Middlesex County Prepares for Sandy

In preparation of Hurricane Sandy, Middlesex County announced a State of Emergency on Sunday afternoon. The county also opened two county shelters—the Old Bridge Shelter, Carl Sandburg School, 3439 Route 516, is now open (Sunday, Oct. 28) and the Woodbridge Shelter, Woodbridge Community Center, 600 Main St., opened 10 p.m. Sunday.

Here’s what else is going on in Middlesex County

South Brunswick

South Brunswick Township is under a state of emergency that went into effect at 4 p.m. Sunday. Police ask residents to limit non-essential travel.

Township schools will be closed on Monday and Tuesday. The senior center and library will also be closed on Monday.  The township Municipal Building is closed for all non-essential staff on Monday. The South Brunswick Public Works Department has announced that there will be no garbage or recycling pickup on Monday or Tuesday. Alternate pickup days will be announced at a later date. 

There have been no evacuations or emergency shelters announced in South Brunswick at this time. If evacuations become, necessary the first option is to have an evacuee stay with friends or family prior to establishing any shelter.

South Brunswick officials are prepared to open shelters at the township senior center, community center or South Brunswick High School should it become necessary.

East Brunswick

Mayor David Stahl has declared a State of Emergency for the township and called for the mandatory evacuation of several areas of town, including:

Main Street from River Road to Old Bridge Turnpike; Squire Street; Emerson Street; Oak Street; River Road up to Millman Drive; Millman Drive; Jernee Drive; Cornell Drive; and portions of Addington Court.

Other East Brunswick Alerts include: East Brunswick Schools have canceled class for Monday and Tuesday;  Locally, there is a secondary shelter at 367 Cranbury Road (next to Central School). This shelter will open at 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28.

New Brunswick

New Brunswick Mayor James Cahill declared a State of Emergency at 6 p.m. Sunday.

A voluntary evacuation for residents in the area from Neilson Street to the Raritan River between Albany Street and Commercial Avenue began at 6 p.m. A mandatory evacuation will go into effect at 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 29. As of 9 a.m. Monday, the City will be shut down. Non-emergency personnel will not be allowed on City streets. Emergency personnel should have proper identification.

All City services will be suspended until l further notice. New Brunswick Public Schools will be closed Monday and Tuesday.

Woodbridge

In Woodbridge, there is a probability that flooding will occur along creeks and streams and in low-lying areas of Woodbridge, Avenel and Colonia.  The Woodbridge Police Department (WPD), the Office of Emergency Management, Township fire departments and EMS personnel, and the Department of Public Works are closely monitoring storm conditions.  Residents and business-owners in flood-prone areas are reminded to move vehicles to higher ground and to be prepared to undertake emergency procedures should the Office of Emergency Management issue specific storm-related warnings.  Should mandatory evacuation of flood areas become necessary, residents will be notified by OEM, police and fire via door-to-door notification.

The Emergency Shelter has been established at the Woodbridge Community Center, 600 Main Street, and opened at midnight. The shelter will house residents ordered to evacuate.

Scheduled trash collection will take place today, Monday, Oct. 29.  Please secure trash containers as soon as possible after collection.  The Woodbridge School District will make an announcement regarding possible school closure.