With Gustav taking aim at the Gulf coast just three years after Hurricane Katrina, here are a couple of reminders from 1999 1998 that Plainfield is not immune to these storms.
House at Stelle and Grant was hit by falling tree.
Minivan on West 8th Street near Hobert was crushed by a tree.
More than 125 city trees were downed in a storm that was declared a tornado after the fact. The city learned the importance of having an emergency management plan in place (the one at the time had not been updated for years and was basically useless).
Rahway's DPW helped Plainfield's Department of Public Works
crews cope with clearing up the downed trees.
crews cope with clearing up the downed trees.
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6 comments:
I remember that 1999 storm very well. Too bad the emergency management plan was outdated and "basically useless." Wasn't McWilliams Plainfield's mayor at the time?
I believe it was actually '98
Actually, anon., I think Ron is right about the year -- 1998. I had 1998 in mind the whole time I was putting the pictures together, but the computer date stamp on them was 1999. Since I have been through 6 computers since they were taken, it is likely they somehow got stamped '1999', but that it is *wrong*.
That said, yes, Al McWilliams was mayor. It was his first year, and I don't think it occurred to anyone that we might need to update our Disaster/Emergency Management Plan. It was, of course, before 9/11, and since that time much has changed.
Mayor McWilliams was avidly interested in the updating of the plan and we took part in the state's tabletop exercise, in which Muhlenberg was a crucial part of Plainfield's disaster response plan.
With Muhlenberg gone, that will have to be updated. Do you think it has been done? I'll bet you two rolls of duct tape that it has not.
I noticed during the recent gas leak on East Second Street that the OEM was nowhere to be seen. However, that Thursday the OEM WAS spotted at the 'Music in the Plaza' event.
Do you know what you are supposed to do in case of an emergency? And whether or not you are to stay or go? And if you are to go, which direction you are to go in, and what street(s) you should use? And if you don't know now, how will you find out? By Channel 74? Ask them. From the City website? What page would that be? Harvest Radio? Ask them if they have tapes on hand supplied by the City.
I hope that the plan is up-to-date, and that we never need to use it. But I am fearful should we find ourselves in a disaster situation.
Dan, that's one of the many reasons so many of us are struggling to restore Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center. Closing it was Plainfield's "Katrina."
Enjoy the holiday!
There were 2 storms one in 1998 which was "tornado" and then in 1999 the hurricane. Schools were closed for a couple of days with each.
September 17, 1999 – Hurricane Floyd crosses the entire state as a tropical storm, unleashing torrential rainfall amounting to a maximum of 13.34 inches (33.88 cm) in Somerville. Cape May reports a storm surge of 2.6 feet (.79 m).[62] Five rivers, including the Raritan River, withhold too much water and exceed flood stages.[63] Strong wind gusts leave over 650,000 citizens without power during the storm's passage.[64] Floyd caused great damage in the state and six casualties.[63]
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/misc/AbtDerechos/casepages/sep71998page.htm
NOAA wins the beer bet!
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