Hazard Mitigation Plan under review by the town
Page 4 • Wednesday, August 12, 2015 • The Hammonton Gazette
HaZarD, from Page 1
is helping to review and revise at the present time.
“The plan is an assessment of the hazards
the town is susceptible to before a disaster
strikes. This assessment looks at potential
flooding, infrastructure, shelter capabilities,
maintaining critical operations and emergency response. The plan also identifies the
overall mitigation objectives and an action
plan to protect life and reduce property
damage,” Barberio said.
The plan review process is every five
years, but according to Barberio, it is also a
living document that changes as needed.
The last Hazard Mitigation Plan review the
town conducted took place in 2009-2010.
For several months, the review process
has taken place. The first meeting the town
had was with the town’s Emergency Management Team, several members of town
council and town engineer Robert Vettese
of Adams, Rehmann & Heggan.
“The first of several meetings was on
April 16. The plan will take a few more
months until the reviewers, County OEM
[Office of Emergency Management] an
State OEM, send us the go-ahead to place
it on a council meeting agenda for their
consideration and approval,” Barberio said.
The review of the Hazard Mitigation Plan
does not stem from the “macroburst” storm
that struck Hammonton on June 23, according to Barberio and Mayor Stephen DiDonato.
“The review started prior to the
storm. However, since 2010, there
Hit-and-run
driver arrested
by Gabe Donio
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—Police
arrested Eber Diaz, 28, of Hammonton after he fled the scene of a
hit-and-run accident at 6:27 p.m. on
August 9 at the intersection of Bellevue Avenue and S. Egg Harbor
Road, Hammonton Police Det. Sgt.
Edward Slimm said.
Diaz, 28, was driving a gray 2001
Ford Explorer when he rear-ended a
vehicle driven by Rita Howell, 85,
of Hammonton, who was driving a
silver 2005 Nissan Sentra, Slimm
said. Slimm said Diaz then fled the
scene.
“Mrs. Howell was stopped in traffic on S. Egg Harbor Road when her
vehicle was struck by a vehicle
driven by Mr. Diaz. After he struck
the vehicle, he fled the scene. A witness was able to identify the driver,
passenger and vehicle and the vehicle, driver and passenger were found
at Mr. Diaz’s residence,” Slimm
said.
He was charged with driving
while his license was suspended
(second violation, warrant issued)
and seven motor vehicle summonses, Slimm said. His bail was
set at $2,500 by Hammonton Municipal Judge Frank Raso, Slimm
said.
A passenger in the vehicle, Oved
Mejia, 25, of Hammonton was arrested and charged with hindering
apprehension or prosecution and
was released on his own recognizance, Slimm said.
Officer Jonathan O’Neil was the
arresting officer, Slimm said.
In other police news, a couch that
had been placed outside the Econo
Lodge in order to be given away
caught fire at 11:24 a.m. on August
6, Slimm said.
The Hammonton Volunteer Fire
Department and Officer Sean
Grasso responded, Slimm said.
“The fire was extinguished prior
to the arrival of the police and fire
departments,” Slimm said.
Please
recycle this
paper.
have been 11 declared events in the State of
New Jersey. Each event allows the town’s
OEM team to review what happened with
after-action meetings and evaluations. The
review is up to date and comprehensive because of all the information we learned
from each event in the last five years,” Barberio said.
Items identified from several declared
events have revised the Hazard Mitigation
Plan to include the need for mobile generators (tri-fuel), and installation of quick-connect electrical receivers at several location
and utility properties, communication upgrades, conversation of diesel generators to
natural gas at town hall, Hammonton Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 and some utility
locati ۜ