More on Avalon Beaches

Avalon speeds sands of time
Borough bypasses federal budget for quicker beach replenishment
By MICHAEL PRITCHARD Staff Writer, (609) 272-7256
Press of Atlantic City
Published: Monday, January 30, 2006
Updated: Monday, January 30, 2006

When Harry deButts, Public Works director for Avalon, looks out on Absecon Inlet in Atlantic County, he can see the answer to many of his problems. Sitting there is a dredger, currently pumping sand onto Brigantine's beaches as part of a $4.5 million U.S. Army Corps of Engineers beach replenishment project.

DeButts wants that dredger because his borough is about to start a $3 million beach replenishment project of their own, funded through a city bond ordinance.

“We've been trying to work a deal to get it to stop off our beach,” deButts said. “The availability of dredgers is very limited. There are only so many in the country and they're usually booked out years in advance. If we're not successful, though, we're ready to truck the sand in from other areas. We'll do what we have to do.”

The quick solution to deButts' problem might be to simply bring the corps into the project with their ability to book dredgers. The solution, however, is part of the problem. The corps already maintains the borough's replenishment project, but in order to move quickly, borough officials decided to bypass the corps and, more importantly, the federal budget process.

Although the past several presidential administrations have often cut funds for beach replenishment, the current administration has been more than stingy. When President Bush sends his proposed federal budget to Congress next month, it is unlikely to have one dime set aside for beach replenishment projects anywhere in the country.

That will set a host of congressmen in action as they look for money for replenishment projects — both new projects and maintenance of older projects — in other appropriations. And while Congress has often been willing to fund replenishment projects that the president will not, it makes for a long and complicated process.

It's a wait Avalon officials decided they couldn't afford because storms have cut deeply into borough beaches since its last replenishment — done by the corps — in 2003.

“We felt we had a problem with public safety that needed to be addressed, deButts said. “We need to do something. We can't afford to take the chance that funding might be there in the future. It's our responsibility so we decided to move ourselves.”

In southern New Jersey, however, there are more than a dozen beach replenishment projects under way. Most of those projects have been engineered by the corps and come with 50-year commitments for maintenance and periodic renourishment of sand.

But 50-year commitments aren't very reassuring when funding is up in the air every year.

“It does make for some consternation,” said Drew McCrosson, city administrator for Ventnor. “You know you have a commitment to the project, but securing the funding is an annual event that you can't be sure of. And there aren't a lot of alternatives available if that funding isn't there.”

Ventnor, along with Atlantic City, was part of a $25 million beach replenishment project started in 2003. That project is already scheduled for renourishment this year, although McCrosson feels realistically the city won't see any sand until at least 2007 considering the need for new projects along the country's storm-ravaged Gulf Coast.

It will be up to local congressmen, such as U.S. Reps. Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd, and James Saxton, R-3rd, to secure funding for state projects. Both congressmen have been successful in securing funds projects in the past. LoBiondo was instrumental to securing funds for the Brigantine and Absecon projects, and Saxton recently secured funding for a $71 million project on Long Beach Island, to cite just a few examples.

But for the state's congressional delegation, each year they start from scratch.

“At the moment, we are funding these projects through add-ons to other appropriations,” said U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-8th, who serves on the Congressional Coastal Caucus. “Every year the president puts out his budget and there is no money for coastal beach replenishment because this administration doesn't believe in it. So every congressman has to go before the House and try to secure the funding for their projects.”

Making things worse is a lack of a dedicated funding source for replenishment projects.

“When you consider that these projects are spread out across the entire country, and usually with maintenance agreements covering 50 years, it's just not practical to fund them upfront,” said Jason Galanes, spokesman for LoBiondo. “The cost would be staggering and probably bankrupt the budget.”

Pallone also noted that setting a guaranteed tax source —such as how the federal gasoline tax funds transportation projects — is a long shot.

“To do that, realistically you need a national issue,” Pallone said. “Transportation is a national issue because every state has transportation projects. But shore replenishment is seen as a local issue and many people feel it is a waste of money. Even in New Jersey, the farther you get from the coast the less support there is.”

The federal government, however, is not the only source of funding for replenishment projects. Most replenishments projects are only funded by federal money as much as 65 percent. State and local funds generally cover the remaining 35 percent. That figure is then split, with 75 percent paid by the state Department of Environmental Protection and 25 percent by the local municipality.

But state funds can't maintain all of the projects going on in New Jersey or that are committed to 50-year maintenance. Corps officials say maintenance projects are given a higher priority than new projects because the corps tries to live up to their commitments, but at the moment its anyone's guess what will and won't be funded.

