A message from Middletown Emergency Management Director Charles Rogers:

Make time to get ready for any storms or emergencies that may occur this cold weather season.

No matter what the storm event, there are several steps residents can take to prepare themselves: 

Prepare –  Assemble a Kit of Emergency Supplies

Batteries, flashlight, radio, first-aid kit, medications, food and water to last three or more days, can opener, cooking tools, toiletries.

Plan – Create an Emergency Plan

Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so plan a way to contact one another, such as enlisting the help of a third party in another state as a contact, and review what you will do in different situations. Also, in the event that you are separated from family members, plan a meeting place outside of your neighborhood or town.

Stay Informed

 Listen to local radio and television for the latest information on storms and other emergencies.  Review what warning sirens are used in your community to alert residents of major emergencies.

“Preparing for the worst makes dealing with it that much easier,” said Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden, who oversees the county Office of Emergency Management (OEM). “The likelihood that you and your family will survive a nor’easter or other emergency depends on the preparations that you make ahead of time.”

The county’s OEM coordinator, Michael Oppegaard, recommends residents take two additional steps to improve their readiness – prepare their finances and consider making themselves available to help others in an emergency.

“Consider your insurance and financial needs in the event of a disaster,” Oppegaard said. “Take time now to prepare a household inventory and anticipate that if an evacuation is necessary, you should have cash or credit cards on hand. 

“Also, residents should consider joining the Citizen Corps,” Oppegaard added. “This is an opportunity to provide critical support to first responders and to fellow residents during emergencies.”

Citizen Corps training is a great way to feel empowered in the event of any emergency. The county has two primary programs for you to get involved

Citizen Emergency Response Team, or CERT, is a program that trains community members to provide volunteer support to local emergency responders during community incidents and disasters. For more information, contact the county OEM  at 732-431-7400 or log onto the county Web site at www.visitmonmouth.com.

Medical Reserve Corps, or MRC, is also a community-based volunteer program that engages medical, public health and other civilian volunteers to strengthen public health and improve emergency preparedness and response. For more information, contact the county Health Department at 732-431-7456 or log onto the county Web site at www.visitmonmouth.com.

Additional information about storm and disaster preparations are available on the county’s Web site on the township's Web site, www.visitmonmouth.com and www.ready.gov.

The county OEM works closely with federal, state and local partners to prepare for virtually all hazards, natural or manmade, that could affect New Jersey’s families, communities and businesses.