Tropical storm Isaias barreled through New Jersey on Tuesday, leaving numerous trees and wires down in Maplewood and some residents without power.
Township Administrator Sonia Alves-Viveiros reported on the damage at Tuesday night’s remote Township Committee Meeting. The Department of Public Works and the Fire Department are coordinating the removal of trees and wires, which has already begun. Viveiros said “PSE&G is here in town at the moment” with an MPD sergeant.
Residents with downed wires should report them to mpddesk@twp.maplewood.nj.us , according to Glenn Michalowski, Assistant Township Administrator.
Committee member Greg Lembrich asked how to best contact PSE&G, whose website has been down several times in the last few hours. Viveiros recommended emailing Township Engineer Paul Kittner at pkittner@twp.maplewood.us, as Kittner has direct contact with the regional PSE&G representative. Residents can also text 47734 to directly report to PSE&G if their account is already registered to PSE&G’s text update system.
The two kids’ camps out of the Woodland and Dehart Park both have generators and will be up and running as usual on Wednesday, said Viveiros. There will also be a “massive cleanup effort” tomorrow, according to Deputy Mayor Dean Dafis. “We’re gonna get to everyone as soon as we can,” said Dafis, who said there are over 70 locations in town with trees or wires down at this time.
Mayor Frank McGehee echoed Dafis’s statements, asking residents to be patient. “We got hammered,” he told the Committee and residents. The Departments of Public Works, fire, and police “were out everywhere, in all four corners of our township, securing streets, sidewalks, front lawns, whatever the case may be…It’s gonna take some time.” McGehee also informed listeners that the DPW will be coming around in the coming days to remove debris in all 6 zones.
