This is an update from the Village of South Orange and the Office of Emergency Management.

Power: The Village is in constant communication with PSE&G and is working on getting areas in South Orange prioritized as fast as possible.  If you have medical or special needs, please contact the SOPD immediately. Over 6,000 people were without power on Sunday, down to 3,000 on Monday and the Village is still awaiting today's numbers.  Part of the difficulty is that so many trees fell on individual power lines, that they have to be repaired one by one, prolonging the recovery process.

Shelter: The Baird will be opened as a shelter if needed overnight, and you can call the SOPD to request that assistance.  The Library is open during the day, more information at sopl.org, and residents can stop in there or in Village Hall to warm up or charge electronics.

Debris: Residents are encouraged to move branches and debris out to the curb so DPW can remove them.  All of the roads in South Orange were opened by the end of Sunday, due the hard work of our Department of Public Works and other village staff.  They will continue clearing debris through the end of the week, while leaf pickup remains suspended to ensure prioritizing trees and branches.

Schools: The SOMSD will be open Wednesday. Marshall School and South Mountain Annex are currently without heat, though that is expected to be fixed by Wednesday. The district will alert families on Wednesday morning about this status.

Transit: All the roads in South Orange are open and NJ Transit is back online and operational.

If you see a downed wire, report it to the SOPD immediately.  Do not attempt to move it or go near it yourself.  Be mindful that wires can be entangled in branches and hidden under snow and leaves.  Report any hazardous conditions to SOPD.

Halloween festivities downtown on Monday were a great success and we had some excellent costumes at Spooky Spiotta Park.

Thank you to all the staff at the Village, especially Public Works, the Fire Department and Police Department and our volunteers at the Rescue Squad who have been out on the streets round the clock to keep us safe.

The state of emergency will remain in effect until further notice and as we continue to make progress, we ask that residents work with us in trying to get all of the outstanding issues resolved in a timely manner, while understanding that this unprecedented weather condition is putting a strain on emergency services all over the tri-state area.  Don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Latest message from PSE&G.

Important Numbers:

Police Dept (973) 763-3000

Fire Dept (973) 378-7751

Village Hall (973) 378-7715

Public Works (973) 378-7741

Library (973) 762-0230

Recreation & Cultural Affairs (973) 762-0359

PSEG 1-800-436-7734

Emergency 9-1-1