Morris County Sheriff's Officers Mobilize To Assist Local Police Departments With Aftermath of Tropical Storm Isaias

Published on August 07, 2020

Morris County Sheriff's Officers immediately mobilized to assist local police departments as Tropical Storm Isaias walloped the county and more than 5,400 calls for help poured in within the storm's first four hours.

Morris County Sheriff's Officers Ivan Bajceski and Frank Pirog and Corporal Ryan Warnett secured portions of Center Grove Road in Randolph after Tropical Storm Isaias downed power lines. Morris County Sheriff's Officers Ivan Bajceski and Frank Pirog and Corporal Ryan Warnett secured portions of Center Grove Road in Randolph after Tropical Storm Isaias downed power lines.

Sheriff's Officers have continued to step up over the past 72 hours “ and will do so this weekend at the request of any of Morris County's 39 municipalities “ to work day and overnight shifts on storm-related tasks to relieve what can be a fatiguing burden on local Officers.

Morris County has a superb level of preparedness during emergencies and severe weather events like Tropical Storm Isaias, thanks to the skills of the lead agency, the Morris County Office of Emergency Management. Morris County Sheriff's Officers are among the resources that residents in all the towns rely on to stay the course until the crisis is over, Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon said.

The storm passed but Sheriff's Officers have been deployed since Wednesday to Jefferson Township, Dover, Wharton, Randolph and Denville townships to ensure that vehicles and pedestrians stay off impassable roads around-the-clock.

Morris County Sheriff's Officer Dianna Bustamante surveys damage to a tree and power line in Dover as she secures a section of roadway from being traveled after Tropical Storm Isaias. Morris County Sheriff's Officer Dianna Bustamante surveys damage to a tree and power line in Dover as she secures a section of roadway from being traveled after Tropical Storm Isaias.

At the height of the storm on Tuesday, when at least 150,000 Morris County residents lost power and trees and utility lines fell across roads, Sheriff's Officers cooperated however they could to help local police departments manage a flood of calls for services that included barricading hazardous roads and securing areas where toppled live wires had not yet been de-energized.

Our Office always stands at the ready to assist our county and municipal partners when the need arises. We are proud to help with the public safety and recovery efforts going on throughout Morris County in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Isaias, said Morris County Sheriff's Office Chief Kelley Zienowicz.

Morris County Sheriff's Officer Joe McGee secured a section of road in Randolph Township after Tropical Storm Isaias damaged power lines, including one leaning in the background. Morris County Sheriff's Officer Joe McGee secured a section of road in Denville Township after Tropical Storm Isaias damaged power lines, including one leaning in the background.

Sheriff's Officers between Thursday and Friday, August 7, worked overnight shifts safeguarding closed portions of heavily-traveled Center Grove Road in Randolph, South Morris Street in Dover, Kitchell and Franklin roads in Denville, Curtis and Grove streets in Wharton and Mount Pleasant Turnpike in Randolph.

Sheriff Gannon, Chief Zienowicz, Bureau of Law Enforcement Undersheriff Mark Spitzer and Sheriff's Office Lieutenants Walter Rawa and Aaron Tomasini have coordinated the agency's allocation of manpower.

They also are participating daily in conference calls with Morris County Office of Emergency Management Director Jeffrey S. Paul, who is coordinating the priority needs of municipalities, health care facilities and water and sewer utilities.

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