Except in Avalon, where the borough is paying for everything.

“It's an incredibly frustrating process,” deButts said. “Let me put it this way. We first started pushing for a replenishment project in the borough in 1987. We finally got it in 2000.”

Avalon Beaches

Avalon works against time and tide to fix beaches
By BRIAN IANIERIStaff Writer, (609) 463-6713
Press of Atlantic City
Published: Saturday, January 28, 2006
Updated: Saturday, January 28, 2006

Borough officials are preparing a back-up plan to stock eroding beaches before the tourist season after learning that dredging — the most practical option — might not be available.

Engineer Tom Thornton, of the firm Hatch Mott MacDonald, said the borough may buy sand from local gravel pits and truck it to the beaches if Avalon cannot find a dredging company willing to take the project.

Avalon is seeking approval from the state Department of Environmental Protection for the trucking project, Thornton said.

Trucking could produce 180,000 cubic yards of sand between Ninth and 18th streets, the most heavily eroded on Avalon's coastline.

Currently, most beach access there is closed because encroaching saltwater chewed steep cliffs in the dunes.

Avalon had budgeted about $3 million for an emergency beach fill but could not find a dredging company that would take the job.

Next week, Avalon is scheduled to negotiate with two dredging companies and determine whether the companies will take the project and for how much.

“We need to do something on the beach. If it takes trucking in sand, by God that's what we need to do,” said borough Councilman David Ellenberg. “The renters are coming here over the summer to use our beaches. That is the infrastructure we have to deal with at this point. It's all part of economic development.”

Avalon has authorized spending almost $390,000 for backpassing — shifting sand from elsewhere in Avalon to the depleted northern end.

But the two methods would deliver less sand than dredging and would be more expensive per cubic yard.

Together, the two projects could deliver as much as 240,000 cubic yards of sand, about two-thirds of what the dredging would deliver, Thornton said.

Either dredging or trucking sand could begin sometime in February, Thornton said.

Ellenberg said he hopes the borough can negotiate with a dredging company to take on the project.

Avalon is working with a tight timetable, though.

The project would likely need to be finished by the end of March due to nesting season for the endangered piping plovers.

Valet Parking at Beach

Sea Isle City kicks around valet parking at the beach
By BRIAN IANIERIStaff Writer, (609) 463-6713
Published: Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Press of Atlantic City
Updated: Wednesday, January 25, 2006

— A tourist pulls his sport utility vehicle within sight of the sand, unloads the kids and beach chairs and then hands his keys to a valet. Late afternoon, the suntanned family calls a valet service and has the vehicle delivered to where they are standing in their flip-flops.

This might be Sea Isle City in the not-too-distant future.

The city is looking for possible solutions to summer parking problems, and officials are considering ideas from beachside valet service to making a parking lot at the site of a former sewer plant — now known as a popular place for dogs to relieve themselves.

“We have to try lots of solutions. Some of them are going to work, and some of them are not going to work. But we've got to give it a good-faith try,” said city Zoning Board Solicitor Ellen Nicholson Byrne, a mother who sees the advantages of valet.

She suggested the city experiment with a pilot valet program this summer. Mayor Leonard Desiderio said he supports the idea.

Any July tourist knows parking spots on barrier islands are worth their weight in yellow gold.

Each summer, a small department within Sea Isle City Public Works — called “Lines and Signs”— works to whitewash curbs that others have illegally painted yellow, a clever but misguided attempt to preserve a few precious yards of street-front property.

Summer parking has become an increasingly important issue as Sea Isle City reworks its master plan, in part to make owning businesses more lucrative than cashing out and selling to housing developers. The city is also considering allowing more residential units above businesses.

A mayor's committee and the city planning and zoning board attorneys are recording ideas at public meetings, attended largely by business owners.

At the end of February, that committee will present the ideas to the City Commission, which can make the necessary laws or spend the necessary money to implement those changes.

Planning Board Attorney James Arsenault said the city could likely convert the site of the former sewer plant on 48th Street into a 300-space lot by summer.

He said it could become a paid, automated parking lot and provide shuttle service to downtown, which is about seven blocks away.

Byrne said the committee is still identifying city-owned properties that can be used for parking. At the committee's first meeting two weeks ago, several residents suggested moving basketball courts from downtown John F. Kennedy Boulevard.

Officials estimate that could yield 60 to 100 additional parking spots in a high-traffic area. But that idea was met with perhaps the most concern due to its effect on recreation in a vacation town.

