March Storm Updates Archive
Posted: March 6, 2018
The following are archived posts pertaining to the March 2018 storm. For current posts, please see the home page.
ALERT Saturday, March 10, 2018 2:00 p.m. Advisory
There are currently 294 customers in the township still without power. JCP&L crews have been assigned to Calumet Road and Dawson Road. Other crew assignments are expected this afternoon and evening.
JCP&L officials held their daily conference call this afternoon to update local mayors on the status of power restoration efforts. In the call, JCP&L officials reiterated that they have over 6,000 workers currently working in support of the restoration effort. The number of region-wide outages was reported to be 48,000, with approximately 3,800 of those being from the March 2 storm. The president of JCP&L advised that he is still anticipating that all of their customers who lost power on March 2 will have their power restored by this evening. The remaining outages resulting from the March 7 storm will be addressed later in the weekend and into early next week. JCP&L now expects that power will be restored for all customers on or before midnight Monday, March 12.
Mayor Forstenhausler spoke directly with Governor Murphy regarding the impact the two storms had on Randolph. He emphasized appreciation for the governor’s Declaration of Emergency in advance of Wednesday’s storm, and for the continued pressure on JCP&L regarding their storm response. The governor advised the mayor that he has been speaking directly with the president of First Energy about the company’s response, and reaffirmed that he will be demanding a full investigation once restoration efforts are complete.
Update on road closures: All township roads are now open.
ALERT Friday, March 9, 2018 4:00 p.m. Advisory
It was felt that reminding residents of the previously posted storm-related items noted below was important.
Warming/charging stations at the community center, 30 Calais Road (until 8:00 p.m. Friday; 9:00 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sat. & Sun.), and at the YMCA continue to be in service and will be until all power has been restored.
JCP&L reminds customers without power that free water and ice is still available at local supermarkets (Shop Rite, Acme, Weis and Kings).
Hoses are available at each of the four township fire companies for residents on well water in need of water for toilets. Residents in need of water for this purpose are encouraged to take advantage of the non-potable water at these locations.
The township has been communicating storm related information on the township website, Facebook page, Twitter, and when necessary, Swift 911. Residents who have not signed up for Swift 911 e-mail, text, or cell phone alerts are encouraged to do so by visiting this page.
Please be safe when using generators. Ideally, generators should only be connected professionally by a qualified electrician. While using one, be sure to keep the machine at a safe distance from any combustible materials (especially your home, shed & garage), and do not face the exhaust towards, or pointed in the direction of, your home. Combustion from the generator motor produces carbon monoxide which can seep into the residence causing illness or worse. When adding fuel to a hot motor, be careful not to spill it on the hot engine parts. If anyone in your home experiences any of the most common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning (headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, confusion), immediately evacuate them from the home and call 911.
Also, please continue to check on neighbors in need. If you have tried to contact a neighbor in town that you are concerned about and been unsuccessful, please contact the police department.
ALERT Friday, March 9, 2018 3:00 p.m. Advisory
Update from JCP&L: JCP&L officials held another conference call this afternoon to update local mayors on the status of power restoration efforts. In the call, JCP&L advised that they have increased the number of field personnel in the area to over 5,000 workers. In addition, they have brought in additional supervisors and back office employees to provide support and direction to the field employees staged in the area. There are presently 79,000 customers still out of power in the region. JCP&L is reporting that the number of people out of power since Friday’s storm is estimated to be 10,000. The company expects to restore approximately 7,000 of those customers by the end of the day today, and to restore the remaining customers out since March 2 by Saturday evening. All remaining outages resulting from the March 7 storm will be addressed later in the weekend and into early next week. JCP&L expects that power will be restored for all customers on or before Wednesday, March 14.
ALERT Friday, March 9, 2018 11:00 a.m. Advisory
Update from JCP&L: JCP&L has advised that crews worked yesterday and overnight on restoring more customers who have been out since Riley (March 2 storm). They’ve also been addressing road closures and hazards from Quinn (March 7 storm). Work will continue 24/7. More crews are arriving today to join the existing 4,400+ workers.
More specific to Randolph, the JCP&L area manager advised that the focus for the remainder of today and tomorrow will be on restoring power to the customers who have been out since Friday, March 2. JCP&L reports that there are still approximately 1,000 outages in Randolph, the majority of which are from the March 2 storm. The town has requested a more specific list of the areas where crews will be assigned today and tomorrow. As that information is provided by JCP&L, it will be included in future advisories. JCP&L is anticipating that the majority, if not all of those who lost power last Friday, will see it restored by Saturday night; those who lost it during or after Wednesday’s storm will see it restored by early next week at the latest.
