VOAD Preparing to Respond to Sandy

The Wayne Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) is asking residents and businesses for assistance as it prepares to respond to Tropical Storm Sandy.

Sandy was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm Saturday morning. It is forecast to cause flooding throughout North Jersey next week.

VOAD was scheduled to discuss its response strategy at a meeting Saturday morning.

VOAD was formed after Tropical Storm Irene hit North Jersey in August 2011. The grassroots organization prepared and transported food to homeowners throughout Wayne in the days following the historic storm.

The group created an incident action plan earlier this year to better address the needs of the residents during an emergency.

“No one wants to go through what we experienced after [Tropical Storm] Irene,” said Rev. Karyn Ratcliffe, VOAD chairwoman. “But we learned so much from that event, and our entire town will benefit from the organization that we now have in place.”

VOAD is asking residents for donations and help throughout the next few days to prepare for Tropical Storm Sandy:

• Food is needed for emergency managers and first responders beginning on Monday. Food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, at about 40 people per meal, is needed.
• If residents are in need of hot, freshly prepared meals, they will be assembled at Our Lady of Consolation Church. VOAD will need prepared food and volunteers to transport it to residents. Food, take-home containers, paper goods, and cardboard boxes will be needed.
• Cleaning supplies may be needed. They may be dropped off at the Wayne Civic Center on Hamburg Turnpike. Volunteers would be needed to help distribute them to residents.

Residents without hot water will be permitted to show at the Wayne YMCA and the Police Athletic League.

Town officials said a shelter at Kilroy Park will be opened if residents become displaced and need a place to stay.

For more information, visit the town and VOAD’s website, check VOAD’s Facebook page, and follow VOAD on Twitter.

The complete update Ratcliffe e-mailed Friday is attached to this article.

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