Office of Emergency Management Alerts New Providence Residents

The Office of Emergency Management of the Borough of New Providence just sent out a to residents by phone around 8:45 p.m. Saturday, declaring a local state of emergency, and informing residents of a state and

Here is the Code Red Alert that was sent to residents from Chief of Police Anthony Buccelli through a recorded telephone message on Friday night:

"All non-emergency travel is prohibited after 8 p.m., Saturday evening, until further notice. The declaration allows officials to potentially take emergency measures to maintain public safety, respond to calls and protect residents and property during . The hurricane is expected to bring rain gusts up to 70 MPH or more during its peak early Sunday morning. We are urging residents to remain at home and stay off the roads now and through any recovery phase until the travel ban has been lifted. We urge all residents in areas prone to flooding to seek shelter at the . Anyone needing shelter should call 908-665-1111 and our police will assist you. Thank you."

To stay up-to-date on what's happening in New Providence during Hurricane Irene, and any emergency, residents can sign up for Code Red Alerts on the borough's website, newprov.org. To access the enrollment page, scroll over the "Subscribe" tab on the top right hand corner of the screen and click on "Code Red."

Here is a list of useful numbers and websites to keep on hand during Hurricane Irene:

• In any emergency, dial 9-1-1
• New Providence Police, non-emergency: 908-665-1111
• Borough of New Providence website: newprov.org
• Union County: Union County Office of Emergency Managment
• Department of Homeland Security: FEMA
• Red Cross:Prepare Your Home and Family, Preparedness Fast Facts, Central New Jersey Red Cross Web Site

Residents can also tune into TV-35 for any public service announcement in New Providence.

In our photos and documents above, check out a Hurricane Safety Checklist from the Red Cross and an announcement from PSE&G about their preparations for Irene.

As always, continue to for the most up-to-date information in the borough.

Just in case your power goes out, you can still access Patch by downloading on your phone. We also set up our , where you'll find all your Hurricane Irene updates in a live blogging format and how it affects Union County.

Throughout the storm, send your pics and any observations you make out your window to caitlin.mahon@patch.com or

Stay safe, everybody!