ALERT Friday, March 9, 2018 10:00 a.m. Advisory
Road closure update from the police department:
Farview Avenue—the road remains closed; the snow piles have been removed and JCP&L has been notified.
Washington Valley Road—low power line, but one lane is passable. JCP&L has a truck on site due to the concern that the wire is live.
Iron Forge Lane—closed at #1. The downed wires are assumed to be live, but the homes still have power. The area is still plowed in with snow, with cones in place. Per JCP&L, the snow needs to be removed first.
Franklin Road—remains closed from Monroe to Washington Place. JCP&L has been notified, but there is currently no estimated time for restoration.
ALERT Thursday, March 8, 2018 4:00 p.m. Advisory
Road closure update from the police department:
Linda Terrace—multiple crews are back on site and they advised that they were staying until power was restored.
Farview Avenue—the road remains closed with 4 foot snow banks on either side of the downed wire. The police will be providing an additional notification to JCP&L and the cable company.
Stonehill Road—JCP&L has lifted the wire off the ground and an independent contractor has addressed the low hanging cable wire. The road is now passable.
Washington Valley Road—one lane is passable. As of 1:30 p.m., JCP&L has a truck on site due to the concern that the wire is live.
Iron Forge Lane—closed at #1. The downed wires are assumed to be live and the area is still plowed in with snow.
Franklin Road—remains closed from Monroe to Washington Place.
Logan Road—there is a crew on site and the tree has been removed from the road.
ALERT Thursday, March 8, 2018 3:00 p.m. Advisory
Update from JCP&L: JCP&L officials held a conference call this afternoon to update local mayors on the status of power restoration efforts. In the call, JCP&L advised that they have over 4,100 employees and contractors in the area, continuing their efforts around the clock to restore the customers who are still without power. Approximately 18,000 customers across the region remain without power from Friday’s storm. Yesterday’s storm added 117,000 new outages, mostly to the eastern section of the region. There were very few new outages reported from yesterday’s storm in the areas hit hard in Friday’s storm. JCP&L’s number one priority is restoring those customers who have been without power the longest. The only deviation from that priority is support necessary for health and safety issues related to the most recent storm.
Please see the following press release from JCP&L:
More than 4,100 workers are continuing their efforts around the clock to restore customers of Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) after a major winter storm dumped as much as 25 inches of wet, heavy snow in some areas of northern New Jersey yesterday.
Utility crews remain focused on restoring customers who have been without power the longest. JCP&L has already restored nearly 320,000 customers since the first storm hit northern New Jersey, and approximately 18,000 remain without power from the original event, primarily in Hunterdon, Morris, Warren and Sussex counties. JCP&L is putting every resource available to restore these customers. Due to the extent of new damage from yesterday’s storm, it is not possible yet to establish meaningful restoration times. JCP&L expects to complete enough evaluation of system damage to set these estimates this afternoon.
Yesterday’s heavy snow caused about 117,000 additional power outages, along with treacherous driving conditions, downed wires and road closures. New snow totals are highest in areas of northern New Jersey that were hit hardest by the first storm, and the heavy, wet snow also caused outages in areas of central New Jersey that were unaffected by the first storm. While JCP&L remains focused on restoring customers who have been out the longest, the company will address any new outages based on its priority system that deals with the largest outages first.
“Our number one priority is restoring those customers who have been without power the longest,” said Jim Fakult, President of JCP&L. “We have a huge contingent of utility crews working 16-hour shifts around the clock to accomplish this goal, and with fair weather predicted in the days ahead, we’re confident we will get the job done. In the meantime, we’ll continue to keep the lines of communications open as we make further progress.”
JCP&L reminds customers to immediately report downed wires to their utility at 888-LIGHTSS (888-544-4877), or to their local police or fire department. Customers should never go near a downed wire even if they think it is no longer carrying electricity. Extra caution should be used in areas where downed lines are tangled in trees or other debris.
Jim Fakult and other company officials will hold a press conference at 3 p.m. today at the company’s Summit Line Shop located at 52 Chatham Road in Summit, N.J. JCP&L will continue to post storm updates on social media and on the company website. Follow JCP&L on Twitter @JCP_L, on Facebook at http:www.facebook.com/JCPandL or online at http://www.jcp-l.com.
ALERT Thursday, March 8, 2018 11:30 a.m. Advisory
Update from JCP&L: Yesterday’s storm hit JCP&L’s service area very hard, with some places getting 25 inches of new, wet snow. Roads and access across the state remain a challenge, but crews are working as quickly and as safely as they can. Over 4,000 JCP&L employees and contractors continue to work on the storm recovery.
