Fair Lawn Welcomes First Female Emergency Management Coordinator

Wendy Demeraski, who replaced Ira Marks as the borough's emergency management coordinator this week, was sworn in on Thursday night by Mayor John Cosgrove.

Fair Lawn officially welcomed a new emergency management coordinator Thursday when Wendy Demeraski was sworn into the role at the council's re-organization meeting. Demeraski assumes the part-time, but essential role of coordinating the borough's response in times of emergency that had been held previously by Ira Marks, who retired at the end of last year. "This is a significant event," said borough manager Tom Metzler Thursday, himself a former Fair Lawn OEM coordinator. "She will be only the fourth emergency managment coordinator in the [borough's history]." Demeraski, 32, is also the youngest OEM coordinator and the first female to hold the post in borough history. As such her duties will involve maintaining the borough's emergency …

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FLHS On Top of State Mandated School Security Exercises [Video]

Fair Lawn High School students practiced an evacuation security drill on Friday.

This article originally appeared on June 12, 2012, but is being re-run in the wake of Friday's school shooting in Newtown, Conn. An onrushing sea of Fair Lawn High School students pour from the school’s back doors and into the warm afternoon air en route to Sasso Field as part of the year’s final security drill. By now, the students have the hang of it: evacuate the building, walk to the field, ascend the bleachers and take up with your first period class so the teacher can take attendance. The whole process takes about 20 minutes, said Detective Lt. Michael Uttel, who was on hand from the police department as a tactical safety consultant. “Over the last 10 years we’ve really perfected it,” he said. “Everything started as a result of …

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River Gauges Will Aid Borough's Future Flood Predictions

The installation of flood gauges on the Passaic and Saddle rivers will provide residents with a better idea whether they can expect flooding at their homes following downpours.

By the end of the year, the borough's ability to predict the severity and impact of future floods should be markedly improved. After years of being passed over for funding, Fair Lawn learned recently that the Federal Emergency Management Agency had approved its most recent request for grant money to install flood gauges on both the Saddle and Passaic rivers. The borough expects the gauges to be in place at both rivers by the end of the year. "We’re excited about it," said borough manager Tom Metzler, who credited emergency management coordinator Ira Marks for fighting to obtain the funding. "It’s not going to prevent the flooding, but it is certainly going to give residents advanced notice and much more detail in terms of timelines with …

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UPDATE: Flood Advisory Issued in Bergen County

Steady rain expected to continue throughout the weekend

Update: 8:30 p.m. -- The National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory for Bergen County until 10:30 p.m. Friday. Rates of rainfall between 1/2 to 1 inch per hour moving north through the area are expected to cause minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas.   Get ready for a wet weekend. The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for Bergen County that runs from noon Friday until 8 p.m. Saturday. Rain is expected to begin around 10:15 a.m. Friday and continue throughout the day. Total rainfall between 1 and 3 inches is expected across the county, with amounts up to 4 inches of rain possible in some areas. Fair Lawn's Office of Emergency Management said in an email blast that it would continue to monitor the …

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Borough Rolls Out Web-Based Telephone Registration

Fair Lawn's Office of Emergency Management introduced a web-based telephone self-registration system Sunday

In response to reports that emergency phone messages weren't reaching some Fair Lawn residents, the borough rolled out a web-based self-registration system Sunday to collect missing resident information. Rather than having to call the borough to leave your name, address and phone number, the Office of Emergency Management system simplifies the process for residents. The new web-based registration requests that residents create a username and password, and enter their name, address and phone number. Once entered, the information is fed directly into the automated phone messaging system. It can be updated at any time, as phone numbers or addresses change. Registered residents are free to choose their preferred contact number (home, work or …

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FEMA Comes to Fair Lawn

Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be in Fair Lawn this weekend to survey damages

Federal Emergency Management Agency reps will stop briefly in Fair Lawn this weekend to survey damage and form assistance plans for the area. The assessment follows President Barack Obama's declaration Wednesday that labeled New Jersey a major disaster area. The declaration allows the federal government to award FEMA assistance to local residents, and state and municipal governments in Bergen, Essex, Morris, Passaic, and Somerset counties. Fair Lawn borough will hold two public meetings next week to answer questions about the FEMA program and arm residents with what they should know to procure the greatest amount of federal aid. Fair Lawn Emergency Management coordinator Ira Marks said he couldn't guarantee that attending one of the …

Clean Up Intensifies as Flood Water Recedes

Paper and cardboard recycling has been canceled for the remainder of the week so recycling department workers can assist with town-wide clean-up efforts

Street fishing season in Fair Lawn will soon be over, folks. Stagnant water pools around Fair Lawn are starting to clear as the Passaic slowly recedes, revealing previously hidden debris that needs to be cleaned up. Depending on where you live, emergency management coordinator Ira Marks said that it could be anywhere from Friday to Monday before roads will be entirely clear of flood water. Since cresting on Tuesday, the Passaic River is down close to three feet, according to the nearest gauge at Little Falls, which read 11.45 feet, as of 8:30 a.m. Thursday. Marks said that when the gauge measures 9 feet, water will be out of the streets entirely, except for the occasional puddle. Once that happens, the remaining mud and debris will be …

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