Storm Recovery Guide: Advice for the Aftermath

Three days after Hurricane Sandy left record flooding in Ocean City in a near direct-hit, residents are back on the island and beginning the cleanup work.

Here's some practical advice on everything from where to dispose of trash to how to volunteer to help.

This is a living document. We'll add new segments as new questions and issues arise. Readers are invited to post questions and advice in the comments section below.

STORM DEBRIS

The city is extending the hours of the Shelter Road Recycling Center to help accommodate residents and businesses with their storm cleanup.  

Shelter Road will be open from 7 a.m. to  6 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. The city has placed extra containers at the yard for disposal of storm debris. Additionally, crews have placed containers throughout the city to be utilized by the residents during their cleanup efforts.  It is asked that contractors use the Shelter Road facility.

If you are able to do so, trash, recycling and storm debris may be put out at your regular pickup area. The city is continuing to sweep the island and remove trash and debris until a schedule is determined.

Placement of containers is in parking lots located at: ­

• Longport Bridge
• Civic Center - 6th & the Boardwalk
• 6th Street Fire headquarters
• Bayside Center 520 Bay Avenue
• 7th & Central
• Moorlyn Terrace
• City Hall - 9th & Asbury
• 9th & the Boardwalk - North and South lots
• Transportation Center - 10 & Haven
• 12th & Asbury
• 14th & Ocean
• Aquatic Center - 17th & Simpson
• Airport
• 34th Street Acme
• 46th Street Fire
• 58th Street & the Beach Pavilion

Downtown Business District

• 6th Street - West to Asbury and Asbury to Central
• 7th Street - West to Asbury and Asbury to Central
• 8th Street - West to Asbury and Asbury to Central
• 9th Street - West to Asbury and Asbury to Central
• 10th Street -West to Asbury and Asbury to Central
• 11th Street -West to Asbury and Asbury to Central
• 12th Street -West to Asbury and Asbury to Central

Please do not put trash out on top of any washed-up sand as it will delay the cleanup process. Please check www.ocnj.us and/or Channel 2 for updates.

SAND REMOVAL

Sand should be put onto the edge of streets. Not on the beach or in dumpsters. It's OK to put it on the street, even if the street has already been cleared.

The city has hired outside contractors to help remove the sand from streets, and crews are sifting the sand for debris before returning it to the beach.

APPLIANCES

"White goods" and appliances can go out to the curb at regular pickup spot.

FLOOD INSURANCE CLAIMS

The following information comes courtesy of the McMahon Agency in Ocean City:

• First, report the claim to your insurance agent.
• Take photos of all damaged property, especially any water lines indicating height of flood water on the exterior and in each affected room.
• It is the responsibility of the the policyholder to protect the property from any further damage.
• Remove wet carpeting and padding; if they got wet, the sub-flooring is also wet and needs to dry out.
• Keep a 3x3 foot square of carpet and padding for the adjuster.
• Cut drywall a few inches above the water line. Once drywall is wet, it is ruined.
• Insulation in the crawlspace that was damaged needs to be removed.
• Keep any damaged materials and property so it can be inspected by the insurance adjuster.
• Separate damaged property from undamaged personal belongings.
• Place damaged contents in a garage or a safe location as the adjuster needs to see the contents.

DO NOT THROW OUT CONTENTS UNTIL AFTER THE ADJUSTER HAS SEEN EVERYTHING!  

IF YOU THROW IT OUT BEFORE THE ADJUSTER CAN SEE IT, THEY CANNOT PAY YOU FOR IT!

• Inventory your damaged contents and estimate the date purchased and cost.
• DOCUMENT:  Take before and after photos of damage and what you do to clean up and protect against further damage.  A verbal statement of what you have done will NOT be enough for the insurance adjuster.  You must have documentation.  Photos are perfect!  

For more information, visit: www.floodsmart.gov

For cars: Flood damage is covered under comprehensive coverage and is subject to a deductible. 

TIPS TO PREVENT POST-FLOODING MOLD

The Federal Emergency Management Agency offers the following post-flood cleanup advice:

Mold and mildew can start growing within 24 hours after a flood, and can lurk throughout a home, from the attic to the basement and crawl spaces. The best defense is to clean, dry or, as a last resort, discard moldy items.

Although it can be hard to get rid of a favorite chair, a child’s doll or any other precious treasure to safeguard the well-being of your loved ones, a top-to-bottom home cleanup is your best defense, according to the experts.

Many materials are prone to developing mold if they are damp or wet for too long. Start a post-flood cleanup by sorting all items exposed to floodwaters:

• Wood and upholstered furniture, and other porous materials can trap mold and may need to be discarded.
• Glass, plastic and metal objects and other items made of hardened or nonporous materials can often be cleaned, disinfected and reused.
• Carpeting is a problem because drying it out does not remove mold spores. Carpets with mold and mildew should be removed.