JCP&L informed us that their focus continues to be the outages that began during last week’s storm. Their next priorities will be any new safety hazards, including downed wires and other damage that could endanger the public or impede first responders, the clearing of blocked roads to get access to new areas with heavy damage, and restoring the balance of their customers who were recently impacted.
They hope to have updated restoration estimates by early this afternoon.
ALERT Thursday Garbage and Recycling Collection
Garbage and recycling contractors are out in the township. If your road is passable, they will be collecting, however, they have noted that many people do not have their garbage and recyclables at the curb.
ALERT Thursday, March 8, 2018 9:30 a.m. Advisory
Updated road closures:
Millbrook Ave. and Pierson’s Hill Rd. are now open.
Linda Terrace is open, but there are wires down.
Farview is closed due to wires down between #10 & #11.
Ironia Rd. is closed between Dover Chester Rd. and #31 due to tree and wires down.
Stonehill Rd. closed at #15 due to low power lines, which are assumed to be live; homes still have power.
Washington Valley Rd. is closed at #266 due to low power lines, which are assumed to be live; homes still have power.
Iron Forge Lane is closed at #1 (just off of Meadowbrook Rd.) due to low power lines, which are assumed to be live; homes still have power.
Logan Road wires down.
Gristmill Road is closed due to downed trees and wires, and a broken pole.
Franklin Road is closed.
ALERT Wednesday, March 7, 2018 9:30 p.m. Advisory
Updated road closures:
Millbrook Ave. closed at Everdale & Fords roads due to wires and tree down at bridge.
Pierson’s Hill Rd closed at Everdale Rd. due to Millbrook closure.
Linda Terrace is open, but there are wires down.
Farview is closed due to wires down between #10 & #11.
Ironia Rd. is closed between Dover Chester Rd. and #31 due to tree and wires down.
Stonehill Rd. closed at #15 due to low power lines, which are assumed to be live; homes still have power.
Washington Valley Rd. is closed at #266 due to low power lines, which are assumed to be live; homes still have power.
Iron Forge Lane is closed at #1 (just off of Meadowbrook Rd.) due to low power lines, which are assumed to be live; homes still have power.
Park Ave. is closed between Righter Rd. and James Rd. due to downed trees and power lines.
If roads are passable, garbage and recycling will be collected for Wed. and Thurs. routes. Please do not put cans in the street or too close to the street as they will interfere with plowing operations.
The YMCA anticipates opening tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. Residents without power can use the YMCA as a warming/charging center during regular business hours. The township community center will be open tomorrow from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. as a warming/charging center as well.
ALERT Wednesday, March 7, 2018 6:30 p.m. Advisory
Due to the significant amount of heavy snow from today’s storm, the township has decided to temporarily suspend enforcement of the sidewalk clearing ordinance. Residents are asked to make their best effort to clear sidewalks at their property over the next several days. In addition, please make every effort to clear fire hydrants on or near your property. Every second counts in an emergency situation.
ALERT Wednesday, March 7, 2018 4:30 p.m. Advisory
Update from JCP&L: For the safety of their workers, JCP&L has ceased work until the weather is more favorable, with the exception of extreme emergencies. There have been more outages reported from today’s snowstorm. JCP&L has reiterated that they will work to restore power to customers from the first storm before those that occurred today, except where safety dictates. The current outage counts do not necessarily reflect the work done today; they also reflect ongoing current outages.
ALERT Ironia Road Closure (2:30 p.m.)
Ironia Road is closed due to a downed tree and wires at #31.
ALERT Wednesday, March 7, 2018 2:30 p.m. Advisory
JCP&L officials held a conference call this afternoon to update local mayors on the status of power restoration efforts. In the call, JCP&L advised that they now have 4,000 employees and contractors in the area, including 2,000 line workers. There continues to be 25,000 customers still out of power region wide; Randolph is estimated at approximately 1,000 customers. Since Friday, power to 195,000 customers was restored, and over 1,700 roads were opened. There are still a small number of roads in the area which remain closed. JCP&L is monitoring the current storm. Forecasts currently indicate significant snow amounts, however, high winds are not expected. JCP&L is receiving assistance from the state on snow plowing, to allow crews to continue to move safely to and from destinations during the storm. The plan is for crews to continue to work throughout the day and evening, as long as conditions allow. Their priority remains to be those customers who lost power during the last storm. The only change to this plan would be if a main line comes down during the storm that feeds an area where customers have been out of power. If that should occur, the downed main line will become the higher priority. Again, the township and JCP&L appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work to recover from this storm.
