Cape May County Library’s new Sea Isle City Branch opened on December 13, 2011 K2 www.CapeMayCountyHerald.com Keep It! Herald Newspapers June 20 2012 To all the Residents and Visitors of Cape May County, As Freeholder Director and the Director of Emergency Management for Cape May County; I want to assure you that your safety is the number one priority of the Board of Chosen Freeholders. The County, its 16 municipalities and the entire Emergency Management Community work together throughout the year so that we are prepared for any emergency situation that may arise. Since 1992, Cape May County has been listed by FEMA as the 6th most dif¿ cult region in the nation to evacuate in a Category 1 Hurricane. In 2011, Hurricane Irene tested our capabilities to evacuate more than 750,000 people during the height of the summer season. Because of our preparedness efforts; we safely evacuated our residents and visitors as well as all long term facilities without any major problems or loss of life. Of course, there are always lessons learned from every situation and one thing we learned was that the ¿ rst line of defense against the effects of a disaster is personal preparedness. In that vein, this Guide will help you to be prepared and stay informed while in Cape May County. Additional information about emergency preparedness or county government can be found on our website capemaycountygov.net Cape May County Evacuation Routes Thank you for giving us the opportunity to work for you! Northbound lanes: Garden State Parkway, U.S. Highway Route 9, State Highway Route 47, State Gerald M. Thornton, Freeholder Director Highway Route 50 Westbound lanes: Be Prepared capemaycountygov.net, clickli k on Emergency State Highway Route 49, NJ Routes 47/347 Create an Emergency Plan Management then go to Page Navigation & During evacuation, the New Jersey State Police and the • Pre-plan your arrangements to stay with click on Special Needs Registry. Additionally, Department of Transportation will coordinate traf¿ c À ow family or friends outside of Cape May registration forms are available at the Of¿ ce out of Cape May County with assistance from county and County and outside of the Hurricane Impact of Emergency Management. For more municipal agencies. Area. information, please call (609) 463-6570. • Establish an out-of-state friend to act as a contact for separated family members. Stay Informed • Show each member of the household how to turn off water, gas and electricity. Consider Call 2-1-1 neighbors who may need assistance. The 2-1-1 service provides information on • Gather valuable papers such as social security homeland security, human services, À ood cards, birth certi¿ cates, deeds, titles, marriage and recovery and weather disasters as well as and death records, wills, stocks and bonds, preparedness and safety information. inventory of household goods, cash and credit Tune in to Local Stations cards. Keep items in an airtight container for Listen for emergency information on local easy transport. radio, broadcast and cable television stations. • Post emergency numbers by telephones. Pre-Evacuation Actions WIBG 1020 AM, WCMC 1230 AM, WMID 1340 • Put together materials needed to take to a AM, WOND 1400 AM, ESPN 1450 AM, WBSS, shelter such as prescription medications, LaFIESTA 1490 AM, WIBG 94.3 FM, WAYV special dietary food, speci¿ c medical 95.1/102.3 FM, WTKU 98.3 FM, WTTH 96.1 information, personal aids, eyeglasses, FM, WFPG 96.9 FM, WCZT 98.7 FM, WZBZ hearing aids, etc. 99.3 FM, WZXL 100.7 FM, WMGM 103.7 FM, • Fill your car with gas, check car battery and WSJO 104.9 FM, WFNE 106.3 FM, WPUR 107.3 oil. FM and WMGM TV 40 • Check À ashlight and radio batteries. • Make arrangements for your pets for a Helpful Information on the Web minimum of seven (7) days. For more information about hurricane preparedness safety tips and pre-evacuation Register In Advance measures, please consult the following websites: Cape May County residents who may have dif¿ culty during an evacuation because of physical capemaycountygov.net or other limitations or lack of transportation can erh.noaa.gov/er/phi register in advance online at New Jersey’s Special prepare.org Needs Registry, registerready.nj.gov ready.gov or by calling 2-1-1. registerready.nj.gov Also, registration forms are available at state.nj.us/njoem Herald Newspapers June 20 2012 Keep It! www.CapeMayCountyHerald.com K3 County Maintaining Services Amid Changes By JIM VANORE “We’ve made signifi cant residents’ lives, via depart- can loan it out to the town- moving out, because jobs increase in social services. “Katrina made us aware,” changes since January,” he ments like aging, veterans, ship — or