U.S. attacks put state in emergency mode Residents, volunteers stand ready to respond to violence against America

Staff Writer

By Mark Rosman

U.S. attacks put state in emergency mode
Residents, volunteers
stand ready to respond
to violence against America

Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex counties reacted with speed Tuesday morning to an unprecedented and catastrophic attack on New York City and other parts of the United States.

President George W. Bush called the series of deadly disasters an "apparent terrorist attack."

In mid-afternoon, acting Gov. Donald T. DiFrancesco declared New Jersey to be in a state of emergency, according to South Brunswick, Middlesex County, Public Information Officer Jim Ryan. Part of the New Jersey Turnpike (north of Exit 11) was closed to allow emergency vehicles to reach New York City.

Ryan said six police officers from South Brunswick would be assisting New York police.

"A number of New York police officers and firefighters are reported missing," Ryan said.

Ryan said DiFrancesco was asking all police departments in New Jersey to send officers to New York City to assist in any way they are needed.

In Jackson, a person who was reached at town hall at noon said Jackson schools were remaining open and administrators expected to keep children whose parent (or parents) work in New York City in school until a family member came to pick up the student. All after-school activities for Sept. 11 were canceled, as was the district’s Back to School Night.

In Monmouth County at noon, Monmouth County Freeholder Ted Narozanick said heightened security was in place around county facilities. County employees had already volunteered to start a blood bank, and Narozanick said details were being worked out with the Central Jersey Blood Center.

Narozanick said county SCAT buses might be sent to the Highlands in order to transport people being brought from New York to New Jersey by ferry. Details were still being worked out, the freeholder said.

In Lakewood at 12:30 p.m., Lakewood Police Department Lt. Rob Lawson confirmed that the township’s Office of Emergency Management, along with all other departments, had been placed in a state of high alert. Lawson said police and municipal officials were working to maintain a state of calm. He said police had received hundreds of calls about a rumored school fire, but said there was no truth to that rumor.

At CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township, at 12:35 p.m., Jim Goss, vice president of public relations for CentraState Healthcare System, said the hospital had been placed on alert.

"This means that all clinical and technical staff have been placed on 24-hour call. They have not been called in at this time. We are ready to handle victims from New York," Goss said.

Goss said hospital administrators had decided to ask physicians to reassess all of their patients and to determine if any could be discharged, in anticipation of receiving victims of the disaster. As of Tuesday morning, there were 200 in-patients at CentraState Medical Center, Goss said.

The medical center has a helipad on its property and the availability of that facility could lead to receiving victims, he said. As of early afternoon, no victims from New York had been brought to the medical center.

At 1 p.m. it was reported by a Greater Media Newspapers reporter on the scene that the Freehold Raceway Mall, Freehold Township, was being closed.

According to Dan O’Brien, assistant fire chief of the Jackson Mills Fire Co., of Jackson, at 1:15 p.m. Tuesday, mobilization efforts were under way in New Jersey to send manpower into New York City to assist in the recovery and disaster response efforts. He said a staging area had been set up on the George Washington Bridge. New Jersey firefighters were reporting to that point and being assigned to details in the city, he said.

O’Brien said the Jackson Mills Fire Co. was sending an assistant chief’s car, a fire police car and a pickup truck to New York to aid in whatever way they are needed. Volunteer firefighters from Jackson Mills and other local fire companies were standing by to respond when called, he said.

Hillary Cummons, director of public affairs, Jersey Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross, Tinton Falls, said at 1:45 p.m. Tuesday that the organization was working with the Monmouth County Office of Emergency Management and was standing by to respond. It was unclear early Tuesday afternoon whether local Red Cross volunteers would respond to New York City or remain in New Jersey.

Cummons said he had 80,000 units of blood ready to be dispatched to affected areas. He said he believed the availability of that blood would help save lives, although it is not expected to be anywhere near the amount needed to cope with the magnitude of the disaster.

Anyone who wants to donate blood is asked to call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE to make an appointment.

In the wake of catastrophic events, victims will require emotional and physical support, he said, and Red Cross personnel are ready to provide those services.

It was reported on Tuesday afternoon that all afterschool activities had been canceled at the Howell Middle School South.

Throughout the region on Tuesday people were trying to come to grips with the apparent knowledge that some of America’s most well-known buildings — among them Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C. — had been the targets of a brutal coordinated attack.

One resident, Tony Savage of Freehold, was at a work site in eastern Monmouth County. He said he could see a "purple haze of dust and debris in the sky."

"It was striking. Although my eyes saw the beauty of a crimson and purple haze, I tasted chalk in my mouth and smelled death in the air," he said, noting the realization of the disaster that was sweeping over New Jersey.

Savage said that at one point there were no people on the streets of Tinton Falls, Monmouth County, in the early afternoon and no traffic. He said the lack of everyday activity was "eerie and silent."

At 3 p.m. Tuesday, the Ocean County Board of Health issued a press release to inform residents that blood drives are being organized. Following is a list of some of the scheduled blood drives:

• Sept. 14, First Methodist Church of Toms River, Old Freehold Road and Chestnut Street, Toms River, 2-7:30 p.m. Details: (732) 349-8155.

• Sept. 22, Christ United Methodist Church, 678 5th and North Lake Drive, Lakewood, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Details: (732) 363-8865.

• Sept. 28, Ocean County College, College Drive, Toms River, Conference Rooms A and B, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Details: (732) 255-0340.

Bishop John M. Smith, bishop of the Diocese of Trenton, said, "On this day of unparalleled grief and suffering that has touched our nation, our prayers and the prayers of all people of good will are lifted up on behalf of all who have been victims of this brutal attack. The victims and their families must become the primary concern of us all. Some in this area of New Jersey have no doubt lost loved ones. We of the Catholic community pledge our prayer, assistance and support as we prepare to cope with this great tragedy. May the Lord pour his saving grace upon our nation and its leaders at this time of national crisis."