ALERT Wednesday, March 7, 2018 11:30 a.m. Advisory
Update from JCP&L: We continue to work the restoration process from last week’s storm, even as a new storm has arrived in the area. As of 9:30 a.m. this morning, we have 29,000 customers out, with minimal new outages from today’s storm right now. We remain committed to restoring service to customers who were impacted by the storm Friday, and are prioritizing those outages in our system.
We now have more than 4,000 people on the ground working, and we will be holding those crews until all customers from both storms are restored. We also plan to work through today’s storm, addressing public safety hazards as they arise.
We have three staging areas set up, one each in Sussex, Morris and Hunterdon counties to provide more immediate response and concentrate our efforts.
JCP&L reminds customers to immediately report any downed wires to the company, or their local police and fire department. Customers should never go near a downed power line and extra caution should be used in areas where downed lines are tangled in trees or other debris. Customers are reminded to report outages by calling 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) or by clicking the “Report Outage” link at the JCP&L website.
ALERT Wednesday, March 7, 2018 8:30 a.m. Advisory
In light of the YMCA announcing they will be closed due to today’s weather, the only township warming/charging station that will be open today is the community center (8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.). If the need arises to open additional warming centers, that information will be distributed. All roads are now accessible, with the exception of Linda Terrace and Farview Avenue.
ALERT March 6, 2018 9:15 p.m. Advisory
As you are aware, another significant storm is on its way. The Morris County Office of Emergency Management has activated its Emergency Operations Center, and is monitoring the pending storm. The forecast data suggests that the snow is expected to begin late this evening and continue into Wednesday morning with conditions quickly deteriorating by 9 or 10 a.m. We anticipate that the worst of the storm will be between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Due to the heavy and wet nature of the snow, trees and power lines will once again be at a higher risk to come down, especially those that suffered damage from the last storm. Although the winds will not be as significant as the last storm, we anticipate seeing gusts between 25-35mph.
The township updates residents with storm-related notifications via several mediums. Information will be posted on the township website, Facebook (Township of Randolph), Twitter (@RandolphTwpNJ), and via Swift911. To sign up for Swift911 phone and/or text messages, visit the township website and click on the icon on the homepage. Notifications will include information on power outages, street closures, warming/charging centers, and garbage/recycling collection.
If you lose power, please call JCP&L at 1-888-544-4877 to report the outage. JCP&L reminds customers to stay away from downed wires, even if they believe they are no longer carrying electricity. Extra caution should be used in areas where downed lines are tangled with trees or other debris. Motorists are cautioned to treat intersections with inoperable traffic signals as four-way stops.
Please remember that there is no parking on township streets during the storm and subsequent snow removal. This will be strictly enforced. Also, residents are encouraged to avoid travel if possible. Snow plow contractors should never plow snow into the roadways. Also, residents need to shovel sidewalks and clear fire hydrants on their property.
As always, in the event of an emergency please dial 911.
ALERT March 6, 2018 4:45 p.m. Advisory
Representatives from JCP&L held a conference call this afternoon to update local mayors on the status of power restoration efforts. The following is a summary of the call:
JCP&L noted:
· There are currently 41,000 outages area wide.
· The majority of customers should be restored before midnight tonight.
· Some outages are anticipated into Thursday.
· There are currently 3,400 JCP&L workers.
· Nearly all of the roads are now open.
· With the forecasted storm on Wednesday, they are moving equipment to northern counties to lessen the mobilization time.
· Crews can work in the snow, however, high winds will restrict them from working.
· Priority will be given to customers who have been out of power since last weekend’s storm.
· There are 3 staging sites in northern NJ.
ALERT March 6, 2018 4:00 p.m. Advisory
Garbage and recycling collection for Wednesday, March 7, 2018 is cancelled. Both Wednesday and Thursday routes will be collected on Thursday. Garbage and recycling must be at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on Thursday. The recycling center will be closed on Wednesday.
ALERT March 6, 2018 12:30 p.m. Advisory
JCP&L crews are currently working in several locations within the town including the Randolph Village apartments, the Dover Chester section of Ironia and the Shongum area. We have been told crews will be assigned to additional locations as the day progresses. The company will be hosting a conference call with area officials at 1 p.m. in which Mayor Forstenhausler and Township Manager Mountain will be participants. In addition, the mayor and manager spoke to the governor’s office on Monday to urge a Declaration of Emergency. To date, no action has been taken on this request. The mayor has also been out in the field over the past few days speaking directly to JCP&L crews on behalf of the community. A further update will be released by the town after this call is completed. The following is a listing of other news and notes related to the storm response:
There have been no updates provided to the township today on power restoration times for specific areas of the town. We hope to have this information after the 1 p.m. conference call with JCP&L.
