Irene: Departments Assessing, Cleaning Up

Madison officials are continuing to assess damage with multiple borough departments still out on the streets fixing trees, stormwater and power line issues, Mayor Mary-Anna Holden said in a statement released Sunday night.

Holden said the borough’s various departments had spent Friday preparing equipment, calling back personnel who had been on vacation, and enlisting the help of retirees.

She said a shelter that would have been shared with Chatham Borough was stocked with cots and food in case homes became uninhabitable.

“Fortunately, the only person who might have needed it due to heavy property damage was accommodated by a caring neighbor,” Holden said.

Holden said she, after helping with the fire department dispatch, had gone on a few calls with fire chief Lou DeRosa.

“Some of the scenes were heartbreaking,” she said, referencing homes on Noe Avenue with up to four feet of water in their basements, an uprooted tree that smashed through a Barnsdale Road home and another home on Sinclair Terrace damaged by a large oak tree branch.

She said the fire department is still pumping out basements, with more than 110 pumped out as of 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Bob Landrigan, coordinator for the local Office of Emergency Management, said in the statement that the electric department was proactive about repairing power lines during the storm to minimize its impact.

Holden said downed power lines, fallen trees on Kings Road and Midwood Terrace and fuse pops in multiple locations caused power outages.

“Just recently, the high winds that we are only now experiencing, combined with extremely soft ground, has just felled a tree on Woodland Road and another large one behind the Madison Public Library,” she said.

The library will be closed Monday due to Irene-related issues.

"Due to the power outage, two snapped utility poles, a huge downed tree and wet carpeting at the Library, the facility is expected to remain closed [Monday] and until these issues are fully resolved," said Tom Bintinger, President of the Board of Trustees of the Library.

What Madison Residents Can Do

Holden said residents can help alleviate any water volume issues by adopting a storm drain and pulling leaves and debris out of the catch basin.

“If we utilize the stormwater system as designed, we’re a lot better off,” she said. “Unfortunately, we continue to experience some illegal sump-pump connections to the sanitary sewer line, and thus, when check valves fail, raw sewage backs up into your and your neighbor’s homes.”

Holden also said citizens are encouraged to be vigilant for fallen trees that are still prone to fall under high-wind and soggy ground conditions.

Holden said a follow-up statement will be issued Monday regarding the deferral of a move to a once-per-week garbage pickup, as well as a plan for disposal of large yard waste caused by the hurricane.