A statement issued by Red Bank’s government shortly before 1 p.m. Friday:
The Borough of Red Bank has begun preparation for the approaching hurricane. This is a strong storm with a potential to cause damage such as fallen trees, street flooding, and power outages. The strongest effects of the storm in our area should be felt from the early morning hours Sunday through Sunday evening.
At this time there are no evacuation orders in Red Bank. Residents are urged to prepare for the storm by having essential items in their home by Saturday morning. This would include batteries, a portable radio, flashlights, food, and drinking water. Do not use candles for light as they could become a fire hazard. Once the storm begins, residents are asked to stay in their homes and not go outside unless there is an emergency. The safest place during a storm of this type is in your own home unless severe flooding occurs in your immediate area. Should the Borough of Red Bank issue an evacuation order, Monmouth County and the Red Cross have set up shelters at certain area high schools, the closest to Red Bank being Holmdel High School. For more information on storm preparedness you may visit the following websites: www.ready.gov and www.visitmonmouth.com
We would like to remind people not to approach fallen trees or any downed wires or utility poles as wires that are on the ground may be energized and could cause electrocution. Emergency services will respond to all such incidents and determine the status of any wires that may be down and contact the appropriate utility companies.
The Red Bank Office of Emergency Management and Red Bank Police Department will issue periodic updates on the status of the storm and any other pertinent information as it becomes available. The next such update will be issued mid-day on Saturday. Residents are asked not to call the police department for weather updates or other non-emergency questions. These calls tie up the incoming phone lines and diminish the effectiveness of our emergency dispatch.
The alert went out by email and recorded phone messages to users of the borough alert system. Sign-up for the alerts here.
