DPW still at work
clearing storm debris
CHRIS KELLY Maurice Griffin of Ocean Township, Red Bank Department of Public Works, grips a large chunk of a tree limb while co-worker William Bergen, Red Bank, helps clear the debris from a yard on Leighton Avenue in Red Bank.
RED BANK — A month after a violent storm walloped the area, the Red Bank Public Works Department is still picking up brush and debris left in its wake.
"People are still dragging stuff out of their yards," said Joseph Buonacquista, public works director.
Areas where storm debris was previously picked up by department crews are being revisited, including county roads, he added.
According to Buonacquista, the DPW played an important role during, as well as after, the Aug. 2 storm that left thousands of area residents without power.
DPW crews, he said, responded immediately after the storm hit, and helped barricade streets that were impassable, channeling traffic away from those areas.
At the same time, crews worked to remove downed trees that blocked streets, making them accessible to fire and first aid vehicles.
They also worked in conjunction with GPU crews to help get power restored.
"We worked side by side with GPU, and were in constant communication with utility personnel," Buonacquista said. "We knew where the outage areas were so when utility crews came into town, we gave them this information."
Short of staff, the department nevertheless marshaled cutters, backhoes, loaders and dump trucks, he explained. Debris was pulled off the streets, piled into containers and carted off by Red Bank Recycling.
Buonacquista said his department was instrumental in getting power restored in several areas by keeping communications open with GPU and removing trees that had damaged power lines.
When he was advised that power had been lost on Herbert Street, the public works director checked and found a fallen tree had damaged multiple primary power lines. When GPU crews said power couldn’t be restored until the tree was removed, a DPW crew removed the tree and power was restored within hours. Similar scenarios occurred on Elm Place, Garfield Place and other areas in town.
He said residents were grateful for the role the Public Works Department played.
"We’ve received many compliments from Red Bank residents," he said.
—— Gloria Stravelli