Update: Morristown Gets Ready for Irene

As worry increases over the potentially dangerous hurricane on course for the east coast of the U.S., people here are preparing for the worst.

Mayor Tim Dougherty said his administration had already been discussing what the town would be doing in regard to the storm. Any alerts needed to be sent to the public, he said, would be distributed via email lists, on the town website and through the Nixle.com alert service.

"We want to prepare for a possible wet and windy weekend with some thunderstorm activity," the mayor said. Dougherty encouraged common sense precautions be taken prior to the storm, including securing anything outside that may be light enough to be carried off by strong winds. He also advised residents to watch out for local flooding and pick up whatever supplies they would need before–not after–the storm hits our area.

will be open and available to anyone needing shelter from the storm, officials said.

An employee who asked not to be named said common emergency supplies–bottled water, milk, eggs, flashlights and batteries–were already starting to get bought up by Wednesday.

"I would expect, as we get closer, we'll definitely see some pickup in business, I think," he said.

Nancy Rudgers, with the , said lunch would be served––on Saturday and Sunday. She said anyone that goes for lunch that is in need of shelter will be referred to for assistance, as is the normal practice at the South Street soup kitchen. However, Homeless Solutions is more of a long-term shelter, so availability can be severely limited.

Over at the , Executive Director David Scott was hoping forecasts of rain not starting until Saturday afternoon will hold up, as the shelter and addiction counseling service agency also serves as the region's distribution center for Angel Food Ministries, a meal service the mission holds Saturday mornings at the lot at Coal Avenue and Center Street.

"We're praying the weather service is correct," Scott said. "We sort food outside. If there are torrential rains and wind, it'll be tough."

On Sunday, Market Street Mission is expected to hold its annual backpack distribution event, from 2 to 4 p.m. Scott said that will continue as planned, however, it likely will be held inside. "It may impact people coming out, so we may not have as many people," he said.

In addition, the mission will continue to serve meals and take people in, as needed. "We are a safety net," Scott said.

Scott DiGiralomo, the Morris County emergency management coordinator and director of county law and public safety, said his people are preparing to either be ready to support Morris County in case the storm track hits here, or to provide assistance to south Jersey should that part of the state gets hardest hit.

"When you're looking at a nationa hurricane center's forecast three days or more out, there is a tracking error up to 200 miles out," DiGirolamo said. So, a lot can depend on whether that 200 miles or so brings Hurricane Irene to us, or to more southern parts of the state, he said.

Officials opted for safety first by postponing events, including .

Dougherty recalled the severe storm that barrelled through our area in March 2010, which forced the last-minute cancelation and rescheduling of , arguably one of Morristown's biggest annual events.

"When weather strikes, you have to adapt," the mayor said. "You don't want to put anyone at risk for injury. Safety is always first."

What can you do to prepare?

According to www.ready.gov, an important part of preparation is recognizing that, in a serious emergency, you may have to take care of yourself for several days. As the website advises:

This means having your own food, water, and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least three days. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, or it might take days. In addition, basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment, and telephones may be cut off for days, or even a week or longer.

Something you can do in advance, according to ready.gov, is prepare an emergency kit. Here's what to include:

• Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger

Additional Items To Consider Adding To An Emergency Supply Kit:

• Prescription medications and glasses
• Infant formula and diapers
• Pet food and extra water for your pet
• Cash or traveler's checks and change
• Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container. 
• Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov.
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
• Fire Extinguisher
• Matches in a waterproof container
• Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
• Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
• Paper and pencil
• Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

Update: Includes updated information, noting that Town Hall would be open during the storm.

Also see: Irene: What Morristown Needs to Know