those of Irene last year. This was a catastrophic event with more than 85% of JCP&Ls customers losing power. JCP&L is still assessing the full extent of the damage and is initially working on restoring power for infrastructure and emergency service needs. It may be another day or two before we will get a priority list from them of neighborhoods and anticipated power restoration dates. When that information is received it will disseminated. As of today the initial 7-10 days stated by JCP&L is still the estimated timeframe, with today being the 2nd full day. We ask for your continued patience during the recovery phase and we will continue working with JCP&L to get power back for the residents and businesses of the Township as soon as possible. Please do not assume that JCP&L knows that a power line may be down on your street. If this is the case, each customer must call JCP&Ls outage hotline at 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) to report a downed power line. Roadway Closures We have many roads that are still closed with trees down and entangled in wires, and we suggest that people continue to stay home if at all possible. Trees that are entangled in electric wires cant be removed by our Department of Public Works for safety reasons. JCP&Ls forestry division has this responsibility. The Township has provided JCP&L a list of trees entangled in wires that are down blocking roadways. Again, please be patient as we work with JCP&L to remediate the downed wires all over the Township. Please stay safe and stay away from any downed wires.

Garbage/Recyling pick-up The Township will collect garbage scheduled for pick up on Thursday and Friday. Recycling collection has been cancelled this week and will be picked up on your regularly scheduled collection date next week. Recyclables may also be dropped off at the recycling depot Thursday, Friday and Saturday 6:00am to 4:00pm. Refrigerated Food Unfortunately, food requiring refrigeration will begin to spoil at this point. Below are some guidelines to be safe and determine when food should be disposed of:
Steps to Follow During and After the Weather Emergency:

Never taste a food to determine its safety! Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. The refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full and the door remains closed). Food may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40 F or below. Obtain block ice or dry ice to keep your refrigerator and freezer as cold as possible if the power is going to be out for a prolonged period of time. Fifty pounds of dry ice should hold an 18-cubic-foot full freezer for 2 days. If the power has been out for several days, then check the temperature of the freezer with an appliance thermometer or food thermometer. If the food still contains ice crystals or is at 40 F or below, the food is safe. If a thermometer has not been kept in the freezer, then check each package of food to determine its safety. If the food still contains ice crystals, the food is safe. Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, soft cheeses, milk, eggs, leftovers, and deli items after 4 hours without power. When in Doubt, Throw it Out!

Food may disposed of on your next regular garbage collection date or you may dispose of it at the Department of Public Works Monday through Friday 12 noon to 4:00pm and Saturday's 6:00am to 4:00pm.. Morris School District The Morris School District has cancelled school for Thursday and Friday. They are hopeful to open on Monday. Halloween Trick or Treating The Governor has requested that Trick or Treating be postponed until next week. The Township will evaluate this and provide a recommendation on Sunday. We will send out another update when a final determination is made on a date for trick or treating. Warming Centers & Shelters The Township Municipal Building at 50 Woodland Avenue is designated as the primary warming center. It is also a charging center with wi-fi for those who wish to check emails or access the internet, charge electronic devices, cell phones and laptops. It is

open 8:00am to 8:00pm. Additionally, the Townships five fire houses are open if you need to charge any electronic devices. If you are in need of an overnight shelter it is set up by the Red Cross at Mennen Arena on Hanover Avenue. If you wish to stay overnight please bring your own sleeping back and blankets, as well as any other essentials you may need. Other Information Please check on the elderly and homebound neighbors to see if they are in need of food, medication or medical assistance. If you have power and your neighbor does not, please invite them over to get warm. It is important we take care of our residents and appreciate the neighborly feel the Township has. We will provide daily updates and ask everyone to keep safety at the forefront, use common sense and help each other out over the next few days as we recover from Hurricane Sandy. Attached is a list of important telephone numbers and safety information. Please check the Morris Township website for the latest updates on our recovery efforts. We will provide updates as new information becomes available. Yours truly, Morris Township Committee Mayor Peter V. Mancuso Deputy Mayor Bruce D. Sisler Committeeman Daniel W. Caffrey Committeeman Jeffrey Grayzel Committeeman H. Scott Rosenbush