It is also not likely for this summer.

Resident Mike Gardner suggested offering shuttle service to Sea Isle City from campgrounds in neighboring rural townships.

The city has another meeting scheduled at 2 p.m. Feb. 14 at the Public Safety Building.

Amusement Park

Amusement park proposed for landfill site in Sea Isle City
By BRIAN IANIERI Staff Writer, (609) 463-6713
Published: Thursday, January 26, 2006
Press of Atlantic City
Updated: Thursday, January 26, 2006

— The company that owns the Steel Pier in Atlantic City is considering opening an amusement park on a former landfill in the northern end of Sea Isle City.

Mayor Leonard Desiderio said Atlantic Pier Amusements approached the city with plans for an amusement park on a chunk of city-owned land on Landis Avenue between Fifth and Sixth streets.

The concept is still in an early stage, Desiderio said.

Building there would require several state environmental approvals, as well as the support of residents and the three-member City Commission, he said.

“I told them (the company) an amusement park would help with tourism and would be a welcome business to any tourism community,” Desiderio said. “Of course, we have to go according to what the public has to say, and especially the public in the north end, and what they're thinking (about) entertainment in this area.”

About six years ago, the city lost a popular summer recreation spot for families.

Fun City was a small amusement park that operated near 32nd Street and the beach for nearly 30 years, but it was sold to make room for duplexes, taking with it its Tilt-A-Whirl, Merry-Go-Round and Scrambler. It also took away one more family attraction from the resort town.

Desiderio said the city is preparing a list of possible uses for the former landfill. What the city doesn't want there, Desiderio said, are houses.

Desiderio said he supports keeping city ownership of the land and perhaps leasing it long term. That way, down the line, the property cannot be sold to build more condominiums or duplexes.

Carmen La Rosa, an architect for the amusement company, said the site is about 14 acres, about half of which is buildable.

“The main thing is to go to the state and see what we can get approvals to build over a landfill,” he said.

La Rosa said the amusement park would include a roller coaster, Ferris wheel, other rides and the potential for a water park.

There isn't much available land is Sea Isle City, especially for an amusement park, so the former landfill seemed a good site, Desiderio said.

Over the years, people have proposed using the area as a golf course, but it wasn't large enough, Desiderio said.

Garden State Parkway

Engineers present parkway options
By BRIAN IANIERI Staff Writer, (609) 463-6713
Published: Thursday, January 26, 2006
Press of Atlantic City
Updated: Thursday, January 26, 2006

— The engineering company designing interchanges to replace three traffic lights on the Garden State Parkway presented on Wednesday eight possibilities for exits 9 and 11.

But at this point, they are just possibilities. Some designs may be too expensive to build, while others may be less desirable due to impact on wetlands or preserved open space.

One design for an exit is named a “single-point urban interchange,” a 12-foot-tall bridgelike structure used primarily in cities. That one in particular is expensive to build, said Dennis Conklin, chief highway engineer for The Louis Berger Group, Inc.

“We'd be spending a lot of money for an exotic bridge in Cape May County,” Conklin said.

In two months, the engineering company will have an analysis of the impacts of each interchange design, Conklin said. The company is reviewing exits 9, 10 and 11.

These will include estimates on construction, environmental impact, right of way and — for a few designs involving exit 10 — possible use of eminent domain.

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority, which runs the parkway, and the state Department of Transportation will review them, Conklin said.

The Turnpike Authority expects that the current preliminary design phase will be completed by 2007. Construction is slated to begin in 2009, with hopes of finishing by 2011.

Last summer, The Louis Berger Group, Inc., hired by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, presented possible design changes to exit 10, where the parkway and the heart of Middle Township meet.

Exit 10, where motorists either head into Cape May Court House or Stone Harbor, will be the largest and perhaps most complicated of the interchanges.

Besides heavy traffic there, Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital and some residential houses are nearby. Jan Dougherty, who lives on nearby Brighton Street, is particularly interested in what becomes of exit 10. The government may want her house.

Exit 11 would affect the Crest Haven Complex, the headquarters of Cape May County government and services.

Cape May County Engineer Dale Foster said he suggested some design modifications to engineers. Some designs would hamper traffic within the Crest Haven Complex, Foster said.

The Turnpike Authority is taking suggestions from local elected officials and residents. At a public meeting Wednesday, the designs were on display for perusal, and comment cards were available.

The designs for exits 9 and 11 can still be viewed by calling the Cape May County Engineer's Office at 465-1035.

