Preparing for Hurricane Season

Last year, the aftermath of Hurricane Irene wrought devastation on Mercer and Middlesex County — causing widespread flooding in Hightstown and Cranbury. Throughout the state, residents dealt with flooding, loss of power, closed roads and, in some cases, the need to boil drinking water for days.

Although weather forecasters have predicted a less active hurricane season in 2012, local homeowners and business owners should prepare.

“Hurricane Irene was the only storm to make U.S. landfall in 2011,” said Julie Rochman, president & CEO of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, “but it caused more than $4 billion in damages and caused widespread devastation on the East Coast all the way to Maine.”

While many focus on wind damage preparation for hurricanes, clearly the issue in Middlesex County was flooding. IBHS's site supplies some tips for dealing with and/or mitigating the effects of flooding here.

Tips range from finding out what FEMA flood zone you are in and having the proper amount of insurance, to reshaping your landscaping and having a battery-backed-up sump pump in your basement.

Meanwhile, on the macro level, the to discuss projects by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that could help mitigate large-scale flooding. The mayors are working together to obtain legislative support for such projects including the development of storage locations up river that could hold back storm water at peak river conditions.