Township Estimates Hurricane Costs at $400K

Chatham Township Police Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator John Paton told the township committee Thursday that cost the township approximately $400,000.

The cost, Paton said, includes staff overtime for police and Public Works employees, expenses and . The damage assessment is still being evaluated, Paton said.

Administrator Tom Ciccarone commended the police and DPW staff who worked throughout the hurricane. He said John Pacelli, the director of the township DPW, stayed overnight and slept in his office for three nights.

"I found out he wasn't able to go home," Ciccarone said, "so I authorized him to stay at a hotel one night and get a good night's sleep. He needed it at that point."

Mayor Nicole Hagner said by the storm's end, and two other houses had to be evacuated.

Paton said all three fire stations were staffed before the hurricane hit. The fire department pumped out approximately 110 basements, Hagner said. She and Paton advised any homeowners with damage to their property register with FEMA.

Paton said the Emergency Operations Center opened at around midnight on the evening of Sunday, Aug. 28 as the storm came in. "Most of what we did was coordinate emergency services," Paton said. 

He also said the department checked in with all residents on the special needs registry, and that Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) knocked on doors in neighborhoods where the power went out to check on residents and deliver water and ice.

Paton said when final damage is assessed, the committee may want do look at placing emergency generators in strategic locations in town. "I know a lot of places that don't have them now are thinking about getting them," he said, espcecially nursing homes where some residents may require medication which must be refridgerated.

The Chatham Township Municipal Building is another location which Paton said could benefit from a backup generator. Township and school district offices were closed on Monday, Aug. 29 when power was out in the building.

"We should have final numbers by the next meeting," Paton said.