All flood-dampened surfaces should be cleaned, disinfected and dried as soon as possible. Follow these tips to ensure a safe and effective cleanup:

• Open windows for ventilation and wear rubber gloves and eye protection when cleaning. Consider using a mask rated N-95 or higher if heavy concentrations of mold are present.
• Use a non-ammonia soap or detergent to clean all areas and washable items that came in contact with floodwaters.
• Mix 1-1/2 cups of household bleach in one gallon of water and thoroughly rinse and disinfect the area. Never mix bleach with ammonia as the fumes are toxic.
• Cleaned areas can take several days to dry thoroughly. The use of heat, fans and dehumidifiers can speed up the drying process.
• Check out all odors. It’s possible for mold to hide in the walls or behind wall coverings. Find all mold sources and clean them properly.
• Remove and discard all materials that can’t be cleaned, such as wallboard, fiberglass and cellulose areas. Then clean the wall studs where wallboard has been removed, and allow the area to dry thoroughly.

For other tips about post-flooding cleanup, visit www.fema.gov, www.epa.gov, www.redcross.org or www.cdc.gov.

DISASTER ASSISTANCE

Property and business owners should immediately begin the disaster application process by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, 
by web enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov 
or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).

Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.

The toll-free telephone numbers are available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) Monday through Sunday until further notice.

Applicants registering for aid should be prepared to provide basic information about themselves (name, permanent address, phone number), insurance coverage and any other information to help substantiate losses.

DRIVING RESTRICTIONS

A mandatory driving curfew within Ocean City is in place from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. due to hazardous road conditions and power outages.

There is NO cut off time for residents, property and business owners to enter the city, but please use caution entering the island and making your way to your home.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

See this story for a dynamic list of volunteer opportunities.

Visit and "like" OCNJ CARE on Facebook for a clearinghouse of various efforts.

Ocean City Baptist Church has invited 6 other churches from the area (MD, DE, PA, and NJ) to minister to the people of Ocean City by helping to clean up after Hurricane Sandy. Volunteers will be reaching out to the community this weekend by sending out teams to help people with whatever they might need — cleaning debris, shoveling sand, etc. They will be working all day on Saturday and the rest of the day on Sunday after a 9:30 a.m. worship service. If anybody needs assistance, email the church at ocbc@oceancitybaptist.org or call the pastor, Kevin O'Brien at 609-287-9797. Just let them know how they can help.

FAQs FROM THE CITY

The city is posting a useful Frequently Asked Questions page.

HEALTH QUESTIONS

To help New Jersey's residents clean up their homes and businesses after Hurricane Sandy, the Department of Health is making public health experts available through the state's 2-1-1 system to answer questions about food and water safety and mold removal, Gov. Chris Christie's office announced Thursday. 

To reach health experts, call 2-1-1 or 1-866-234-0964. Public health officials will be available to take calls 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. The 2-1-1 human services hotline is open 24/7. 

CHAMBER-RECOMMENDED CONTRACTORS

The Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce offers the following:

"It is important that homeowners and business owners contact trusted contractors with good credentials and with mercantile licenses. Do not be scammed out of resources by people claiming to be contractors, taking an initial deposit and leaving town.

Here is a link to some of our trusted contractors and clean-up crews: http://www.oceancityvacation.com/business-directory/home-garden.html "

FREE CLEANING PRODUCT SAMPLES

The Simple Green Bus will be in Ocean Cit on Friday (Nov. 2) at 10 a.m. at the Ocean City Firehouse parking lot at the corner of 6th and Asbury with coffee, doughnuts and free product samples (nontoxic, biodegradable all-purpose cleaner).

TAX-COLLECTION EXTENSION

Due to the storm damage sustained to the Tax Collection office located on the first floor of City Hall, we are asking tax payers, if possible, to please pay their taxes online or by mail until a temporary facility has been established.

City Hall Offices will be closed November 12, 2012 and the grace period has been extended to and ends November 13.

Please be advised that postmarks are not accepted in accordance with the State of New Jersey tax laws, therefore the payment must be received by November 13, 2012.

Taxes can be paid on line at www.ocnj.us/tax. If you are using the bill pay feature with your bank, please allow sufficient time, 7-10 days for your payment to reach us. The tax collection web site is sent directly to our bank account whereas using the bill pay feature of your own bank will require a check to be sent to this office.

The new location for the Tax Collection office will be posted once available. Limited operations are available on the 2nd floor at 861 Asbury Ave. from 8:45 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Monday thru Friday. Our phone number is 609-525-9379.