Residents Receive Disaster Supplies

Residents flocked to a PMUA building on Cottage Place Thursday to pick up rakes, shovels and clean-up kits furnished by American Red Cross Disaster Relief.

Supplies were also distributed at two other sites, the City Yard on South Avenue and 3 Engine Station on West Third Street. City Administrator Eric Berry was among officials at the PMUA site when Plaintalker stopped by. Berry said any resident who missed the distribution Thursday and needs the items can e-mail him at eric.berry@plainfieldnj.gov to request them.

Eric Jackson, director of Public Works & Urban Development, said homeowners can place brush and leaves from their storm clean-up at the curb for pickup. This offer does not apply to contractors.

Plaintalker posted information on the distribution Wednesday evening at the request of a PMUA staff member who forwarded the city advisory. At the time, the information was not on the city web site and the PMUA web site had the date and time, but not the location. The city had the information up Thursday morning.

A steady stream of cars arrived at the PMUA building on the one-way street bordering the Raritan Valley Line tracks.

East End resident Craft said he found out about the distribution by word of mouth. He said he had a tree down in his yard. A West End couple took several kits, which they said they were picking up for other people. They called the distribution "a big help to us to do it for them."

--Bernice