Warming/charging stations at the community center (8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and the YMCA continue to be in service and will be until all power has been restored.
The following is an update from the township police department on roads that remain closed due to downed wires or poles:
· Park Avenue—between Seneca Trail and Sunset Drive (wires down at John Court)
· Shongum Road—Openaki (downed wires)
· Valley Road—between Millbrook Avenue and Parkview (low hanging wire)
· Farview Avenue (between #10 and #11—wires across the road)
· Linda Terrace—wires across the road
JCP&L is very aware of the impending storm forecasted for Wednesday. They have committed to clearing the remaining roads that are presently obstructed so public works can clear the roads during the storm. JCP&L is advising us that their crews can and will work through the snow, although bucket trucks will be taken off the road if winds reach 35-40 miles per hour.
JCP&L continues to apply the following prioritized approach to the restoration effort:
· 911 calls
· Critical facilities
· Road openings
· Schools
· Large areas of customer outages
· Smaller areas of customer outages
· Single customers
Mayor Forstenhausler has arranged with Fire Chief Anthony Moschella to make hoses available at each of the four township fire company buildings for residents on well water in need of water for toilets. Residents in need of water for this purpose are encouraged to take advantage of the non-potable water at these locations.
Please continue to check on neighbors in need. If you have tried to contact a neighbor in town that you are concerned about and been unsuccessful, please contact the police department.
ALERT March 5, 2018 7:15 p.m. Advisory
JCP&L has advised they will be making a major repair to the Greystone circuit tonight. It will require a forced outage for customers served by this circuit, which includes areas of Shongum which earlier today had service restored. It also includes other streets in the same area that had previously not experienced power interruption. JCP&L advised that the outage will occur at approximately midnight, and is expected to last about 4 hours. JCP&L apologizes for this added inconvenience, but advises that taking this action will help expedite the return of power to those in the community who are still without service.
ALERT March 5, 2018 3:00 p.m. Advisory
JCP&L officials held a conference call this afternoon to update local mayors on the status of power restoration efforts. In the call, JCP&L advised that they now have over 2,900 line and tree personnel currently working in northern New Jersey. Additional workers continue to be called into the area, and will be arriving later today and Tuesday. There continues to be nearly 70,000 outages area wide and approximately 2,500 outages in Randolph Township. During the call, Mayor Forstenhausler again reiterated the areas of town still without power, and requested JCP&L continue to expand efforts to reduce the township’s outages. JCP&L advised that they are focused exclusively on northern New Jersey, and acknowledged that the establishment of a second staging area in Randolph was in response to our area’s outages. They advised that the bulk of township customers in the Shongum area will see power restored by this evening, and that the majority of the remaining customers will be restored by Tuesday evening, March 6th. They also stated again that there is a possibility that some single customers will not be restored until Wednesday, March 7th. Finally, JCP&L representatives addressed the forecast for a second storm on Wednesday, March 7th. They stated that they will be continuing to monitor the storm’s course, but at the current time do not expect crews still working on Wednesday to be disrupted by the anticipated weather conditions. More updates will be provided as they become available. We again appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work to recover from this storm.
ALERT March 5, 2018 1:00 p.m. Advisory
JCP&L provided a mid-day update to the town advising that the outage total is at approximately 2,700. Crews are currently working in several locations within the town including Shongum and Ironia. Additional crews are expected to arrive in the community later today and tomorrow to supplement the effort. The company will be hosting a conference call with area officials at 1 p.m. in which Mayor Forstenhausler and Township Manager Mountain will be participants. A further update will be released by the town after this call is completed. In the meantime, our Police Department, Department of Public Works and Office of Emergency Management continue to work around the clock in support of all other post storm issues. Residents in need of emergency assistance should contact 911. Non-emergency questions can be directed to the Township Manager’s office at 973-989-7060. Thank you for your continued patience. We will continue to provide all available information to residents as it becomes available. As a reminder, warming and charging stations are at the Community Center (8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.) and at the YMCA until all power has been restored.
ALERT March 5, 2018 12:30 p.m. Advisory
From the Police Department: There are no main roads closed at this time, however, there are still several secondary roads where minor detours are still required due to downed trees or wires. Below is a listing of these streets.
