In emergency, town tries to reach out to residents
BY TOYNETT HALL
Staff Writer

HOWELL - The old-fashioned grape-vine is what kept some residents informed and ready during the Valentine's Day ice storm that left many people without heat, power and water. Residents like Pauline Smith, who has lived in Howell since 1963, formed friendship circles and relied on one another during times of crisis.

According to Smith, who spoke of a time when Howell was nothing but farmland and everyone in the community knew one another, "We depended on one another. In emergencies we would have a phone chain and make calls to all of our neighbors. We even had people stay over at our homes. We were taught to be prepared for everything."

Although Smith and her network of friends successfully endured the Feb. 14 ice storm, there were some residents of Howell who could not say the same.

The township's Office of Emergency Management (OEM) designated a heating station at the Howell First Aid and Rescue Squad headquarters, Kent Road, and an emergency shelter at Memorial Middle School, Route 524. A total of about 20 people sought assistance at the township-sponsored sites, according to OEM director Ron Sanasac.

Although the OEM identified several emergency assistance locations, some people have wondered how effective those locations can be if residents who have lost power are not certain the emergency shelters are available to them.

Sanasac said that during the storm of Feb. 14, public officials attempted to reach out to individuals who were in need of emergency assistance. He said police were sent through neighborhoods to make announcements about the availability of shelters.

"The emergency response usually depends on the event and the section of town where it occurs," Sanasac said.

The OEM page on the Howell Web site (www.twp.howell.nj.us.) has disaster information posted with links from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and a list of local radio and television stations.

In addition to those resources, there is also a link from Ready America, a government Web site that informs people how to get prepared and stay prepared for man-made and natural disasters. The Web site www.ready.gov advises people to get a survival kit that covers the necessities such as fresh water, food, clean air and warmth.

It also encourages people to make a plan in advance on what to do in different situations, how to contact relatives and how to reunite in the aftermath.

Last but not least, the site encourages people to inquire about emergency plans at work, day care, school and any place they or their family members spend a significant amount of time.

According to Ready America, "Knowing what to do during an emergency is an important part of being prepared and may make all the difference when seconds count."