Last year, the federal government earmarked $32 million for the parkway improvements.

Conklin said they have not completed cost estimates for the interchanges. However, previous estimates put the overall project at $100 million.

The 173-mile parkway has only three traffic lights, all of which exist in Middle Township.

There are concerns the lights are unsafe and clog traffic.

Middle Township Mayor Nathan Doughty acknowledged that, regardless of the final design, some people will not be happy.

Doughty and others witnessed similar attempts to remove the parkway lights fail through the years.

He said the choice of interchanges depends heavily on their cost and how much federal and state authorities are willing to spend.

“They're showing all this, but at the end of the day, who knows what they're going to do?” Doughty asked.

Appeals Have Appeal

STRATHMERE — A filled-room at this seashore community’s firehouse on Jan. 21 focused its displeasure on the reassessed values of properties. Formation of the Strathmere Taxpayers Association grew from that recent revaluation which was ordered by the county Board of Taxation. The irate crowd heard attorney Joseph Grimes advise the manner in which they could appeal new assessments, which were performed by Tyler Technologies, Inc., the same firm contracted to do revaluations in Middle, Dennis and Lower townships. Those still unhappy with answers can appeal further. Other Upper Township residents were similarly displeased with the figures that allegedly show true market value of properties. There was also talk of an attempt at deannexation of this community from Upper Township.

News Digest 1/25/2006
Cape May County Herald

Parkway Hearing Set

CREST HAVEN — A fourth public information meeting will be held today from 4:30 to 7 p.m. in the Freeholder Meeting Room, County Administration Building, 4 Moore Road to present alternative plans for improving the Garden State Parkway intersections at Interchange 9; Shell Bay Avenue and Interchange 11; Crest Haven Road. The N.J. Turnpike Authority is doing preliminary designs for interchanges 9, 10 and 11. The improvements are anticipated to include grade separating the parkway and the east west cross streets, including interchange ramps to provide access to the parkway at certain locations. The existing three intersections are the only remaining at-grade signalized intersections along the entire length of the 172-mile parkway.

News Digest 1/25/2006
Cape May County Herald

No Bids for Sand

AVALON — Despite rebidding a project for 350,000 cubic yards of beach replenishment after the first round of bidding came in with one contractor $1 million over budget, borough council had no bids to open at its special meeting Jan 17. Andrew Bednarek, borough administrator, has now been given authority to negotiate a contract for the work, which involves dredging offshore and then pumping it onto borough beaches. Last year, council passed a $3 million bond ordinance to cover this work needed at northern beaches that have taken the toll of heavy weather. Most beach access in that area is now closed due to dangerous cliff conditions that the ocean has carved into dunes.

News Digest 1/25/2006
Cape May County Herald

Sea Isle Title Error

In Sea Isle City, still no resolution of 63-year-old title error

By JOHN CURRAN
Associated Press Writer
January 13, 2006, 9:58 AM EST

SEA ISLE CITY, N.J. -- Thrown into real estate limbo by a 63-year-old mistake, the owners of nine waterfront properties are still waiting to reclaim legal title to them _ even though they've owned the land for years.

The homeowners, who found out last spring that a 1942 mix up rendered their property titles worthless, got a boost last month when Gov. Richard J. Codey signed special legislation to address the problem. But they're still waiting for the city, the state and their title insurance companies to formally undo the damage wrought by the bizarre sequence of events.

"The devil's in the details, though," said Brian Buckley, 49, of West Chester, Pa., whose vacation home on 47th Place is among those affected.

Buckley and the other homeowners were notified last spring that the state _ not them _ actually owned the property under their houses and condominiums, owing to a 1942 deal in which the city transferred the finger-shaped piece of land to the state for the sole purpose of dredging the waterway that surrounds it.

The idea was that the state would give the land back to the city once the dredging was over. That never happened, but the city _ apparently believing it had _ sold the land to a developer, who broke it up into lots and sold them in the 1960s.

The title defect went undetected for more than 60 years as the properties were developed into vacation homes and year-round residences. A title search performed on behalf of one of the properties found the discrepancy, and last May, the state Bureau of Tidelands Management sent letters to the owners delivering the bad news.

"The State of New Jersey claims title to your entire property," it said. "The State has concluded that your deed is not valid. This title defect is a complete failure of your title."

The state Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees the agency, has said it never intended to seize the properties, but that they could not be given back because under state law, the state must seek fair market value to sell its property.

