Officials Urge Voluntary Evacuation of Barrier Island

Brick residents should be deep into preparations for Hurricane Irene, public safety officials warned. As of 1:30 p.m. today, no evacuation has been ordered but residents on the barrier island are urged to relocate to a safer inland location if there is one available.

"The Brick Township Office of Emergency Management is monitoring hurricane Irene closely," an e-mail from Brick Police Capt. John Rein said. "It is certain that our area will be impacted by this storm."

Amid a state of emergency declared by Gov. Chris Christie, officials are asking residents of the barrier island to prepare to find shelter inland for the duration of the storm, expected to hit New Jersey between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Township officials are meeting today to determine its plan for evacuations and managing the emergency, Mayor Stephen C. Acropolis said.

Residents in the communities of Curtis Point, South Mantoloking and Normandy Beach, among others, are affected. Evacuation routes include the Mantoloking Bridge in Brick and the Route 37 bridge in Toms River and Seaside Heights.

Christie, whose summer home is the governor’s mansion on Island Beach State Park, said residents should not be complacent and instead begin a voluntary evacuation now. He told reporters at a news conference this afternoon that he, too, will be leaving the barrier island mansion this afternoon.