Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
973-635-0674
54 Fairmount Avenue
Chatham, NJ 07928
Emergency Management
The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is responsible for providing Chatham Borough with mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery, and coordination for large-scale emergencies, both natural and human-caused, for the purpose of saving lives and preventing property damage.
When a Winter Storm is forecast:
- Do not park on Borough roadways during inclement weather.
When clearing snow from your driveway or sidewalk do not deposit it in the roadway. - Sidewalks must be cleared within 24 hours after the cessation of snowfall.
- Consider helping your neighbors who are seniors or disabled with snow removal if you are able to!
Stay inside if you can and if you need to be out, please use caution and slow down.
Clear the sidewalks & all fire hydrants near your home!
Seasonal Concerns
Winter in New Jersey presents both distinctive beauty and significant risks. Exposure to wind chills can lead to frostbite, while freezing rain and snow can create hazardous driving conditions.
A power outage can exacerbate other hazards.
See JPC&L's website for how to respond:
If a tornado is forecast, it is critical to be prepared.
See FEMA's handout for Tornado Preparedness below:
Severe Wind and Rain, including Hurricanes, are a seasonal hazard in our area.
Learn more about how to prepare below:
Do not rely only on your sense of smell to detect a gas leak. There may be times when the smell of the odorant is weak, not present or otherwise hard to detect, even though there is a leak.
Winter in New Jersey presents both distinctive beauty and significant risks. Exposure to wind chills can lead to frostbite, while freezing rain and snow can create hazardous driving conditions.
See the link below for several resources, including Seasonal Flu and Pandemic Preparedness resources.
Office of Emergency Management's Mission:
Preparedness
OEM is responsible for writing and updating Chatham Borough’s Emergency Operations Plan, outlining the functions and responsibilities of all Borough departments and agencies during emergencies or disasters. In addition, OEM executes preparedness exercises to enhance readiness. These exercises simulate emergencies involving all first-responder agencies and all levels of government, allowing challenges to be addressed before a real emergency occurs.
Response
During a large emergency, OEM provides overall coordination for Borough-wide response efforts. Such coordination may involve the activation of the Emergency Operations Center at Borough Hall, where centralized coordination is managed by representatives from Borough departments and partner agencies. These representatives facilitate resource coordination, mutual aid, and policy decisions.
Recovery
After an emergency, OEM assists in the coordination of both short-term and long-term recovery functions. Short-term recovery efforts begin immediately following an emergency, as the Borough works to restore basic services and functions. Long-term recovery involves restoring economic activity and rebuilding the community’s quality of life.
Mitigation
Mitigation activities are those that lessen the undesirable effects of unavoidable hazards. Examples include public-education programs, the establishment of building codes, flood-plain management, pruning tree branches that overhang power lines, and taking down trees in danger of falling.
Chatham Borough collaborates with Morris County’s Office of Emergency Management to maintain the County’s Hazard Mitigation Plan.
The single most effective task you can complete to keep you and your family safe during an emergency is to sign up for Alert Chatham Borough (Smart 911) notifications now.
Please do so by clicking on the image below: