Brick Neighborhoods Asked to Evacuate

The Brick Township Police Department has asked residents in certain neighborhoods to evacuate beginning Friday morning as Hurricane Irene approaches.

"We strongly encourage residents of the barrier island to evacuate by midday on Friday, August 26," said Capt. John Rein in an e-mail. "Residents of low-lying neighborhoods and areas that are prone to flooding are also encouraged to evacuate well in advance of the storm. Failure to do so could place you at higher risk as emergency personnel may not be able to reach you as well as putting emergency personnel at greater risk in their effort to reach you."

Officials have yet to determine if a mandatory evacuation will be needed at some point. Brick is currently , meaning hurricane conditions could be felt within 48 hours.

Rein said the Ocean County Office of Emergency Management is in the process of establishing regional shelters and the department will list those locations when they are made available. Brick Patch will also list those locations.

Rein said residents should prepare for the storm by securing loose items outdoors, ensuring that they have a supply of water and non-perishable foods, making sure they have necessary medications, checking on flashlights and batteries and making sure all vehicles are fueled and that everyone has cash on hand.

The township's Office of Emergency Management will continue updating residents throughout the weekend, Rein said. Residents should also monitor local media outlets, Comcast Channel 20 and the Brick Township Facebook page for continuing updates on the storm.

For calls in reference to evacuations, shelters or other municipal services, residents can call the Township Emergency Call Center at 732-262-1234. For emergencies, Rein said to dial 911.