Shongum Road between Openaki and Old Chimney is closed due to a tree that took down wires and multiple poles; the wires are still down. Park Avenue between Seneca Trail and Sunset Drive is closed due to a tree and wires down at John Court. Old Brookside Road between Sussex and Wick is closed due to a tree and wires down at number 58. Valley Road between Millbrook and Parkview is closed due to a large tree leaning across the road and on wires. A tree company was already there but needs to return with extra equipment. Farview Avenue is closed between number 10 and 11 due to downed wires. Linda Terrace is impassable due to downed wires. Clover Lane, Willow Ave, and Dogwood Trail have downed wires, but are partially passable.
ALERT March 5, 2018 10:00 a.m. Advisory
Crews are currently repairing an emergency water main break on Wooded Hill Lane. Residents are being notified door to door; the repair is anticipated to be completed by early this afternoon.
Branch Collection: The Township will be planning a branch collection shortly; however, due to the forecasted storm on Wednesday, we ask that residents REFRAIN from putting branches at the curb until notified that a branch collection is scheduled.
ALERT March 4, 2018 8:00 p.m. Advisory
In response to recent posts on social media, and other related comments and concerns from residents, the following message was prepared by Mayor Mark Forstenhausler and Township Manager Stephen Mountain summarizing the township’s actions to date in response to the storm, as well as the latest information from JCP&L.
JCPL reported 8105 outages in Randolph at the storm’s conclusion, which was the highest number of outages in the county. Subsequent to this announcement they provided multiple updates, the latest of which advised that Randolph’s reported outages are down to about 3,000 customers. Based upon the information being provided the Township by JCP&L, it is very possible outages could continue in parts of the Township until Monday or Tuesday and in some isolated cases even Wednesday. Residents should plan accordingly for these worst case scenarios. Crews are currently in town working to restore power to the impacted areas and will continue until power is fully restored. Updates will be provided as received. Please also see the additional information provided by JCP&L below:
* JCP&L continues to access the damage and will provide updates as restoration efforts move forward. Customers should report any downed wires to the company, or their local police and fire department and never go near a downed power line, even if they think it is no longer carrying electricity. Extra caution should be used in areas where downed lines are tangled in trees or other debris. To report downed wires or power outages, call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877), or click the “Report Outage” link at the JCP&L website.
* JCP&L is offering free water & ice to customers remaining out of service. Customers can pick up water and ice locally at the following locations:
Shoprite of Bernardsville, 93 Morristown Rd, Bernardsville, NJ
Shoprite of Chester, 195 Rt 206, Chester, NJ
Shoprite of Morristown, 178-190 E Hanover Ave.
Shop Rite of Mansfield, Rt 57 West and Allen Street, Hackettstown
Acme Supermarkets, 690 Millbrook Ave. Randolph
Kings Supermarket, 88 East Main Street. Mendham
* Mayor Forstenhausler and Township Manager Mountain have been participating in JCP&L’s statewide conference calls, as well as in direct conversation with JCP&L’s Area Manager regarding Randolph’s specific needs and issues. Residents have commented that they would like more specific information on the estimated timeframes for power restoration by area. We have asked for this information from JCP&L, however, it has not been supplied to date. Should we receive more detailed information we will be posting it accordingly on the various Township communication mediums (Website, Facebook Page, Twitter, SwiftReach Alert).
* The Mayor and Manager have also spent significant amount of time in the field assessing issues, visiting warming centers, talking directly to residents and coordinating with emergency personnel. Other members of the Township Council have also spent time speaking to constituents about the storm issues and relaying information regarding resident needs to the Township Manager. In addition, the Mayor in his role as a Volunteer Fireman, has responded to numerous fire calls both during the storm event and its aftermath.
* Township Communications - throughout the weekend, the Township has been communicating storm related information on a number of communication mediums. These include, the Township Website, Swiftreach 911, email and text alerts, the Township Facebook page, Twitter and through direct responses to resident phone calls and emails. Residents who have not signed up for Swiftreach email, text, or cell phone alerts are encouraged to do so. Instructions on how to sign up for the Swiftreach notifications are on the homepage of the township website. Residents needing assistance with the registration process can call the Township Clerk’s Office at 973-989-7042. Residents can also follow Township of Randolph on Facebook and @RandolphTwpNJ on Twitter.
* A warming/charging station has been open at the Community Center at 30 Calais Road both Saturday and Sunday. The center will again be open tomorrow, from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Randolph Library has also been open to residents throughout the weekend. Additionally, the Randolph YMCA at the Township’s request agreed to waive all guest fees for those without power. The YMCA’s doors will continue to be open to residents in need during business hours until power has been completely restored by JCP&L. The town does not open shelters overnight as we do not have the required resources to meet the health and security requirements for a 24 hour shelter. The Police Department has been working on a case by case basis to address individuals in the community in need of overnight sheltering.
* There are no main roads closed at this time, however, there are still several secondary roads where minor detours are still required due to downed trees or wires. Below is a listing of these streets.
* Shongum Road between Openaki and Old Chimney is closed due to a tree that took down wires and multiple poles; the wires are still down.
* Park Avenue between Seneca Trail and Corwin Street is closed due to a tree and wires down at John Court.
* Old Brookside Road between Sussex and Wick is closed due to a tree and wires down at number 58.
* Valley Road between Millbrook and Parkview is closed due to a large tree leaning across the road and on wires. A tree company was already there but needs to return with extra equipment.
* Fairview Avenue is closed between number 10 and 11 due to a tree and wires down.
* The traffic light at Calais Road and Dover Chester is still being powered by a generator.
* There are multiple roads that are partially passable due to wires/trees obstructing passage. These include Misty Mountain and Clover, and possibly Valley View, Willow Ave, and Dogwood Trail, but they were all reported as passable.
* Millbrook Ave northbound at Everdale Road has an officer assisting with traffic control due to low hanging wire.
As JCP&L’s work is completed, the above listed roads will be reopened. It is our hope that JCP&L will have all of the road obstructions removed within the next 24-48 hours.
* Residents have raised questions regarding the status of the Township schools for Monday. This decision is solely the responsibility of the Superintendent of Schools who works for the Board of Education, an autonomous entity from the Township municipal organization. We have been informed by the Superintendent that at this time her plan is to open schools on Monday as scheduled. Residents will receive notice from the Superintendent should there be any changes.
* Residents who have specific questions or needs not addressed in this statement are encouraged to contact Mayor Forstenhausler at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this e-mail address) or by calling 973.886.7255 or Township Manager, Stephen Mountain at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this e-mail address) or calling 973-989-7060.
ALERT: March 4, 2018 4:00 p.m. Advisory
From the Randolph Township Police Department: The following roads remain blocked due to downed trees in wires and poles: Shongum Road between Openaki and Old Chimney is closed due to the tree that came down and took down wires and multiple poles. The wires are still down. Park Avenue between Seneca Trail and Corwin street is closed due to a tree down with wires at John Court. Old Brookside Road between Sussex and Wick is shut down due to a tree down with wires at number 58. Valley Road between Millbrook and Parkview is shut down due to a large tree leaning across the road and on wires. Apparently a tree company was already out there but they need to return with extra equipment. Fairview Avenue is closed between number 10 and 11 due to a tree down with wires down. The traffic light at Calais Road and Dover Chester is still being powered by a generator. There are multiple roads that are partially passable due to wires/trees obstructing passage. I checked on Misty Mountain and Clover and confirmed that trees/wires are obstructing passage but they’re passable. I still need to check on Valley View, Willow Ave, and Dogwood trail but they were all reported as passable. Millbrook Ave. northbound at Everdale road has an officer assisting with traffic control due to low hanging wire (a truck will take it down/waiting on Verizon). The township police department has forwarded the above list to JCP&L and they are working on a priority basis to open these roads. Township crews cannot remove trees and/or poles engaged in wires due to the possibility of the wires being live. Stay away from downed wires. DO NOT drive around barricades on roadways. Please report any emergent issues by calling 911.
ALERT: March 4, 2018 3:00 p.m. Advisory
Update from JCP&L call with mayors this afternoon: JCP&L officials held a conference call this afternoon to update local mayors on the status of power restoration efforts. In the call, JCP&L advised that they have nearly 1,000 line and tree personnel working in northern New Jersey currently and expect that number to increase on Monday. There continues to be nearly 100,000 outages area wide and over 3,000 outages in Randolph Township. During the call, Mayor Forstenhausler emphasized the areas still without power in the township and requested JCP&L prioritize their resources to address these areas. JCP&L advised they are aware of the areas of need in Randolph and they are working with their line crews, tree contractors and Verizon (where Verizon is responsible for pole replacement) to restore power. They further advised that they are expecting that the majority of customers will see power restored by no later than Tuesday, March 6th. There is a possibility that in some cases the restoration will not occur until Wednesday, March 7th. Mayor Forstenhausler and Township Manager Mountain have been in frequent contact with the JCP&L area representative on the town’s needs and issues. He has been providing us with updates with as much specifics as he possibly can. More updates will be provided as they become available. We are grateful for your patience and cooperation as we work to recover from this storm.
