Sandy Prompts Fort Lee Mayor to Declare State of Emergency

The Fort Lee Mayor and Council declared a state of emergency Tuesday for the borough in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, which devastated the area.

Due to unsafe and “excessively hazardous conditions” caused by the storm, “which may affect the health, safety and welfare” of residents, the governing body issued the emergency order declaring the entire Borough of Fort Lee a disaster area.

According to the declaration, the reason is to maintain “an orderly flow of traffic,” and to protect people and property.

The five-part emergency declaration includes the following:

• A mandatory pedestrian curfew between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.

All non-emergency, non-essential pedestrian travel is prohibited until further notice as a result of “excessive unsafe conditions,” including live downed wires, unstable trees and flying debris.

• The Fort Lee Police Department may close any roadway at any time at its discretion if they deem it to be unsafe

• Halloween activities, including trick-or-treating are suspended until

further notice and unsafe conditions have been “completely abated”

• Garbage collection is suspended until further notice

Residents cannot leave garbage cans or debris on the curb until the restriction is lifted.

• All residents are ordered and to conserve water

The use of water for non-essential purposes is prohibited until further notice.

In addition, the Fort Lee Police Department issued a statement Tuesday morning:

The Fort Lee Police Department is asking that all residents stay off the streets until the roadways are reopened. There is still a danger of live wires from fallen trees. Some sidewalks and roads remain impassable. If you have to go out please do not try to climb over these trees, some may be laying on live wires. The Fort Lee Police Department encourages all residents to remain in their homes until the roads are cleared by the DPW and power is restored.

Patch will provide more information as it becomes available.