Monmouth County: Sheriff Shaun Golden wants all to prepare and plan prior to the impending storm that’s expected to travel up the east coast, beginning Friday, since it has the potential to cause severe weather in Monmouth County. It’s still too early to determine how much of an impact this Nor’easter can or will have at the Jersey Shore, however, Sheriff Golden, whose agency runs the Office of Emergency Management, says it’s important to take precautions now and have a family disaster plan ready.

“Preparing, planning and staying informed makes dealing with weather related events that may affect Monmouth County, much easier,” said Sheriff Golden. “Now is the time to take basic steps and plan what you will do if heavy snow, severe flooding and high winds occur or if power goes out for an extended period of time.”

People who live in flood prone areas are particularly being strongly urged to stay aware and plan, before the storm hits. Those residents have the highest risk for flooding, considering the impact of persistent on shore winds accompanied by increased storm surge.

Steps that residents can take are:

Plan & Prepare

Have a family disaster plan ready. Plan ahead. Know where your family will be and identify a location outside of the hazard area, with family, friends or hotel which you will go if you are told to evacuate.
If you won’t be home be sure to provide shelter for your pets and notify friends and family of your plans.
Check with your utility company in advance to find out what should be turned off.
Inspect outside drains to make sure they are free of clogging.
Bring all outdoor items such as garbage cans, lawn furniture and other items inside prior to the storm.
Make sure generators are in working condition.
Make sure your car has a full tank of gas, cells phones are fully charged and prescription medications are filled. Be sure to have enough money, clothes, blankets, diapers, formula and personal items to get you through 3-5 days in case roads are impassable. .
Stay safe and listen to public safety officials.
Call 911 only for true emergencies
Check on the elderly and those with Functional Needs

“The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office is working to ensure that our staff and equipment are fully prepared to respond effectively should the storm impact Monmouth County. In an effort to ensure public safety, we ask that residents do the same,” said Sheriff Golden.

Please stay up to date with the latest information from the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office regarding the storm: Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @MonmouthSheriff or download our App for urgent push notifications and weather information via the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Search: Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office

For a downloadable version of this press release click here: News Release-Sheriff Warns All to Prepare Plan Prior to Storm-Jan. 21