Tonight, as many members of our community begin their Christmas celebrations, a grinchy storm will be rolling into town. Heavy rains are expected later this evening and overnight which, combined with snowmelt, could lead to flooding issues across Mendham Township.

Santa’s sleigh could be delayed tonight by the 40 - 55 mph winds that are expected to sweep across Northwest New Jersey. These heavy winds will have the potential to be extremely damaging and could lead to downed trees and power lines. 

Please prepare yourself and your family for a possible power outage. 

If you lose power, report your outage to JCP&L directly by calling 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877), or visiting www.firstenergycorp.com and clicking the “Report Outage” link on firstenergycorp.com, or by texting out to 544487. Please have your account number on hand.

If you notice a downed power line or a tree blocking the road, do not go near it, and report it immediately by calling the police non-emergency number at: (973) 543-2581 and press 0 to speak to an operator or email: mendhamtwpoem@gmail.com.

Please reserve calling 911 for emergency situations.

Before tonight, if you have a sump pump, please check that it’s working and drain it down to provide extra capacity in the event of a power outage to delay basement flooding. 

Generators can be a lifesaver during power outages, but can also be dangerous if used or installed improperly. Never use a portable generator inside the house or a closed garage. 

Temperatures are expected to drop tomorrow - do not use gas stoves, kerosene heaters or other open flame heat sources to keep warm. These sources of heat can cause deadly carbon monoxide gas to build up in your home.

If you need assistance or someone to check on a community member, please email the Mendham Township OEM at: mendhamtwpoem@gmail.com. 

Merry Christmas, and Stay Safe, 

Sarah Neibart

Mayor, Mendham Township