Green Brook Township

 

Public Information Contacts: Linda Van Zandt / Joanne Vuoso / Lisa Krueger

908.231.7020    publicinfo@co.somerset.nj.us

April 24 2012

 

Protecting Yourself and Your Family

During the First Three Days of an Emergency

 

HILLSBOROUGH – Disasters can strike quickly and without much warning.  Would you know what to do if local emergency personnel were overwhelmed during a disaster or unable to access your neighborhood for up to 72 hours?  Protecting yourself and your family during an emergency requires planning. Just as emergency personnel train and prepare in advance for disasters, residents also can take training classes. 

 

The Somerset County Office of Emergency Management will host Community Emergency Response Team (“CERT”) training for residents of Somerset County, starting Tuesday, May 8. Seating is limited to the first 80 residents. Registration is due by Monday, May 7.  Click on the link below to obtain a copy of the registration form.

 

Classes will be held at the Somerset County Emergency Services Training Academy, located at 402 Roycefield Road.  Training sessions will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on May 8, 10, 15, 17, 22 and 24.  Classes also are planned to run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 12 and 26. The CERT program is free for Somerset County residents. Students who complete all modules will receive CERT certificate of completion.

 

“Somerset County is fortunate to have so many well-trained emergency responders who do a wonderful job and who are dedicated to serving their communities,” said Freeholder Mark Caliguire, emergency management liaison.  “But, depending on the emergency and the scope of the county or regional situation, our first responders may not be able to reach all areas of the county right away.  For that reason, we are offering CERT training to help our residents stay safe during disasters.”

 

Residents who complete CERT training will have a better understanding of the potential threats to their home and community, and can take the right steps to lessen the effects of these hazards on themselves and their families. Although people without training do respond to others in need during emergencies, the goal of the CERT program is to help residents do so effectively and efficiently without placing themselves in unnecessary danger.

 

CERT training is intended to give people the decision-making, organizational and practical skills to offer immediate assistance to family members, neighbors and associates while waiting for help.  Participants will learn about disaster preparedness and receive training in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, and disaster medical operations.  To learn more, visit www.citizencorps.gov/cert.

 

For more information about the CERT training program, contact Director Doug Vornlocker, Somerset County Office of Emergency Management, at (908) 725-5070.

 

 

The Somerset County Board of Freeholders and the county’s Consumer Protection and Records Management offices will be sponsoring 11 “Operation Secure Shred” events throughout the county in 2012. The kick-off event will be held at a county facility. For the convenience of residents, subsequent events will be hosted by various municipalities around Somerset County, with assistance from Somerset County. All shredding events will be on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  All events will be rain or shine.

 

Residents from all 21 Somerset County municipalities are invited to have personal documents shredded at as many free, on-site, mobile paper-shredding events as they wish to attend. Residents do not have to reside in a town hosting an event to participate.

 

The county-hosted first shredding event will be held on April 21, at the Somerset County Public Works Garage, located at 410 Roycefield Road in Hillsborough. Shredding will continue throughout the scheduled hours, with two trucks on-site. 

 

“Properly disposing of personal documents is a necessary step in safeguarding and protecting your personal information and credit and preventing identify theft,” said Freeholder Robert Zaborowski, consumer protection liaison. “We are pleased to be able to provide this service to our residents in collaboration with our municipalities.”

 

            Documents will be commercially shredded safely, privately and properly by trained, licensed and bonded document-destruction specialists.  Staples and paperclips do not have to be removed. Residents may bring documents in up to six boxes, containers and bags per visit and will be asked to take back their receptacles.  Participants may stay and watch as their documents are shred, if they wish. No recyclable junk mail, magazines or newspapers will be accepted.

 

           The South County Public Works Garage can be reached from Route 206 to Dukes Parkway West, left to Roycefield Road.  Directions are available at  www.co.somerset.nj.us/recycle/hazardouswastecollection%20dir.html

 

            Additional shredding events will be held at various municipal locations as follows: June 2 in Hillsborough at the Auten Road Disposal Facility, across from the Auten Road School Athletic Field; June 9 at the Bridgewater Township Municipal Building-100 Commons Way; June 16 at the Watchung Police Facility-840 Somerset St.; July 14 at the Bedminster Township Public Works Building-75 Miller Lane; July 21 at Montgomery Fire Co. No. 1 in Belle Mead-33 Griggstown Road; Sept. 8 at the Franklin Township Municipal Building-475 DeMott Lane in Somerset; Sept. 22 at the Bound Brook Commuter Parking Lot-100 West Main St., across from Dunkin Donuts; Oct. 6 at the Branchburg Municipal Building-1077 U.S. Highway 202 North; Oct. 20 at the Green Brook Municipal Building-111 Green Brook Road; and Oct. 27 at the Bernards Township Engineering Services Building-277 S. Maple Ave. in Basking Ridge.

 

            For more information about the locations of the municipal shredding events, contact the towns directly. A listing of towns in Somerset County can be found on the county’s website at www.co.somerset.nj.us/towndir.html. A listing of the events and addresses is available at www.co.somerset.nj.us/spotlight.html.

 

            According to 2009 Federal Trade Commission (FTC) statistics, identity theft affects as many as 10 million people in the United States annually.  This results in losses to financial and business organizations totaling $53 billion per year. 

 

            For further information, contact the Somerset County Division of Consumer Protection at (908) 203-6080 or consumerprotection@co.somerset.nj.us.

The Township of Green Brook would like to invite you to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of the Township’s new dog park on Saturday, April 21 at 9:00 a.m.  It will take place at the Vail-Trust House Park (255 Greenbrook Road), and also includes the unveiling of the winning name from the dog park naming contest that was conducted at IEF School.  We look forward to your presence to help us kick-off our new dog park and make it a memorable day for Green Brook.  

 

*Due to a printing error the Pet Census Survey incorrectly had the ribbon cutting at 10AM.