vice versa.” are elsewhere.” “So many people who he said. “I told our people Cape May County Free- said in a recent telephone health, the courts…so many The same for fuel pur- To see just where the ar- were never in the (social then and there to start work- holder Director Gerald M. interview. “We have an things have direct impact on chase. The county can ea’s potential lies, the coun- services) system before are ing on that (an evacuation Thornton is a veteran of open format in county gov- people’s lives.” purchase fuel for municipal ty has received $50,000 now in it, that it is putting plan).” public service in every sense ernment in that the caucus Although the average vehicles in bulk, so it’s less seed money to see which a big strain on county gov- The plan worked so well of the word. meetings (90 minutes prior citizen may see freeholders costly. This kind of mutual industries can be attracted ernment; and we have the that it made an international He served 12 years in the to the Freeholder Board as working only a few hours aid can also be “shared” to the Jersey Cape. same staffi ng!” impact. United States Air Force, and meetings) are open to the a week, in reality, they put between counties. “We have good resources But even under stressful “Red China saw the has been a freeholder now public.” in a lot of time in this re- Thornton and fellow here,” Thornton said, “so circumstances, Cape May county evacuation high- for about 26 total years, so County Department gional form of government freeholder Will Morey have we’re trying to see how County government seems lighted on TV and the sent his position as a represen- heads come before the that oversees 16 separate also instituted a plan to we can best capitalize on to do its best work. representatives here after tative of his constituency board during the meetings, municipalities in Cape May look into economic devel- our assets.” “During Hurricane Irene, Irene to meet with Frank and decision-maker is well- and the board can question County. opment, by trying to lure All this of course coin- we accomplished the larg- McCall (County Director of founded. It should therefore them regarding all aspects of Thornton also explained year-round businesses into cides with a rising age in est ever long-term care Emergency Management) come as no surprise that he their responsibilities. that the county is the fi rst to the county. the population. evacuation in U.S. history,” and me,” Thornton said. is instituting revisions in “I asked for this for years,” begin “shared services.” “We’ve lost 5,000 resi- “Our elderly population Thornton said. “We evacu- “They wanted to see how county government since Thornton said. “People have “Say the county has a dents in recent years,” comprises 23 percent of ated some 1,400 residents. we did it. being sworn in as Direc- to know how much infl u- road grader but a township Thornton said. “We’re total population,” Thorn- The system worked well; “All in all, we are doing tor of the Board of Chosen ence county government doesn’t,” Thornton offered down 2,100 kids. That ton said. “That’s the most we were very proud of our well,” Thornton continued. Freeholders. has over the quality of as an example. “The county means young families are of any county in the state. social services people.” “We have the lowest tax rate Those citizens need to be Thornton saw the need of all 21 New Jersey coun- cared for.” for such an evacuation plan ties, and yet we maintain Division of Wellness Wave of Future Unemployment runs several years earlier while the same level of service, about 15 percent in winter, studying the aftermath despite recent economic By JIM VANORE “Since the county is self- lifestyle overhaul, in that and employee. and Thornton noted that of Hurricane Katrina in hardships.” insured, we can see were fresh fruits and produce will “Chapter 78 can be such factors contribute to an Louisiana. Cape May County Direc- the money goes,” Grant even be made convenient (economically) painful,” tor of Operations, Edmund said. “Wellness programs for employee’s lunch. Grant said, “so this can help Grant, Jr. has set himself are gaining popularity across “We’re going to take to offset some costs. Our a ponderous task — he’s the country, because you can advantage of existing re- Division of Wellness has determined to improve the see the direct correlation sources,” Grant noted. people with different skill health and wellbeing of all between wellness and the “Freeholder Kristine Gabor sets, such as nutritionists county employees. More cost of health care.” is sitting in with the task and physical therapists. It’s than a slogan, this program Each county complex can force.