South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum used her mayor’s report Monday night to walk residents through the Village’s preparation and response to Winter Storm Fern, one of the largest storms in years, and to ask residents to ensure that the sidewalks and fire hydrants are clear of snow.
“As everybody knows, we just had that tremendous snowstorm called Fern,” she said, adding that it dumped about a foot of snow on the area.
Collum explained that planning for major storms typically begins well in advance and involves coordination across multiple levels of government – municipal, county and state – as well as with utility companies such as PSE&G, New Jersey American Water, Verizon and Optimum.
“We work very closely with Essex County and their Office of Emergency Management,” she said, adding that they also directives from the governor’s office.
South Orange’s Office of Emergency Management plays a central role in the Village’s storm response, she said. OEM Coordinator Scott Egelberg meets with the team, which includes members of the administration, building and code officials, public works, the fire department, police department, rescue squad and Council Member Olivia Lewis-Chang, who participated as chair of the Public Safety Committee.
“DPW obviously plans very far in advance,” Collum said, highlighting the work of the Department of Public Works. “I always say, you know, the stars of any major storm like this is certainly our Department of Public Works.”
In this storm, DPW began working early Sunday morning.
“They were preparing the roads, and they were out at 5 a.m. on Sunday, which is roughly the time that the snow began, to get the shovels on the ground,” Collum said. “And then they worked all the way through this afternoon.”
Clean up is continuing. “This was the biggest snowstorm we’ve had in quite some time,” Mayor Collum said in her Mayor’s report on Monday, January 26. “And it’s gonna take a while.” (Photo by Laura Griffin)
Collum also addressed resident concerns about snowplowing and road prioritization.
“We always get some questions about, you know, ‘Has my road been done yet? Did they forget us?’” she said. “Sometimes they have to prioritize major corridors or main streets off of county roads and areas that are pretty critical for a lot of traffic.”
She also reminded residents of their responsibility to clear sidewalks after storms.
“We provide 12 daylight hours after a storm has concluded to try and get those sidewalks clear,” Collum said. “And that is certainly not for aesthetics in the least bit. It is all about walkability.”
After plowing, snow needs to be re-cleared where the sidewalk meets the street, like this sidewalk on South Orange Avenue. (Photo by Laura Griffin)
Collum urged residents to clear snow from fire hydrants, noting the importance of access during emergencies.
“I think I shared that we have 400 fire hydrants, and we have to think of that as critical infrastructure,” she said.
Addressing concerns about medical emergencies during severe weather, Collum reassured residents that emergency response remains the top priority.
“In the event that the rescue squad can’t get through to a location because the snow is coming down too hard, they quickly are on the phone with public works,” she said. “Rescue squad will be top priority.”
Despite the storm’s severity, the Village experienced no power outages.
“We went without incident,” Collum said, crediting utility preparedness. “We didn’t have any power outages which is wonderful. I think no more than 200 people out of the entire state of New Jersey lost power during the storm. So that’s a very good thing.”
Efforts to clean up after the storm are continuing, particularly in commercial areas.
“This was the biggest snowstorm we’ve had in quite some time,” she said. “And it’s gonna take a while.”
A resident uses a snowblower where his driveway meets the sidewalk in South Orange. (Photo by Laura Griffin)
