( West Trenton, NJ) – New Jersey Office of Emergency Management has been working closely with county and local officials in response to the powerful nor’easter that swept through New Jersey this week. Preliminary Damage Assessments started today of the most severely impacted areas where it is safe and the water has receded.

Preliminary Damage Assessments are a joint effort between local, state and federal officials. During an assessment, teams will be looking at a number of things;

• Amount and type of damage including the number of homes affected and the extent of the damage to those homes (basement flooding vs. main floor flooding)
• Impact on the infrastructure of affected areas or critical facilities such as roads, bridges and state and local buildings
• Level of insurance coverage in place for residents and public facilities
• Assistance available from other sources (federal, state, local, voluntary organizations)

To receive more information about what you should do CALL 211

 The 2-1-1 service currently provides homeland security information and human services information in partnership, respectively, with the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and the state Department of Human Services. The added use of the easy-to-remember 2-1-1 number for flood and recovery information is now being coordinated through the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management.

To stay informed about disasters and emergencies in New Jersey via social media, follow the NJOEM on Twitter @ReadyNJ, "like" us on www.facebook.com/READYNEWJERSEY, or get email and text message alerts via www.Nixle.com or www.njalert.gov.