Emergency Response Team Tracking Hurricane Earl

Hurricane Earl is making its way toward the United States, and Hopatcong's Community Emergency Response Team expects to be put on standby in case its needed.

And while many forecasters expect the storm, which downgraded to category 3 Wednesday, to stay about 100 miles off land but approach New Jersey's coast Friday, anything could happen.

With that in mind, CERT is prepared to help, according to team leader Steve Millian.

"We're always expecting to be called," he said Wednesday morning. "But until then, life goes on."

Millian believes it's unlikely the hurricane would greatly affect Hopatcong, but it could cause some problems.

"Most of the time we get high winds and a lot of rain," Millian said. "The majority of our problems would come from high winds and power failure."

Millian said residents should stock up on extra fuel for generators—if you have one—and to stock up on extra water.

"It's still pretty early," said Millian, whose CERT is the county's largest. "Maybe one or two days away."

Sussex County's American Red Cross chapter has been stepping up its efforts in recent days. Maryann Maikisch, a resource development manager, has been reaching out to local volunteers to see if they'd be available to help.

Maikisch also said Hopatcong resident Jim Rich has been tracking the storm and sending several daily updates to the Red Cross.

"We're monitoring [the hurricane] closely," Maikisch said, adding she believes Pat Day, the organization's executive director, has spoken with local emergency groups about the storm.

Maikisch said local Red Cross volunteers would be asked to help even if local areas remain unaffected, as it in the past has sent them to the Jersey Shore.

"We're definitely on top of it and monitoring Sussex County," she said.

The local chapter also provided a fact sheet about hurricane preparedness, which includes the following tips:

▪   Check your disaster supplies and replace and restock as needed.

▪   Bring in anything that can be picked up by the wind like bicycles and lawn furniture.

▪   Fill your car's gas tank.

▪   Create an evacuation plan with members of your household.

The fact sheet also includes a number of supplies a family should have on hand including a radio with extra batteries, water, a first aid kit, cell phone with charger and medications.