Irvington Township Mayor Tony Vauss has announced a 'full-court press’ to prepare, then battle a monstrous snowstorm forecasters say is headed towards northern NJ beginning this afternoon.
According to AccuWeather, meteorologists is growing more confident that a blockbuster storm will unfold from Tuesday to Thursday and unload more than 2 feet of snow in spots, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of up to 30 inches expected. The sizable storm will have a wide coverage area, with snow expected to fall that's expected to dump heavy snow in the northern NJ region.
Irvington Township Mayor Vauss told RLS Media his Department of Public Works has been preparing for the upcoming storm since Monday, December 14, and is led by Director Jamel Holley.
"We will begin our town-wide salting tomorrow, Wednesday, December 16, around 12noon, two hours ahead of the first anticipated drop of snow Mayor Vauss told RLS Media in a statement.
Mayor Vauss and Director Holley's winter storm playbook has the following fleet ready for assisting residents clear streets in the township:
- 16 plows - Irvington
- 6 salt trucks - Irvington
- 1 front Loader - Irvington
- 1 front Loader - County of Essex
- 8 plows - Supplemental contractor (2) are with combo salt spreader.
- 2 front end loaders - Supplemental contractor
According to Mayor Vauss, he advises that for gas and electric emergencies, residents should follow the below protocols and inform PSEG:
What you can do now:
- Be ready to communicate about your situation.
- Make sure you have a family emergency plan.
- Charge your phones, tablets, power backups and other mobile devices.
- If your mobile service provides a “hotspot” for areas without internet access, learn how to use it.
Review more storm preparation tips at https://nj.pseg.com/safetyandreliability/stormsafety.
Stay connected with PSE&G:
Compile a list of emergency phone numbers; include PSE&G Customer Service 1-800-436-PSEG.
Go to pseg.com/myaccount to sign up to report outages online and to check restoration progress.
Go to pseg.com/outagecenter to check the “Outage Map,” which is updated every 15 minutes with PSE&G outage information, and to register for MyAlerts to receive text notifications.
You can report an outage by texting “OUT” to 4PSEG (47734) or via Alexa or Google Assistant.
The new PSE&G mobile app enables customers using Apple or Android devices to securely and efficiently manage their accounts when and where the customers want to be served.
“Like” PSEG on Facebook and follow PSEG on Twitter @PSEGdelivers.
Stay away from downed wires:
Downed wires should always be considered “live.” Stay at least 30 feet away from downed power lines and immediately call PSE&G at 1-800-436-PSEG (7734) or 911 to report downed wires.
Other essential safety notes:
If you experience “no heat” or are having trouble with your heating appliance, please make an appointment by calling 1-800-350-PSEG (7734)or schedule online at nj.myaccount.pseg.com.
To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, do not run any gasoline-powered generators in a garage or any other enclosed space.
If you are on life-sustaining medical equipment, ensure that you alert PSE&G in advance and notify your local police and fire departments. For more information, visit www.pseg.com/life.
According to AccuWeather, significant ice accumulations are possible where conditions become the most favorable for prolonged ice, leading to downed trees and power lines as they will be weighed down by ice.
"Even in areas that only see minor ice accumulations, travel could become treacherous for a time. Even a thin layer of ice on roads can cause big problems," AccuWeather said.
INFORMATION/IMAGE CREDIT: AccuWeather, Irvington Township