By Bob Vosseller And Chris Lundy
MANCHESTER – A number of first responders including the chief of police, Office of Emergency Management Director and several others were commended for their efforts in response to a recent power outage that impacted thousands of residents in the Whiting section of Manchester.
The widespread outage caused some residents to go to shelters that were set up after power went out in areas of Whiting at around 8 a.m. on December 23.
Approximately 5,200 residents were impacted. The cause of the outage was determined to be an overloaded power grid caused by extremely low temperatures. Temperatures in the low 20s continued to cause problems for residents during the day but dropped to the low teens overnight.
This created potentially dangerous conditions for people and pets in the area and township police issued multiple Nixle alerts (an emergency communication system that residents can sign up for) and posted on social media and used a Reverse 911 call to keep people informed.
Warming stations were quickly established at Manchester EMS and Whiting Volunteer Fire Company during the daytime hours. At night, Manchester Township High School was opened to displaced residents. The shelter was operated by the American Red Cross, which provided food, beds, and pet-friendly accommodations.
Police and School District Transportation staff offered rides to the shelters and home from them once power was back on. Multiple traffic signals also went out, so police had to direct traffic in the freezing weather for several hours. Officers also conducted welfare checks on people when necessary.
Photo by Jason Allentoff
According to township police, “This incident represented a large-scale, multi-agency response where every organization worked hand-in-hand with one another and the community to ensure the safety and well-being of all affected residents.”
“The coordination and cooperation displayed throughout the response exemplify the strong relationships between local, county, and volunteer agencies and their unwavering commitment to the public,” township police added.
It was noted during the Township Council meeting after the outage that from providing vital updates to transporting residents to warming centers, those involved worked tirelessly to meet the needs of the community during this crisis.
Among those who assisted during the situation were Township Emergency Medical Services, Brick Emergency Medical Services, Whiting Volunteer Fire Company, Manchester Volunteer Fire Company, Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company, and the Manchester Township Office of Emergency Management.
Mayor Robert Arace read a proclamation of thanks and also expressed gratitude toward all of those agencies including the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department, Ocean County Department of Health, Manchester Township Board of Education and Transportation Department, and the American Red Cross for their critical support and coordination.
The mayor noted that the “significant power outage left many residents without heat during one of the coldest times of the year; and our emergency services personnel, including police, fire, and EMS, acted with remarkable speed, professionalism, and dedication in their response to this crisis.”
The mayor’s proclamation also noted, “these men and women worked tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of our community by establishing temporary warming centers, providing critical support to those affected, and maintaining order and communication throughout the duration of the outage; and their swift and effective actions exemplify the commitment, compassion, and resilience that make Manchester Township a stronger, safer place to live.”
“The efforts of these individuals during the outage not only provided immediate relief to our residents but also demonstrated the critical importance of preparedness, teamwork, and community spirit in times of need,” the mayor added.
“I was one of the people who had no power for a very long time,” resident Gail Apgar said later in the meeting. She said she was hosting an event “and I couldn’t cook. I went over to ShopRite to get cold food. We were going to have Christmas Eve even if we had to wear winter coats for it and I decided when it didn’t come on at 10 at night to go over to the high school and I stayed there.”
“I witnessed these people do such an excellent job,” Apgar added.
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