Free Chatham Emergency Guides Arrive in Mail

Emergency preparedness guides were mailed to Chatham Borough residents and businesses this week, with the last batches expected to arrive Thursday.

The free guides were sent as part of an effort to improve emergency preparedness after Superstorm Sandy, which caused hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage in the borough and left some people without power for days.

Titled "Chatham Borough Emergency Guide," the 25-page document has useful phone numbers, a map of warming and charging centers and evacuation routes, and steps for people to follow before, during and after severe weather events and other emergencies.

Stephen Williams, public information officer and deputy emergency management coordinator for Chatham Borough, said a lot of thought went into creating the guide.

"We didn't take what happened last October lightly," Williams said.

The borough also is updating its emergency management equipment and procedures.

The release of the guide was timed to coincide with National Preparedness Month.

"We want people to be prepared," Williams said Wednesday. "This guide, if used as a reference and reviewed periodically, will do just that."

Mayor Bruce Harris said residents should review the information and put it to use.

“We are pleased to provide this excellent resource to our residents and business owners,” he said in an announcement. “I encourage residents and business owners to make the preparations described in the guide.”

Officials also encouraged residents to sign up for emergency alerts from the borough.

“Now is the time for residents to sign-up for AlertChathamBorough, our new state-of-the art technology that allows us to keep residents and business owners informed,” Chatham Borough Administrator Robert Falzarano said. “There’s no cost to sign-up, and it only takes a few minutes. Our goal is to have 100 percent participation. Remember, if we can’t reach you, we can’t help you.”

Users can choose which types of alerts they want to receive, and how they want to receive them. To sign up, visit www.chathamborough.org and click on AlertChathamBorough.