Impact Minimal to Lacey Following Hurricane Irene

Lacey Township may not have been hit as hard by Hurricane Irene as originally predicted but the storm still left its mark.

The municipality was reimbursed $32,103.26 for clean up along the roadways for debris and wood material and the increase in solid waste tonnage due to the additional debris, Township Administrator Veronica Laureigh said.

“I believe we did not get hit as hard as anticipated,” she said. “The impact to the town was minimal in comparison to other communities."

Although hit with , the major work entailed was having trees removed from wires.

The township had to wait for the electric company to de-energize the trees in the wires, Laureigh said. Thousands had been without electricity for quite some time.

The Department of Public Works had no overtime during or after the storm, she said.

“As to our role during the storm, we of course activated our Emergency Management Headquarters with Chief Nally and followed protocol from the County Emergency Management who in turn takes direction from the State Emergency Management,” she said.

Police were involved in all emergencies through the Office of Emergency Management, she said.

No changes have been made to the township’s emergency response since Hurricane Irene, Laureigh said.

“We were well organized with our emergency response,” she said. “We had pre-storm meetings going over the protocol with our emergency management and how we were handling various scenarios.

“The volunteers of our emergency squads really put their heart and soul into these positions and are there for the residents of this community. They truly are service above self,” she said.

One Year Later at Oyster Creek

“It was back to back after Hurricane Irene,” plant spokesperson Suzanne D’Ambrosio said. An earthquake had occurred just five days earlier.

Since then, the plant has looked at its processes and procedures, she said.

“Anytime you look in the rearview mirror at something, you always find something to improve,” she said.

But that was not necessarily the case this time, she said. “We were a very well prepared facility.”

Because the plant had fair warning nearly a week ahead of the hurricane, Oyster Creek staff and emergency teams were ready, she said.

“What happened is weather stations were predicting a direct hit on Lacey. Our people here went right into preparation mode,” she said.

Plant staff went around outside and secured equipment and ensured that all emergency equipment was ready for operation, she said. The plant planned everything right down to where staff would be sleeping and what they would be eating.

“Thankfully none of it was necessary. Thankfully Mother Nature gave us a pass on this one,” she said.

As preparation for the hurricane was underway, the staff worked harder than ever, she said, and the contingency plan brought comfort.

The generator was taken offline the day prior to the hurricane and

“We would do the same thing if a hurricane was to come this summer,” she said.