“The safety of our residents is our main priority, and we recommend everyone to be informed of local weather conditions and to take necessary precautions,” Murphy said.
As ominous as it sounds, the state of emergency means more for the police, fire, and other public safety officials responding to the event than it does for the average person.
Here’s what a state of emergency means:
Q: Why does the governor declare a state of emergency?
A: The decision is made to help respond to hazardous weather conditions or in anticipation as quickly as possible to prevent or alleviate “damages, loss, hardship or suffering,” according to the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management. In collaboration with county and local public safety officials, the state can close roads, evacuate homes and commandeer equipment or other resources to protect public safety.
The declaration allows the state to ask for federal assistance or reimbursement for extraordinary expenses.
Q: Do I have to stay home? Am I allowed to drive?
A: An emergency declaration doesn’t mean motorists will be ticketed for merely being on the roads, and “essential” personnel is not defined by law.
If conditions were to worsen and driving needs to be restricted for public safety reasons, officials will alert the public “using all available means, including, but not limited to: the Emergency Alert System, urgent press releases, DOT highway signs, and law enforcement teletypes.”
Q: If I can’t get to work because of the storm or my boss says I don’t have to come in, does the emergency declaration enable me to argue I should get paid?
A: No, unless you have a contract that says so. The state does not get involved in private workplace decisions.
Q: Are state offices closed during an emergency?
A: The governor has the choice to close state offices.
Q: Where can I find up-to-date information about the storm and road conditions?
A: Monitor the social media accounts for the Office of Emergency Management and the N.J. State Police:
Staff writer Matt Arco contributed to this report.
Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Cookie Settings
Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 7/1/2024).
© 2024 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us).
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local.
Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site.
YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here.