Hurricane Irene: Borough Declares State of Emergency

Chatham Borough Mayor Nelson Vaughan announced Friday morning that he signed a Proclamation of  State of Emergency in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Irene.

The proclamation allows police to authorize any necessary overtime, to remove vehicles from borough roads and "to close any street deemed necessary to allow for public safety." It also authorizes the mayor to close any private or public business as necessary.

Among the protocols established under the proclamation are projected work assignments for all borough departments and preparation priorities, including cleaning drains and ditches throughout town, Vaughan said.

If necessary, the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will open in Room 212 at the Chatham Borough Municipal Building. Should that happen, all of Borough Hall will be opened and staffed. As the borough's Office of Emergency Management coordinator, Bill Nauta is responsible for deciding if the EOC needs to be open.

The proclamation was signed after an emergency meeting of the Public Safety Committee, borough department heads and three members of the Chatham Borough Council on Friday morning. They gathered to discuss emergency preparedness and protocols as Hurricane Irene approaches the Garden State.

"In an event such as this, anything is possible," Falzarano said. "We could lose cell phone coverage for a while. We could use hard line coverage if the lines come down. And power outages could be more than a few hours, it could be a day or two."

Flooding was the primary concern of Mayor Nelson Vaughan, Administrator Bob Falzarano and Engineer Vince DeNave. "Parts of Shepard Kollock could be under water, Main Street could flood," Falzarano said. "The business area around Commerce Street has potential for flooding. ... It depends on the intensity of the rainfall."

Falzarano and DeNave examined a map of potential flood areas in the borough. Residences near the Passaic River and other creeks and tributaries in town are in particular danger of flooding or sustaining water damage.

"The governor is calling this a [potential] 100-year event," Falzarano said. "Most of our storm drains are not meant to carry more than 25 years."

Falzarano asked that residents clear their storm drains and basins in preparation of the rainfall. Certain areas of town, he said, could see water coming out of stream or river banks or storm basins and flooding driveways, garages or basements.

Falzarano directed residents to review the checklist of supplies provided by "We have already started posting information for the residents about preparing [for the hurricane] on our website," Falzarano said.

Officials will use the website and the borough's Twitter account (@ChathamBorough) to distribute information to residents throughout the hurricane. Should telephone and internet communications fail, Vaughan said "everyone should stay inside" unless it is absolutely necessary to leave their home.

The Department of Public Works has chainsaws and trucks prepared in case trees come down in the borough. "Clearing streets is going to be a priority," Vaughan said.

Residents should pay attention to the news through their televisions or battery-powered radios (recommended in case of a power outage) and any shelter information will be posted on the borough's website. If possible, officials said residents should rely on battery-powered lanterns or flashlights in an outage rather than candles or anything with a flame.

The emergency generator at the Chatham Borough Municipal Building has been tested and Vaughan said residents can come there if necessary. He plans to coordinate further potential shelter locations with local schools and possibly churches.

should call the Chatham Borough Police or Vaughan on his office or cell line, or 9-1-1 in an emergency.