Created: November 2, 2012

This is the latest update from the South Orange Office of Emergency Management as of 530pm on Friday, November 2nd. 

Leaf/debris cleanup information:

• Leaves and debris/wood material must be in separate piles by the curb - Combining these items prevents them from being collected and slows the collection progress village-wide.
• No branches or wooded material can exceed 4" in diameter
• Private landscapers or contractors are not allowed to leave debris or leaves for the Village to pick  up.  They must arrange for disposal themselves.
• This process only starts once all of the roads are open - the Village's highest public works and public safety priority. We expect leaf/debris pickup will begin this weekend

Halloween Information

As per Governor Christie's Executive Order rescheduling Halloween events for Monday, November 5th, the Village, in cooperation with the South Orange Village Center Alliance, has rescheduled Spooky Spiotta Park to Monday, November 5th from 4-6pm in Spiotta Park. Immediately following, people can take advantage of all of the great businesses that will be participating in trick-or-treating in the downtown. Until that time, we advise residents not to have children trick-or-treat around town. 

If you have questions, you can reach Matt Glass from the SOVCA at mglass@sovillagecenter.org

Water Information

Village officials have held meetings with the East Orange Water Commission to review the status of water supply to South Orange.  William Mowell, the EOWC state licensed water system operator, has advised the following:  The EOWC has experienced power outages at their pumping stations which are in the process of repaired/restored.  Those power outages have caused the EOWC to procure alternate water sources from Newark and Jersey American Water Company.  The opening of new supply lines causes pressure and flow changes in the system which frequently causes existing  iron sediments in the water lines to be churned up into the water.  The result can be the temporary flow of brownish water, which will dissipate over time.  These iron sediments PRESENT NO HEALTH HAZARDS.  These sediments and the brownish color will quickly dissipate, although some sink faucet screens may become clogged.  Resident should not do laundry until the brown color dissipates. As a result of the water supply issues, residents are strongly encourage to limit water usage to actual necessities in an effort to conserve supply. 

Shelter Update

Residents who need shelter can take advantage of the Essex County Shelter at Codey Arena, 560 Northfield Ave in West Orange. If you need assistance please contact SOPD 973 763 3000. Bring your own bedding/supplies.

Election information 

From Essex County Clerk's Office:

Due to the conditions caused by Hurricane Sandy, the Clerk's Office will operate extended hours, so that voters may collect a vote-by-mail ballot and submit it without going to the polls.

The Clerk's Office is located in Room 247 of the Essex County Hall of Records, 465 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Newark. We will be open:

Thurs. Nov. 1: 8am - 5:30pm
Fri. Nov. 2: 8am - 5:30pm
Sat. Nov. 3: 9am - 4pm
Sun. Nov. 3: 8:30am - 4:30pm
Mon. Nov. 4: 8am - 4:30pm (latest allowed by NJ law)

If you plan to visit the polls on Election Day, be sure to check this site to make sure that your usual polling place is operational. Some polling places may need to be moved due to damage or loss of power.

Be assured that South Orange is being vigilant in ensuring PSE&G prioritizes power for polling locations.  

Power restoration update

After a call with PSE&G's OEM Liaison, they are now reporting that now down to approximately 2100 homes in South Orange are without power. The Village has asked PSE&G to provide neighborhood-specific information as far as restoration to ensure that those numbers from PSE&G match the reality of the outages/restoration in the Village. As soon as that information is received, OEM officials will draw comparisons between what PSE&G provides and what actually exists, and follow up with the Board of Public Utilities and the Governor's Office if there are discrepancies.

After speaking with our state assembly members, County Executive's Office and Governor's Office who have been able to help put pressure and get more information from PSE&G, we have compiled some highlights as follows:

• According to PSE&G, the main work on residential areas will begin on Saturday, and South Orange residents should see many crews working in the area, as our areas have been prioritized for this new influx of out of state crews
• Many of the crews so far have been working at substations and distributers, which mean less crews are visible to the average homeowner, but the actual fixes impact a larger number of homes. This specifically includes a downed substation in Maplewood, which provides power to large parts of South Orange, approximately in the area of thousands of people. This facility is expected to come back online shortly, and this facility has been prioritized. 
• Because of the crews being brought in from out of state this weekend, and the number that will be working in South Orange, PSE&G is expecting that many (not all) South Orange residents could have power returned in the next three to four days, especially as substations and transformers come back online.
• Because of the power lines running through backyards in South Orange, although roads are open and clear sooner, the fixes take longer, so residents with individual lines down may see restoration at the end of that three day period or past it. 
• There are still 4.5 million people without power in the Northeast as of Thursday due to the impact from Hurricane Sandy.

The Village is advocating aggressively for its residents, with partners advocating for us at every level of government and will keep the community up-to date as progress is made. We appreciate residents feedback as far as power outages go, and appreciate residents letting us know when power is returned to help us manage the progress PSE&G is making in South Orange.

Find official statements from PSE&G: http://www.pseg.com/info/media/news.jsp

Transit Information: Rail service is still down on our train line, though bus service has begun to be operational. Find more:  http://www.njtransit.com/sa/sa_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=CustomerNoticeTo&NoticeId=2301 

Important other links/information:

• SOPAC, as well as various local organizations, are open as a free power/wifi hotspot
• Map of working gas stations in the area: http://blog.entchev.com/2012/11/01/map-of-operational-new-jersey-gas-stations-after-hurricane-sandy----november-1-2012.aspx
• FEMA individual homeowner assistance: http://www.disasterassistance.gov/

Stay Updated and find more information:

• @SouthOrangeNJ on Twitter: http://twitter.com/SouthOrangeNJ
• Nixle: https://local.nixle.com/register/
• Village email/text/voice alerts: http://southorange.org/alerts
• Call Village Hall during business hours 973 378 7715
• Latest updates will be posted on http://southorange.org
• Bulletins have been placed on SOMAtv
• South Orange Patch
• Landline telephone via reverse 911. Ensure you check your home voice messages.
• Local email distribution lists. If you get an email, forward it to your neighbors.

If you need assistance do not hesitate to contact South Orange Police Department at 973 763 3000. For all emergencies dial 9-1-1. For power outages, contact PSE&G directly at: 800-436-7734.