The bill signed by Codey gave DEP the power to enter into agreements with each homeowner under which they would get clear title to their properties in exchange for an unspecified amount of money from the title insurance companies, three or four parcels of undeveloped land from the city and written assurances that the homeowners will not sue the city or state.

The city plans to give three beachfront parcels and a vacant lot at 29th Street and Central Avenue, and is pushing the state to guarantee that the land will remain open forever.

"The goal in all of this is to get clean title to the homeowners, but there are certain parties that have obligations with respect to these properties and the fact that these titles were not clear," said Peter Aseltine, a spokesman for the state Attorney General's office, which is involved.

DEP, meanwhile, must sign agreements with each of the homeowners and with the city, according to Elaine Makatura, spokeswoman.

"Once all of these agreements are implemented, we would then convey deeds to the homeowners," she said.

In the meantime, the homeowners have little choice but to wait.

The biggest losers in the case so far may be Thomas and Dolly Dowdell.

The retired couple was on the verge of selling their $885,000 condominium and moving to an Egg Harbor Township retirement community when the situation developed. Without clear title to it, they couldn't sell it, and without the proceeds, they couldn't go through with their new home purchase.

"We lost our $5,000 deposit, and they won't give it back," said Dolly Dowdell. "And the buyers for our property had to buy something else. I'm very frustrated. I wish they'd settle this."

Mayor Len Desiderio said he expects the situation to be resolved by the end of January. Others aren't so optimistic.

"The 47th Place situation has been a roller coaster," Desiderio said. "We've had our ups and our downs. Just when we thought we'd come to a conclusion, there were more bumps."

Wails, Warbles and Other Calls to Action

By Al Campbell | Published 01/11/2006
Cape May County Herald

Wails, Warbles and Other Calls to Action

The answer could depend upon where you live.

If home is inland, away from rising back bays, chances are that the wavering tone is alerting volunteer firefighters that their services are needed, pronto.
If home has beautiful sunset views over waterways or marshes, and there's a wicked northeaster barreling up the coastline, the siren alarm is likely a flood alarm.
After a reader called the Herald recently to inquire about a siren he'd heard, and wondered what it meant, the question began to bug the newsroom staff.
Sirens, it seems, remain the last bastion of home rule left in New Jersey.
Every town has sirens, even though volunteer firefighters carry radio pagers that alert them of a call.

So why are sirens still used to summon aid?
Consider: Many volunteer firefighters have jobs in noisy environments. The sound of saws or motors can easily drown out the pager's pitches. So, sirens, alarming as they may be to the uninitiated, still serve a purpose.
In Avalon, where a new siren system is slated to be in operation by month's end, the present siren wails its up-and-down tone for 90 seconds, according to Chief Kevin Scarpa, rescue squad chief, who oversees the emergency sirens.
Locations of sirens, which haven't changed in decades, are 13th, 30th and 67th streets, said Scarpa.

In all likelihood, the new siren system will include a flood warning.
It will "give us the ability to store messages" that will be broadcast over the system, said Scarpa.

While some other towns rely on sirens to warn residents to move cars and other property that salt water may ruin, Avalon has its own ALERT AM emergency advisory radio station, (1630 on the dial) that broadcasts a variety of weather-related alerts.

That system was funded by an $18,000 grant from the N.J. State Police Office of Emergency Management.

Stone Harbor also has a siren system that allows messages to be broadcast to residents when floods are imminent. But there's also an alarm to summon firefighters, when needed.

The traditional fire alarm is an up and down cycle to alert firefighters.
Should there be an actual, “working” structure fire, a second tone, different than the first is sounded, said Administrator Kenneth Hawk, a volunteer firefighter.
When flooding is imminent, a “warbling sound” siren is broadcast followed by a recorded voice alert via the community-wide speaker system.
The pre-recorded messages contain various information and alerts.
Police dispatchers control all alarms.

Sea Isle City uses its sirens only for summoning firefighters and for a noon test.
In North Wildwood, where Emergency Manager Augustus "Gus" Mason has over seen nearly three decades of floods from new and full moons, as well as from northeasters, hurricanes and unusual tides, sirens are distinct.

A steady blast for 30 seconds, then off, then another steady blast, then off, then another steady blast for 30 seconds forewarns impending high salt water, not from rain-caused street flooding, said Mason.

Fire sirens in that city are different, he said.

"A normal fire call has a wailing sound, up and down and continues for a while," he said.

"We had to differentiate this from flood calls," said Mason.
He said prior to sounding a flood alert, the city's police dispatcher will alert firefighters via radio pagers that the tone they will hear is a flood alert, not a fire alarm.

