Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Superstorm Sandy was the focus of a presentation by representatives of the township's Office of Emergency Management and Parsippany Police.
At the Nov. 20 Township Council meeting, Mayor James Barberio finally revealed serious problems—including a close call for the town's sewer plant—Parsippany endured during Superstorm Sandy. Lawmakers and residents heard more on what happened during the storm at Tuesday's agenda meeting at Town Hall. In a special presentation before the council, Parsippany Police Chief Anthony DeZenzo and Capt. Jeffrey T. Storms, who head the local Office of Emergency Management, recounted a host of challenges township responders faced in tackling the storm. Storms noted that Sandy, "one of the most devastating and destructive storms in our state's history," was the third major disaster to hit the township in 14 months, and the first disaster with OEM …
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
James Barberio tempers previous praise of the utility company for helping the Puddingstone area during the storm.
The issue of Jersey Central Power and Light's performance during Superstorm Sandy arose during the Parsippany Township Council's Tuesday night regular meeting at Town Hall. During the public comment portion of the meeting, Mayor James Barberio softened a statement he made last week praising the utility. At the Nov. 20 council agenda meeting, Barberio finally revealed serious problems—including a close call for the town's sewer plant—faced while dealing with the storm and massive power outages that affected more than half the town. Among other things, Barberio last week mentioned the plight of residents in Parsippany's Puddingstone neighborhood who ended up trapped in their homes due to downed trees and wires. "[JCP&L] came to the rescue …
Monday, November 12, 2012
How do you think the township is doing?
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Monday, November 12, 2012
It's been about two weeks since Hurricane Sandy came ashore to wreak havoc on the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills and the tri-state area as a whole. Now, the town continues to dig out of the debris to clear trees from homes and roads, and restore power to residents. But how do you think the township has done so far? Mayor James Barberio tells Patch that he's spent the better part of the storm on the road helping residents, witnessing the hard work of town crews and communicating with Jersey Central Power and Light to have electricity restored as quickly as possible. Has it worked? Take our poll, and tell us in the comments if you think the township has been doing a good job in its emergency response.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Emergency management tips, advice and storm prep help from local police.
Hurricane Sandy is not expected to make landfall until Monday, but it could hit New Jersey as early as late Sunday night. If you are lucky enough to have the means to prepare in advance, emergency management officials recommend that you do what it takes as soon as you can to get ready before the storm arrives. The first thing, officials say, is to have an emergency preparedness kit on hand. A few easily obtainable items (for most people) can make all the difference in the aftermath of a severe storm. Families should consider what is unique to their situation and adjust their kits accordingly. Do you have pets? A baby still on formula? Anyone in the family taking medication? Make sure to plan for that and add the necessary items to your kit…
Friday, October 26, 2012
Local emergency teams are preparing—and so should you, officials urge.
The Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills is bracing for a big one. The National Hurricane Center now predicts that Hurricane Sandy will become a tropical storm and strike New Jersey directly sometime Sunday—and that the severe weather could stick around through Tuesday. Don't let the downgrade fool you, weather forecasters say. The storm will feature potentially damaging high speed winds, very heavy rain and flooding to low-lying areas. At particular threat are towns like Parsippany, that are prone to flood during a severe storm. Town administration, the Parsippany Office of Emergency Management and the Parsippany Police Department are preparing for what's to come. Police and OEM Chief Anthony DeZenzo said crews will be busy all day getting …
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Hurricane may cross Bahamas today and bring high winds and rain to the northeast US next week.
Parsippany Police are warning residents to make sure they are ready in a case of an emergency, especially if Hurricane Sandy moves up the U.S. east coast. The National Weather Service reports the sprawling storm could cross the Bahamas today and make its way to the U.S. east coast next week, bringing with it the potential for significant rains, high winds and floods. In a statement, Police Chief Anthony DeZenzo said the department is keeping abreast of NWS updates regarding the storm. The chief suggested that residents take the opportunity to make sure they are ready for whatever may occur. "Now is a good time to create or check your disaster supply kit and family disaster plan," he said. He pointed to flooding, debris, high winds, and …
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
A year after Irene hit Parsippany, many are still out of their homes—but government agencies and community groups haven't forgotten them.
When Hurricane Irene's tropical-storm winds, cascading rains and 100-year flood hit Parsippany in August 2011, hundreds of township residents were left with shattered lives and damaged homes—some irreparably. At the time, the thought of many of those in the helping fields was to deal with the immediate crisis, finding people shelter, providing food and services to keep victims afloat. But before long, it became apparent to many that recovering from a flood of Irene's magnitude would require much: commitment, money and time. "It's a marathon," said Rev. Donald Bragg, pastor of Parsippany Presbyterian Church. "Because of our experiences I knew that however things were handled in the shorter run, it would be a year and a half or more before …
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Town's top officials explained the reason they decided to make Jeffrey Storms a captain.
Jeffrey Storms, the Parsippany Police Department's newest captain, was sworn in Tuesday night under a cloud of controversy. But amid the political rancor, he received high praise from Mayor James Barberio and Police Chief Anthony DeZenzo, and after his swearing-in, he received a sustained round of applause from a standing-room-only crowd at Town Hall. "Tonight, I am proud to promote Lt. Jeff Storms to the rank of captain," the mayor said, noting his nearly 24 years of service to the department. "Jeff was a terrific lieutenant and I am confident that he will be an excellent captain." He said that as captain, Storms will be given the task to manage the town's Office of Emergency Management, which was made part of the Parsippany Police …
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Democrat Jonathan Nelson supports GOP councilman's plan to limit number of high-ranking police officers.
Councilman Michael dePierro set off a debate Tuesday night with his plan to amend a township ordinance in an effort to cap the number of high-ranking officers in the Parsippany Police Department. But the veteran municipal lawmaker can now say his idea has bipartisan support. Many residents—among them, Mayor James Barberio, a fellow Republican—vehemently opposed dePierro's plan, which would limit the PPD to three police captains. The department's table of operations shows three captains now serving. Barberio and Police Chief Anthony DeZenzo want to promote Lt. Jeffrey Storms to become the town's fourth captain. With the promotion, Storms would help oversee the Parsippany Office of Emergency Management, which recently was placed under PPD …
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Patch wants to know your thoughts on having another police captain or more officers on the streets.
The Parsippany Township Council is considering an ordinance change to limit the Parsippany Police Department to having three rather than four police captains on its employee roster. Currently, there are three police captains, but Mayor James Barberio and Police Chief Anthony DeZenzo want to promote Lt. Jeffrey Storms to captain to help oversee the Office of Emergency Management, which is now part of the PPD. Council members Michael dePierro and Paul Carifi Jr. argue that the department has too many employees in upper ranks and not enough patrolmen and detectives. Carifi says Deputy Chief Paul Philipps or Storms—as a lieutenant—can oversee OEM capably. All of these men are employed by the town's residents, so Patch wants to know: What do …
Robyn M.
11:36 pm on Saturday, December 1, 2012
People should feel they can speak their mind, without being insulted. Comments like "you have nothing good to say..." have nothing to do with the article above them. They are about other posters. I was commenting on the article and agreeing with the essence of it - the Mayor often changes his tune, when confronted with facts/reality. And, as to what Natalie says - I immediately thought that, too… more ›