Dear Sandy

you really do not have to visit us this year.  Your sister Irene came last year and left us with terrible memories.  Please take a detour.

New Jersey is preparing for the worst and hoping for the best as a hurricane, Nor’ester and cold front are set to bring a super storm to the region early next week.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Red flags fly from a lifeguard station as Hurricane Sandy passes offshore to the east, Friday, Oct. 26, 2012, in Miami Beach, Fla.

“We are preparing for the absolute worst and I expect that we will be prepared for what comes in the next four or five days,” Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno said at an event in Hillsdale this afternoon.
Guadagno said Cape May County’s Office of Emergency Management has already begun ordering evacuations and colleges along the coast are also voluntarily evacuating.
Related: What you need to know if Sandy arrives in New Jersey
“It is the storm of the century,” she said. “We thought the last one was the storm of the century, but this is not only a hurricane, it’s a full moon, high-tide Nor’easter.”
Guadagno was in Hillsdale to announce a nearly $200,000 state grant that will fund infrastructure improvements to two roads, one of which – Central Avenue – is a major thoroughfare. She was serving as acting governor because Governor Christie is in North Carolina campaigning for GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney and gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory. But Guadagno said Christie would be back this evening and would be in charge throughout the weekend when the storm is expected to hit.
Hillsdale Mayor Max Arnowitz said he has asked the state to request that United Water lower the water level at its reservoir in Woodcliff Lake, to help mitigate damage in flood-prone areas of the borough. But Guadagno said it’s too early to say whether the state would order the water company to lower it’s four reservoirs in the state.
“That is one of the many issues on the check list that we have to discuss and we haven’t made any decisions yet,” she said. “We’re still tracking the storm, we’re still getting ready for the storm. We’re prepared to make that decision if as the storm comes forward it’s required or appropriate.”
Guadagno said state Cabinet members have already had meetings with emergency management officials in the region today. The state commissioner of transportation was at the Regional Operations Intelligence Center at state police headquarters today in preparation of the storm and the National Guard are on call should they be needed.
“We learned a lot of lessons from Hurricane Irene,” she said. “One of the lessons was to follow a set, set of procedures to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. We’re already engaged in preparing for the worst. We are constantly tracking the storm.”
Arnowitz said Hillsdale is also prepared for the worst. He said the Department of Public Works spent Friday picking up leaves in flood-prone areas and clearing storm drains and he has authorized extra staff and over-time if it’s needed to handle the storm. He said emergency services personnel were meeting Friday afternoon to discuss storm response plans and residents will be getting phone calls urging the to evacuate if they live in low-lying areas.
He said the fire department volunteers would also be going door-to-door Sunday suggesting people evacuate flood-prone areas.
“We’re ready,” he said. “The generators are all gassed up. I hope we don’t have to use them.”
Guadagno, who lives in Monmouth County, also urged residents to be prepared and evacuate early, with plans to stay out of their homes for several days.
“If you live on the coast like I do, you know a full moon, high-tide Nor’easter is the absolute worst case scenario, add to that right now Hurricane Sandy – you need to be prepared,” she said.

staff writer Hayes