The NJ Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM) is monitoring a coastal storm expected to impact the State today, bringing with it heavy rain, high winds and small stream and minor coastal flooding. The event coincides with the start of “National Severe Weather Preparedness Week.”

“We have enjoyed a long period of dry and warm weather; however, we face changing conditions today,” said Colonel Rick Fuentes, State Police Superintendent and Director of the NJ Office of Emergency Management. “We are closely monitoring the situation with our partners from the National Weather Service and the County Offices of Emergency Management. Be especially careful if you are on the road. We remind drivers not to drive through ponded or standing water.”

The NJOEM offers a number of ways to maintain situational awareness about severe weather events:

On the Web – Use credible websites to get information about natural hazards and emergency preparedness. The NJOEM works closely with the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center regarding storm predictions and forecasts.

National Weather Service – http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/phi/ – all NJ Counties can be accessed from the NWS Mt. Holly website

National Hurricane Center – http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

New Jersey Office of Emergency Management – www.ready.nj.gov

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/NJOEM2010

NIXLE – New Jersey residents can register to receive messages by sending a text message with their zip code to 888777 (data rates may apply depending on your plan). Online registration is also available at www.nixle.com.

NJ Alert – NJ Alert is a free, voluntary and confidential emergency alerting system that allows NJ Office of Emergency Management officials to send E-mail or text messages to cell phones, and other email enabled devices during an emergency event. Sign up for NJ Alert by logging on to: www.njalert.gov.

NOAA Weather Radio – is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from the nearest National Weather Service Office. NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts official Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. NOAA Weather Radios are typically inexpensive, easily available in stores and can often be programmed for your specific area.

Traditional Media – Continue to monitor traditional media sources – TV, newspapers and radio – to stay informed of breaking news and continued coverage of emergency events.

The NJOEM encourages all NJ residents to become “a force of nature” during Severe Weather Preparedness Week.

· Connect with the information sources listed above, stay in-the-know, and share these information sources with others.

· Develop a family emergency plan and disaster supplies kit and encourage others to do the same. For “how-to’s” on household emergency preparedness visit:

www.ready.nj.gov
www.ready.gov

· Insure the specific concerns of people with disabilities, elderly family members, and others with access and functional needs are accounted for in household disaster plans. Discuss preparedness measures with family members, personal care assistants and other caretakers. For “how-to’s” on access and functional needs preparedness, visit: http://www.ready.nj.gov/plan/special-needs.html or http://www.ready.gov/tailor-your-plan; then share this information with others who may benefit from it.

· Learn about hazards in your area, and also about emergency plans that have been established in school and in the workplace, and stay informed. These are the first steps toward being a disaster survivor, not a disaster victim.

This year, the week of April 22 marks the first National Severe Weather Preparedness Week. The goal of National Severe Weather Preparedness Week is to inform the public about the severe weather hazards and provide knowledge which can be used to take action. These actions can be used to save lives anywhere – at home, in schools, and in the workplace before severe weather strikes. TLS.