Full Notification

Township of Cranford
Office of Emergency Management
April 2^nd, 2024 Rain with Potential Wind Gusts
 
The following is an update from the Cranford Office of Emergency Management (OEM) as of 04/02/2024 @ 10:00 AM:

The Township of Cranford and Office of Emergency Management is closely monitoring a storm system entering our region today, April 2^nd 2024 which is expected to carry through the next two days ending, April 4^th, 2024.

CRANFORD’S LATEST FORECAST

Rainfall will continue throughout the day today and into tomorrow, Wednesday April 3^rd, with heavier bands of rain beginning after 2PM.  In the morning, rainfall could create some delays in commuting due to morning inundations, especially in low-lying locations.  Tomorrow afternoon, wind gusts are expected to be between 25 MPH and 35 MPH.   Rain will continue until it trickles off Thursday morning.  Total accumulation of rainfall may be between 2.5 inches and 3 inches with a possibility of there being 3.5 inches of accumulation by the time this system exits our area.
 
As a result of recent rainfall, grounds will remain saturated which could create nuisance flooding in traditionally low-lying locations.  Wind gusts and saturated soil create the possibility of downed trees and power outages.  Mitigating the effects of this storm system is the rate of rainfall over a prolonged period of 3 days instead of inundations of rain during a shorter duration of time. 

TOWNSHIP OF CRANFORD STORM PREPARATION

The Township’s Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Services remain at a full complement of personnel, with the police auxiliary remaining on standby in cases of downed trees, downed power lines, and road closures.   Barricades have been staged at various flash-flood-prone locations throughout the Township. 

The Township has taken precautions, including monitoring river conditions/gates, deploying portable pumps, and implementing storm response procedures within the public safety and public works departments. The Cranford DPW is prepared to respond to reports of downed trees blocking township roadways. 

We can protect ourselves and our families with some common-sense preparedness measures.

WHAT RESIDENTS SHOULD DO
 
Help the Township by removing any debris from the storm drainage systems nearest your home. 

Residents in flood-prone areas should take common sense precautions and monitor conditions if flooding materializes. Have multiple ways to receive weather warnings, as the National Weather Service will issue Flood Warnings if conditions materialize. All NWS warnings impacting Cranford will be automatically re-broadcast on NIXLE via email and social media (Facebook and Twitter) and are available on a variety of weather apps and via local news sources.  NIXLE text messaging is used in life-threatening emergencies or urgent notifications only.
Recent rains will also result in elevated water tables, so groundwater flooding in basements, even outside of flood zones, remains a possibility. If you receive seepage in your basements or crawl spaces, residents should monitor what items need to be moved to higher locations within the residence.

PLEASE NEVER ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.  If the heaviest rainfall rates occur over the Cranford area, significant roadway flooding may occur. Flood prone locations may become inundated with rain runoff.  Please do not attempt to drive through roadways that are flooded. Just six inches of water is enough to disable a vehicle and cause life-threatening conditions. Confidence remains low as to where these conditions may occur, however, residents whose streets commonly inundate with water during flash flood occurrences should take preventative measures to safeguard property in advance of rainfall tomorrow, April 3^rd, 2024.  This is a reminder that residents who opt to move their vehicles to higher ground may not park in private parking lots (including school parking lots) without the expressed permission of owners or managing authorities.  Please adhere to all posted parking prohibitions.

Again, there remains a strong potential for 2 to 3 inches of rainfall, which increases this storm's impact to Cranford. There is the possibility for flooding, including some significant flash flooding, if the right conditions materialize. So, all residents should continue to remain weather aware over the remainder of the day, and if you live in a flood zone, have a plan in place in case the higher-end rainfall impacts our area.  Residents should consider whether their homes are in traditionally low-lying portions of our Township with the potential to experience flash flooding.  Take necessary precautions in advance of any rainfall.

Residents should report any non-emergency utility problems directly at the contact points below.

EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION FOR UTILITY COMPANIES:

PSE&G 1-800-436-7734

• Report Power Outages to PSEG at: 1-800-436-7734 Download the PSE&G mobile app to report outages and receive information on restoration times, crew locations and more.
• Register for MyAlerts to receive text notifications at pseg.com/outagecenter.

• Report an outage and receive status updates by texting OUT to 4PSEG (47734). You can also report your outage through our app, website at pseg.com/myaccount

Elizabethtown Gas 1-800-242-5830

New Jersey American Water 1-800-272-1325

Comcast 1-800-266-2278

Verizon FiOS 1-888-438-3467

Verizon 1-800-827-4966
 
Report non-emergent wires or trees down, or other non-emergency calls to Cranford Police & Fire at (908) 272-2222.
 
Report all Emergencies (wires down sparking, trees into homes or buildings, utility emergencies, cars trapped in water, etc) by calling 9-1-1.
 
As a reminder, do not rely on email or social media to report these issues, even if they seem minor or non-emergent. Please always call the non-emergency number if you are concerned and don’t believe it is an emergency warranting a 9-1-1 call.