CUMBERLAND COUNTY, NJ – January 10, 2024
Last night, Winter Storm Finn challenged Cumberland County with a surge of emergency calls and operational hurdles. Despite the difficult circumstances, the coordinated efforts of the County’s Emergency 9-1-1 Communications Center, Office of Emergency Management (OEM), Department of Information Technology (DoIT), and the Department of Public Works, specifically the Road Division, showcased an exemplary response to the crisis.
According to an update provided by Dawn Bowen, Emergency 9-1-1 Communications Director, the 9-1-1 Center experienced an influx of 141 calls for service between 4:00 PM and 11:30 PM, significantly surpassing the average call volume of 40-50 during the same timeframe on a regular day. This surge, accompanied by a temporary loss of electric power, created operational challenges that the team swiftly navigated.
"I am extremely proud of my staff," expressed Bowen. "They demonstrated unwavering patience and professionalism, ensuring every incident was handled with utmost care and efficiency."
The Department of Information Technology worked around the clock to make sure that the critical systems of the County remained operational. The outages that occurred were addressed and corrected quickly.
The Department of Public Works crews and Road Division trucks patrolled county roads all night dealing with the fallout of the storm, including addressing downed trees, limbs, wires, and debris, making sure that all County roadways were safe and passable.
“We are extremely proud of our hard-working team in Cumberland County, each department and division rose to the challenge to make sure that everything remained open and safe for our residents,” said Cumberland County Commissioner Director Joseph V. Sileo.
Cumberland County remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the community, embodying resilience, and ensuring a robust emergency response infrastructure to serve its residents. All County Employees involved deserve recognition for their efforts, hard work, and professionalism.
For any further questions or inquiries, please contact County administration at (856) 453-2125 or email Kimberly Codispoti at kimco@cumberlandcountynj.gov.