Storm-Related Update from Mayor Josh Losardo | September 3, 2021

Residents and businesses throughout the township suffered terribly in yesterday’s storm. Many homes were flooded with as much as five feet of water. Many businesses had no choice but to remain closed today to clear water and mud from their premises or because of a lack of electricity. Debris carried by the moving water is scattered throughout downtown. Approximately 50 vehicles were abandoned in high water last evening. Union County’s emergency dispatch center handled approximately 4,300 calls for assistance. The Scotch Plains Fire Department responded to 112 storm and water related emergencies overnight. To put that in context, the SPFD usually receives about 50 calls a month. Last evening was certainly a storm for the ages.

Residents are urged to check with their homeowner’s insurance company about potential insurance coverage for damage to your property and to maintain accurate records. Further information will be provided by our Office of Emergency Management if individual assistance is available. Visit here for our Office of Emergency Management and follow OEM on Facebook and other social media for updates. https://www.scotchplainsnj.gov/index.php/oem. Also, please sign up for First Alert for emergency information on the very top of the township website at www.scotchplainsnj.gov.

Despite the destruction of the storm, it has been especially gratifying seeing neighbors helping one another throughout the storm. I know residents checked on neighbors and assisted wherever they could. It was wonderful observing the owners of @Grano Pizzeria and Italian Tavern sweep water from their neighbor @Black Drop Coffee and volunteers at the American Legion powerwashing mud from the premises. Park Beverage offered their refrigerators to nearby businesses without electricity to keep food fresh. I know others helped as well.

Dennis VanNatta, Coordinator of our Office of Emergency Management, advised that some towns in New Jersey were hit with a once in 10,000-year storm. VanNatta says it is estimated that approximately 10 inches of rain fell in Scotch Plains in just a few hours. I spoke with exhausted volunteer firefighters who were smiling today because they know their heroic efforts and hard work saved lived last night. I am so grateful to our Police Department, Fire Department, Rescue Squad and Office of Emergency Management for their extraordinary efforts last evening safeguarding human life.

Today’s storm assessment fortunately found the Township’s parks, other than Frazee House Park and Green Forest Park, in decent condition. At Frazee, the path has been washed out from water overflow and a lot of debris collected at the fence line. At Green Forest Park, there is significant washout of playground surfacing into a neighbor's yard. These conditions will be improved as quickly as possible.

The Department of Public Works will be working hard to clean all our streets of mud and debris. In time, DPW will get to every street in town. If you wish to report specific conditions, however, you may do so at https://www.scotchplainsnj.gov/index.php/government/township-manager. All messages will be forwarded to the right department as quickly as possible.

Additionally, please contact our manager to volunteer to help others in need and/or to loan equipment, especially water pumps, to others. Local groups are organizing to assist those in need and the township wishes to facilitate their efforts.

Importantly, please contact the township manager if conditions in your home are unsafe and you require assistance and/or temporary living arrangements. The Township will make all reasonable efforts to assist you. It would be helpful if you continued checking on your neighbors, family members and friends as well, and notified the Township if any assistance is needed.

The Township will continue assessing the storm damage over the days ahead. Just as in every experience such as this one, we will learn what more we could have done so that we are prepared even more next time. Hopefully that next storm is in 10,000 years.

Stay safe.