There are two sirens in the city, at Second and New Jersey avenues atop Anglesea Fire House and at the firehouse, 15th and Central avenues.
"A lot of times, with northeast winds blowing hard, the sound of the siren doesn't reach the (Anglesea) Beach Colony," said Mason.

"We're looking to add a siren, but they're very expensive. We've tried to find someone, or some insurance company, to help pay for one. After all, if they alert someone to move a $50,000 Cadillac, they're saved the company the cost for only a few thousand dollars," said Mason.

"So far, we haven't had much luck," he added.

In neighboring Wildwood, a siren sounds seven times, up and down, to alert volunteers in the municipal division of a fire, said Capt. Dale Gentek.
Those alarms are dispatched through the city police department.

When tidal flooding is about to occur, Gentek said word is passed from the county Office of Emergency Management, or, "if we recognize tidal flooding is taking place," a three-cycle siren system is used, Gentek said.

Those sirens are manually sounded from within the fire department for 30 seconds, solid sound, followed by a minute rest, another 30-second blast, another minute rest, and finally another 30-second blast.

Those who reside on the flood-prone west side then take heed to move their cars to high ground.

Wildwood's siren is located atop City Hall, but the alert is also sent out over radio pagers, he said.

If winds are favorable, residents in West Wildwood may hear Wildwood's flood sirens, although their borough operates its own siren.

West Wildwood’s Emergency Management Coordinator James Fox said there are two distinct siren sounds, one for fires, which is high-low for an eight-time cycle.
Residents there are alerted to flooding conditions by a single, 40-second blast.
“Depending on conditions and the wind, we will sound it twice. Normally, we wait about 20 minutes in between so as not to panic people,” said Fox.

When flooding is expected, the local police go door to door to alert residents who may not have heard the alert. Residents usually move their cars to North Drive, a dirt road off Neptune, which is a “very high area,” said Fox.

The borough is planning to seek funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a speaker system, similar to those in Avalon and Stone Harbor, Fox said.
Sirens in Wildwood Crest can mean three different things. But they are not sounded after 11 p.m. or before 7 a.m.

A single siren in the Crest, sounded for 30 seconds, means there is a general alarm for one of two squads on duty for a week at a time.

The borough's firefighters have divided into two squads so that not everyone is required to respond to every fire call.

If a siren sounds six consecutive times, it means a full alarm, an actual fire (as opposed to a false alarm) in an occupied dwelling, motel or fully involved structure fire.

The flood siren, like those in Wildwood and North Wildwood, sounds for 30 seconds, rests a minute, sounds again for 30 seconds, rests another minute, then sounds for a final 30 seconds.

Sirens in the Crest are located at Morning Glory Road and New Jersey Avenue, at the police department, Cardinal and Pacific avenues, and at Topeka and New Jersey avenues.

Cape May City residents will hear two distinct siren sounds; one summons volunteer firefighters, the other alerts for flooding.

According to Fire Chief Jerry Inderweis Jr., the fire alert system is vintage, but works.

Rooted in former “pull boxes,” no longer used since they made sounding false alarms too easy, the system sounds a number of tones, which pinpoint a fire location.
Those fire alarms, which sound three times over the claxon horn regardless of the hour, are manually operated from the fire department to alert volunteers of a fire location.

The department had paid firefighters, for initial response, but relies on volunteers to add manpower when a large fire occurs.

Like counterparts in other areas of the county, Inderweis advocates use of the siren, even though firefighters carry radio pagers.
That’s because if a volunteer is working near loud equipment, the radio page is inaudible, but not the claxon.

Flood sirens, which consist of a long blast, followed by a pause, sounded three times, are situated in five locations around the city, according to Robert Smith, emergency management coordinator and public works superintendent.
“They’re very helpful, and we used them in the last few days,” said Smith.

An area that often gets such a warning is Yacht Avenue, located in the north end.
Smith has noticed a decrease in amount of flooding since the 1993-94 beach replenishment.

“We have also improved pump stations,” he said. “We rebuilt Benton Avenue and Frog Hollow station about a year ago,” he added.

Still, flooding may occur when outfall pipes get clogged with sand, especially on Beach Avenue, Smith said.

As soon as tides recede, crews clear sand from the pipes, he said.

The city continues to make improvements to flood-prone areas, he added.

“As an example, we reconstructed Elmira and Bank streets several years ago. When we did, we raised the elevation of them, and put small berms in to reduce tidal flooding,” Smith said.

Contact Campbell at: al.c@cmcherald.com