Community Corner

VOAD Hosting Disaster Preparedness Seminar For Business Owners

Grassroots organization working to assist the 'backbone' of the community with getting through a flood or other disaster. Some businesses that flooded when Irene hit last year remain closed.

Wayne Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) will host a special seminar this week for business owners about what resources are available to them the next time a flood or other disaster occurs in Wayne.

The meeting will be held at the at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 25.

VOAD, a grassroots organization comprised completely of volunteers, works to assist residents and town officials during disasters. It immediately after Tropical Storms Irene and Lee struck the North Jersey area in August of 2011.

Find out what's happening in Waynewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The storms particularly hard. Several after the storm. Others have still not reopened.

VOAD worked to help flood victims and other individuals who were without power and unable to live at home during the aftermath of the storm.

Find out what's happening in Waynewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“The business owners may not be residents of Wayne but they employ so many people from Wayne. They are the economic backbone of our community,” said VOAD Chair Karyn Ratcliffe. “When we reach out to the business owners we’re really in turn helping the entire community.”

Alyssa Cimino is VOAD’s new liaison to the Wayne business community. Cimino said that business owners make up a vital part of the community and that more needs to be done to help them when a disaster occurs.

The Wayne Long-Term Recovery Group is co-sponsoring the event with VOAD. Councilwoman Lonni Miller Ryan earlier this year to further assist disaster victims with long-term recovery efforts.

“Everyone’s experience with the flooding is different,” Ryan said. “There are businesses that are still struggling. We’re going to try and help them prepare for the next disaster, which doesn’t have to be a flood. It could be a power outage that could last for several days.”

For more information or to pre-register, contact Cimino at 973-986-0412 or e-mail her at alyssa.a.cimino@gmail.com.

— Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Daniel Hubbard at Daniel.Hubbard@patch.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here