After a whole day of snow and freezing rain on Friday, Feb. 18, Secaucus suffered numerous accidents throughout the town, including a head-on collision between a U.S. Postal Service truck and two oncoming cars. Accidents and other calls were so frequent, the police radio rasped with repeated requests for officers, while police headquarters responded: “We have no more cars available; please make do.” Although police worked diligently throughout the day and night to handle the calls, and Department of Public Works employees struggled to sand roads to keep more accidents from occurring, matters came to a head at 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 19, when the police department called the Office of Emergency Management and requested people on staff there to help with the closing of Route 3 westbound at the Hackensack River bridge. “Several serious accidents had occurred on the Bergen County side, and Secaucus was asked to close off Route 3,” said OEM Coordinator Vincent Massaro Jr. in his written report to the Town Council. “Because of the numerous problems encountered, the Secaucus Police Department requested assistance from the OEM to relieve two of their patrol cars for other more serious problems.” Deputy Coordinators Robert Kickey, Vincent Massaro Jr. and Vincent Massaro Sr. of the OEM drove two marked emergency vehicles to the scene, where the cars and flares were used to barricade Route 3 westbound. “All traffic was diverted to Meadowlands Parkway,” Massaro Sr. said. “The road closure was not lifted until shortly after 5 a.m.” “The three OEM officers remained on the highway at the blockade during the entire period in spite of the treacherous frozen roadway and hazardous weather conditions,” said Councilman Mike Grecco at the Feb. 22 council meeting where the OEM was honored for its efforts. Massaro Sr. commended Kickey and Massaro Jr. for their “courageous performance and risks at the scene,” saying “it was beyond the call of duty.” “The past on-the-job training they received, along with the two well-marked vehicles with their emergency lights, proved to be invaluable,” he said. The council also honored Patrick L. Jordan, the general manager of the Meadowlands Crowne Plaza hotel, for his contributions of money and services to the OEM. “Pat has been very helpful to the community,” Grecco said. “Last summer, he helped support our charity boxing match. During Thanksgiving he donated turkeys. He’s even given money to our senior citizens for their raffles.” Grecco said Jordan has even opened the doors of Crowne Plaza to help house victims of disasters. “Two weeks ago, when a house burned down, displacing the people who lived there, Pat put those people up in his hotel at no cost to the town,” Grecco said. Mayor Dennis Elwell said the relationship between the town and Crowne Plaza was an example of the kind of relationship his administration wanted to encourage. Floyd funds In a related ceremony also held at the Feb. 22 meeting, DPW Superintendent Michael Gonnelli officially presented the Town Council with two checks totaling $52,540.88, covering the entire costs for the town’s emergency activities during last September’s Hurricane Floyd. This was a reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Administration, and according to Grecco, was the result of a concerted effort by Gonnelli and members of the OEM, who diligently documented each action taken in order to qualify for the federal relief funds. “Our people worked very hard to make sure everything was done right,” Grecco said. In September, floodwater from rain and overflowing Hackensack River, aided by the highest tides ever seen, swelled over the town, putting many streets and basements underwater. Days before the storm hit, however, OEM had initiated an emergency plan. A shuttle service was set up for hospital workers, allowing them to park in the relatively flood-free parking areas of Mill Creek Mall. The Shelters were activated, with supplies of coffee and donuts put into place. People were sent around to known flood areas ahead of time, to stand and warn residents against parking in places where floodwater might cover their cars. The town had 500 sandbags in place in areas known to flood, and added 100 more to protect the hospital’s emergency generator. Along with three Godwin pumps portable pumps purchased jointly by the town and the Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission, the town borrowed a pump from the Secaucus Municipal Utilities Authority, and rented others.
Council honors emergency staff for work during storm
