The NJ Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM) is monitoring a winter storm expected to impact the State starting today, bringing with it snow, high winds and extreme wind chills. There will be winter precipitation in all areas of the State, and winds chills occurring at levels not experienced by New Jerseyans in several years.

“We are facing three hazards – snow, high winds and extremely low wind chills,” said Colonel Rick Fuentes, State Police Superintendent and Director of the NJ Office of Emergency Management. “We are closely monitoring the situation with our partners from NJ State Agencies, the National Weather Service and the County Offices of Emergency Management. Be especially careful if you must travel. The conditions tonight into tomorrow morning will be treacherous. We are asking New Jersey residents to stay informed about conditions, review preparedness plans, and check on family members and friends who are elderly, disabled or isolated.”

The following is a list of general winter preparedness tips, a detailed list of actions to take can be found on the NJOEM website.

At home: Have your heating system checked by a professional once a year. Make sure your home is properly insulated. Protect pipes from freezing, inspect and flush your water heater, replace smoke detector batteries.
Pets: Create a place where your pets can be comfortable in severe winter weather, or bring pets indoors.
In the Neighborhood: If someone you know is elderly or dependent on life-sustaining or health-related equipment such as a ventilator, respirator or oxygen concentrator, make plans NOW to ensure their needs are met during severe winter weather and possible power outages. Check on them after a storm or power outage.
On the road: Winterize your vehicle to avoid breakdowns. Have a mechanic check key vehicle systems. Keep an emergency kit in your vehicle. Always wear a seat belt. Brake properly to avoid skidding. Be alert for snowplows.
Outside: During a snowstorm, stay inside – long periods of exposure to severe cold increase the risk of frostbite or hypothermia. If you must go outside, dress in many layers of clothing with a hat, mittens or gloves, and a scarf to cover your mouth. Most body heat is lost through the top of the head, so always wear a hat. Mittens are better than gloves, because fingers maintain more warmth when they touch each other. A scarf worn over your mouth will protect your lungs from extreme cold.

We are now in the middle of the winter weather season; and the NJOEM urges everyone to maintain situational awareness about winter weather events. Below are resources for staying in-the-know, choose the type that best meets your needs:

On the Web – Use credible websites to get information about natural hazards and emergency preparedness. The NJOEM works closely with the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center regarding storm predictions and forecasts. The NJOEM website contains links to the County OEM social media pages and alerting systems.

National Weather Service – www.erh.noaa.gov/er/phi/
New Jersey Office of Emergency Management – ready.nj.gov
ReadyNJ Alerts & Updates Blog: readynj.wordpress.com

Social Media – Social media is used by the NJOEM, and by emergency managers statewide.

NJOEM on Facebook: www.facebook.com/READYNEWJERSEY
NJOEM on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ReadyNJ
NJ State Police on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NewJerseyStatePolice
NJ State Police on Twitter: www.twitter.com/NJSP

Alerts – Mobile / Text (SMS) & E-Mail

NIXLE – Subscribe to the NJ State Police (NJSP) on Nixle Connect at http://local.nixle.com/new-jersey-state-police/. New Jersey residents can register to receive messages by sending a text message with their zip code to 888777 (data rates may apply depending on your plan). Online registration is also available at www.nixle.com

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.

CMAS -the Community Mobile Alert System – this nationwide system is now being used the National Weather Service to transmit urgent weather info to your cell phone. A warning means the hazard is imminent; a watch means conditions are favorable for the hazard to occur. Your cell phone must be WEA (Wireless Emergency Alert) enabled to receive these messages.

Traditional Media

Continue to monitor traditional media sources – TV, newspapers and radio – to stay informed of breaking news and continued coverage of emergency events.

Find out if your community has a “reverse 9-1-1” system or if you can opt-in for email updates from municipal officials.
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.

(YWN Desk – NYC)