ALERT: March 4, 2018 2:00 p.m. Advisory
The following is a statement from JCP&L: JCP&L has experienced extensive infrastructure damage within its transmission and distribution systems; in particular, within northern New Jersey, hundreds of downed trees, approximately 200 broken poles and 1,000 spans of conductor. JCP&L continues its efforts to restore service with public and employee safety at the forefront. Restoration efforts are focused on reducing hazards associated with downed power lines and road closures due to downed power lines. Public safety is our top priority. JCP&L crews continue to focus on safely clearing downed wires, opening roads for emergency access and restoring service to our customers. Reminder to everyone—stay away from downed wires. While we anticipate the majority of customers will be restored by late Tuesday night, the anticipated restoration time for customers in the hardest hit areas of northern Morris and Sussex counties is Wednesday, March 7th at 11:30pm. This information will be updated in the FirstEnergy 24/7 Power Center. Thank you for your continued support and partnership as we restore service to our customers.
The community center will be extending the warming/charging station hours until 8:00 p.m. today, March 4th and tomorrow March 5th. Free ice and water are available at the Acme on Millbrook Avenue.
ALERT March 4, 2018 11:00 a.m. Advisory
The township will be extending the hours of the warming/charging station at the community center, located on Calais Road, to 8:00 p.m. today, March 4th and tomorrow March 5th.
ALERT March 3, 2018 2:00 p.m. Advisory
JCP&L has provided an update on the status of Randolph outages. As of 3:00 p.m. JCP&L is reporting 5,290 outages in the township. They are estimating that this outage number will drop by 1,700 in the next couple of hours. Based upon the information being provided to the township by JCP&L, it is very possible outages could continue in parts of the township for several more days. Residents should plan accordingly for this worst case scenario. Crews are currently in town working to restore power to the impacted areas and will continue until power is fully restored. Updates will be provided as received. Warming centers, as noted in prior messages, will continue to be available for those in need.
ALERT March 3, 2018 1:30 p.m. Advisory
YMCA WARMING CENTER ALERT: Beginning Saturday March 3rd, all guest fees are waived for those without power until all power in our area is restored.
ALERT March 3, 2018 1:00 p.m. Advisory
A message from JCP&L:
“We want to thank our customers for their patience and understanding as we continue to work around the clock to safely restore their service. The storm’s heavy wet snow, driving rains and gusting winds caused serious damage to equipment.”
JCP&L is offering free water & ice to customers remaining out of service. Customers can pick up water and ice at the following locations.
Shoprite of Chester, 195 Rt. 206, Chester
Shoprite of Morristown, 178-190 E. Hanover Ave., Cedar Knolls
Shop Rite of Morris, 1711 Routes 10 (& 202), Morris Plains
Shop Rite of Succasunna, 281-021, Rt 10, Succasunna
Shop Rite of Flanders, 90 Bartley Rd., Flanders
Shop Rite, 314 Rt. 15, Wharton
Shop Rite, 437 Rt. 46, Rockaway
Acme Supermarkets, 690 Millbrook Ave., Randolph
Weis Markets, 293 Route 206, Flanders
Kings Supermarket, 88 East Main Street, Mendham
Kings Supermarket, 191 South Street, Morristown
For updated outage information, visit the 24/7 Power Center at the JCP&L website
ALERT March 3, 2018 9:00 a.m. Advisory
JCP&L is reporting over 8,000 outages in Randolph, which is the highest in the county. JCP&L representatives have advised that crews have been dispatched to the impacted areas to begin power restoration efforts. To report downed wires, power outages or to inquire regarding the status of power restoration, residents must call 1-888-LIGHTSS, or click the “Report Outage” link at the JCP&L website. The town has opened a warming station at the community center on Calais Road and the center will be open until 5 p.m. Additionally, beginning today, Saturday, March 3rd, all guest fees are waived for those without power at the Randolph YMCA. We will continue to keep the warming centers open during daytime hours until power has been restored to the community. Residents in need of emergent assistance should call 911.
ALERT March 2, 2018 5:00 p.m. Advisory
Significant power outages are being reported throughout the township by JCP&L. Crews have been dispatched by JCP&L to the areas to respond to the outages. It is possible due to the current and forecasted weather conditions that the outages may be extended. Customers without power should call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) to report any outages or click the “Report Outage” link at the JCP&L website. The community center on Calais Road will open tomorrow, March 3rd, at 9:00 a.m. as a warming center.