Camden County activates EOC for winter storm Stella

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Camden County will activate the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at 7 p.m. to respond to winter storm Stella.

 

“This will be our nerve center throughout the storm, and it will be where we will allocate assets wherever they may be needed across Camden County,” said Freeholder Jonathan Young, liaison to the Camden County Office of Emergency Management. “If any municipality or county department has a request for additional assistance, this is where the calls come and the help is set from.”

 

Several cancellations have been announced for tomorrow. The Camden County Freeholder Board has postponed their caucus meeting originally scheduled for tomorrow until Wednesday at 6 p.m. Rutgers University-Camden, and Camden City Schools have cancelled class tomorrow.

 

Tonight’s temperatures will dip below freezing as snow begins after 9 p.m. The storm system will bring wind gusts up to 25 miles per hour. There is the potential for 10 to 16 inches of snow to accumulate before the storm ends Tuesday night.

 

“During the harsh weather conditions that are on the way, please stay indoors to keep warm and stay out of the elements whenever possible,” Young said. “If you must go out, please take precautions to keep you and your family safe from the extreme temperatures.”

 

Freeholder Young offers residents the following tips:

  • Dress in layers and cover your exposed skin to avoid frostbite.
  • It only takes 30 to 45 minutes for exposed skin to develop frostbite
  • Mittens keep children’s hands warmer than gloves.
  • Avoid wearing cotton, it holds in moisture and loses its insulating properties.
  • Remember that even clear-looking sidewalks can be slippery.
  • Keep dog walks brief, don’t leave animals outside and consider a dog coat.
  • Please check on your neighbors, especially those that are elderly, disabled or live alone.
  • Using your ceiling fan clockwise on low recirculates warm air through the room.
  • Never use a stove, oven or a gas grill to heat your home.
  • Use space heaters safely on a level, hard surface and keep anything flammable at least three feet away. Turn off space heaters before going to bed.
  • Wood -burning fireplaces should have a glass or metal screen large enough to catch sparks or rolling logs. Never leave children alone in the room when a fire is lit. Keep all flammable items at least three feet away from the fireplace. Always make sure fireplace embers are out before leaving the room or going to bed.
  • Keep your thermostat at the same temperature day and night. Your heating bill may be a little higher, but you could avoid the costly repair of pipes that freeze and burst.
  • To prevent pipes from freezing, run water, even at a trickle. Open the kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing, but be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals out of the reach of children. Keep garage doors closed if there are water lines in the garage.
  • In order to conserve electricity, turn off lights and appliances that you do not need or are not using.
  • At night, cover windows with drapes or blankets to minimize heat loss. During the day, open blinds to let sun warm the space.

 

Continue to check www.camdencounty.com through the storm for weather and road condition updates.  Information will also be provided through Facebook and Twitter.