newjerseynewsroom.com

BY BOB MENENDEZ

COMMENTARY

As Hurricane Sandy heads towards NJ, I want to wish everyone my best as they safely ride out the storm. As of now, Sandy is expected to start impacting NJ Sunday evening into Monday morning and could last through Wednesday. It's a very complicated/slow moving storm, and it could even possibly change course. Those living near coastal areas should be prepared for strong storm surges and everyone should be prepared for strong winds and heavy rain.

There are helpful tips and information on NJ's emergency preparedness site: http://www.ready.nj.gov/plan/hurricanes.html

Other helpful ways to remain informed about Sandy:

On the Web – Use credible websites to get information about natural hazards and emergency preparedness.

The NJ Office of Emergency Management 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/

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

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

Social Media – Social media and other advanced communication technologies are used by the NJOEM and by emergency managers statewide.

Find out if your community has a “reverse 9-1-1" system or if you can opt-in for email updates from municipal officials. “Like” the NJOEM on Facebook, follow it on Twitter, or subscribe to the NJ State Police (NJSP) on Nixle Connect.

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. http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/

Sen. Bob Menendez (D) is the junior U.S. Senator from New Jersey.