NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE

OFFICIAL NEWS RELEASE

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John R. Hagerty, NJSP Mary Goepfert, NJOEM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 4, 2001 @ 10:45 p.m.

NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REMAINS ON 24-HOUR ALERT MONITORING WINTER STORM State Offices Closed For Monday, March 5

W. Trenton The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (OEM) remains activated as state,
county, and local officials continue to monitor changing weather events associated with the late winter storm currently affecting all areas of the state. The OEM continues to issue regular weather updates and information bulletins to all county and local offices of emergency management as part of the ongoing effort to monitor the storm's progression and potential statewide impact, according to Colonel Carson J. Dunbar, Jr., Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police and Director of the Office of Emergency Management.

Acting Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco, in response to recommendations from the staff of the State Office of Emergency Management has closed all state government offices for Mon., March 5. All non-essential state employees are advised to remain home and to limit any travel. Employees previously designated as essential should report to their pre-assigned work locations. The recommendation to close state offices is made based on updated weather forecasts predicting that the heaviest snow accumulations will arrive between 8:00 a.m. and 8:p.m. on Monday, thus making statewide travel dangerous.

The State of Emergency declaration allows for the state agencies coordinating emergency response
activities - the New Jersey State Police, New Jersey National Guard and the Department of Transportation - to quickly muster the resources necessary to insure public safety during large-scale emergency events. The emergency order authorizes the Superintendent of State Police to implement emergency traffic control procedures on state and interstate highways to aid in moving traffic during the emergency declaration. The order includes all access roads and municipal or county roads and authorizes the State Police to detour, reroute or divert any and all traffic as necessary to alleviate emergency and traffic situations. The order also authorizes all municipal police departments to enforce in their jurisdictions any orders issued by the State Police in connection with the
emergency order. The order is a proactive measure normally taken during events such as the current storm and does not restrict travel at this time; however, the state OEM and the NJDOT encourage motorists to refrain from travel until the storm has passed and all roadways cleared.. The State Office of Emergency Management will make separate announcements regarding specific public safety actions.

The following information phone numbers are in place to obtain road and travel conditions:

GARDEN STATE PARKWAY.................................732-442-8600
NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE......................................1-800-352-4848
ATLANTIC CITY EXPRESSWAY.........................609-965-7200
NORTHERN NEW JERSEY(Sussex, Warren, Hudson, Morris, Essex, Union, Bergen and
Passaic Counties........................................................................201-797-0300
CENTRAL NEW JERSEY (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Somerset
Counties........................................................................732-308-4086
SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY (Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland, Atlantic
and Cape May Counties.......................................................856-222-2098

The state officials noted that the continuing noreaster storm remains complex and a threat with the
potential to impact all areas of the state. In particular, emergency management officials remain in constant contact with emergency management officials in all 21 counties and from municipalities statewide. The threat of coastal flooding along the entire Jersey coast and the potential for heavy accumulation of snow in the central and northwest portions of the state remains of concern.

New Jersey residents and visitors are advised to keep a close watch on news reports and to be ready to take appropriate action should emergency management officials predict dangerous conditions which require evacuation of threatened areas. No mandatory evacuations have been ordered at this time.

The State Emergency Operations Center in West Trenton was activated at 8:00 a.m. on March 4 and will remain open as long as the situation requires. Acting Governor DiFrancesco, Attorney General John Farmer, Col. Dunbar, General Paul Glazer and representatives from the New Jersey Department of Transportation, the New Jersey National Guard, the Board of Public Utilities, the Department of Environmental Protection and other state agencies are at work to insure the safety of New Jersey citizens during the storm. Additionally, allied agencies such as Red Cross, Salvation Army and other public service agencies stand ready to respond to any emergency situation.

New Jersey's emergency management system is at the ready and in place to help the public safely
negotiate the effects of the Northeast storm. Residents should also exercise caution when traveling or shoveling snow, and dress appropriately if going outdoors.

Additional weather and winter storm preparedness information is available through the State of New Jersey Web Page at www.state.nj.us; the New Jersey State Police Web Page at www.njsp.org; via
WEATHER.NOAA.GOV/PHI; through the NOAA weather radio station or from local media weather updates.

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