Physical Therpy For Injuries and Pain in Helmetta, NJ

The sun was strong Monday afternoon, as John Street residents came in and out of their homes, lugging water-ruined items to the curbside.

Nearly every home on the street had a bright orange notice taped to the front door, warning that the home was not safe for occupancy.

Sue and Bob Savage were among the 200 Helmetta residents displaced Sunday morning by floodwaters caused by Tropical Storm Henri.

“I saw the murky brown water like an ocean and I woke him up, I said, ‘We’re in trouble,”” Sue Savage said from a rocking chair on the couple’s front porch.

Even Monday afternoon, their basement was still full of water, Bob Savage said.

“Everything floated away,” he said.

They spent the night at a nearby hotel after heeding the mandatory evacuation warnings; residents are allowed inside their homes during the days, but cannot stay there overnight.

A Red Cross disaster aid truck drove down the street, with a megaphone advertising free disaster cleaning kits. The Savages had taken them up on that offer, and medium-sized brown box full of cleaning supplies sat next to their rockers.

The organization set up a base of operations Monday at the Helmetta Community Center where it was hading out the cleanup kits and supplies and also meals for people affected by the floods.

Our volunteers are out in Middlesex County communities like Monroe, Spotswood and Helmetta, checking in with and distributing clean-up supplies to families affected by flood waters caused by Tropical Storm #Henri. pic.twitter.com/8DCj2TRVYm

— Red Cross New Jersey (@NJRedCross) August 23, 2021

“People can come here to pick them up and the mayor was going to deliver meals tonight to affected neighborhoods door to door,” Red Cross New Jersey Spokeswoman Diane Concannon told NJ Advance Media.

The plan, Concannon said, was to have a service center event on Wednesday at the center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for anyone in the Middlesex County area that was displaced by the storm.

“We will have supplies and other non-profits will be there to assist families,” she said.

Red Cross volunteers were also helping at the Monroe Senior Center, which was opened up by the local office of emergency management. Concannon said a few families were still there and that it would remain open for anyone in the area who was impacted and had nowhere to go.

Sue Savage said Sunday’s storm in Helmetta was not her family’s first.

“This is our third flood, so it’s kind of like, ehhh,” Sue Savage said. “You can tell whose first flood this is, though. They’re freaking out.”

John Street runs through a neighborhood parallel to the rail road tracks, the area of Helmetta that saw the most damage during Sunday’s storm.

Gov. Phil Murphy said he spoke to President Joe Biden on Saturday and FEMA officials on Sunday in an effort to begin the federal aid process for towns hit hard by the storm.

“I saw Helmetta on the cover of national news this morning, and not for the reasons they want to be,” Murphy said during a press conference in nearby Monroe Township Monday morning.

Concannon said families in other counties heavily affected by flooding, such as Passaic, Bergen and Somerset counties, could reach out to Red Cross for assistance if they were displaced.

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Katie Kausch may be reached at kkausch@njadvancemedia.com.

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Michael Duffy is a write-in candidate for one of the two seats open on the Helmetta Borough Council for the upcoming November 6 election.Photo Credit: Photo Courtesy of Michael Duffy

By Dawn Miller

HELMETTA, NJ - Election Day is right around the corner and Helmetta voters will be deciding on two open seats for the borough council on November 6. Michael Duffy and incumbent Pete Karczewski are both write-in candidates for the Helmetta Borough Council. While Duffy is a relative newcomer to local politics, he is a Helmetta native with a strong desire to serve the community he grew up in and still resides in. Duffy ran for an open seat on the borough council two years ago, but fell short of winning by 11 votes.

"I've lived in Helmetta my entire life," Duffy said. "After graduating high school I joined the United States Coast Guard, where I served as a reservist for six years while attending college. In addition, I've been a member of the Helmetta Volunteer Fire Department for six years as well. I received an Associate's degree in Political Science and a Bachelor's in both History and Education and am now currently a high school Economics teacher. I believe Helmetta is an incredible town and it would be an honor for me to have the privilege to serve the people who made it such a wonderful place to grow up."

"Helmetta has a rich history and is a very peaceful place to live," Duffy continued. "I've always felt that there is a strong sense of community in this town and that we take care of our neighbors when they're in need. I feel that we have a lot of dedicated residents like our mayor, council members, my brothers on the fire department and plenty of others who work selflessly for the betterment of our town. Also, there's something to be said about a town this size. I love being able to leave my house and have a pizza place at walking distance in either direction."

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"I believe Helmetta is truly the definition of small town America," Duffy said when asked why he was seeking a seat on the council in the upcoming election. "I've been privileged to be able to call such a wonderful town my home and it would be a great honor to serve the people that live here."

Even though he is only 26, Duffy feels he has a great deal to offer the Helmetta Borough Council.

"I believe my youth and ambition can serve as a benefit to the council," Duffy explained. "Also, having served in the military, I will bring with me every ounce of teamwork and leadership I possibly can. Additionally, receiving degrees in History and Political Science gives you a fundamental understanding of small government that helps to make pragmatic decisions."

Duffy feels finding a use for the now-empty Helmetta Animal Shelter is an issue many borough residents would like to see addressed. He also has two primary goals in mind if elected in November.

"I have two simple goals," Duffy said. " To increase the value of living in Helmetta and prevent any raising of taxpayer burden."

"I believe the town is going in a very positive direction and I would love to be part of that," Duffy added. "I've spent 26 great years living here and being a member of this community. I would be glad to have the opportunity to give something back and serve the place I've always called home."

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Borough residents can come out and meet Duffy and Pete Karczewski along with Helmetta Mayor Chris Slavicek on Saturday, October 27 for Coffee and Conversation outside of Helmetta Foods from 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.

Though weakened to tropical storm status early Sunday, Henri left his mark on the Central Jersey area with flooding, a sinkhole, power outages, downed trees and the cause of several accidents.

Even in its weakened state, Henri still packed wind gusts of up to 75 mph in some areas as it started a route up the northeastern coastline, along New York's Long Island and southern New England.

A flood watch continues in the area through Monday morning, with periods of heavy rain expected through Sunday night as Henri passed to the east. Rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches are forecast with locally higher amounts possible. The warning added that flash flooding also may occur and on some of the main stem rivers and large creeks, there may be significant banks rises or flooding.

Gov. Phil Murphy called Tropical storm Henri "largely a rain event," that was going to continue with winds possibly increasing.

"It is less than we had feared and less than places like Rhode Island are getting, but there is still a significant concern about rainfall, flash flooding and a flood watch is in effect for the entire state until tomorrow," Murphy said Sunday afternoon. "We are dealing with Mother Nature. We do everything we can to stay ahead of it and on top of it."

Murphy also acknowledged power outages, but deemed them less than expected.

The storm was not deemed a state of emergency, he said, noting "all those options are still on the table."

"We will do whatever we need to do ahead of it, during it or after it to make sure we keep as many people safe and on their feet as possible," Murphy said.

Helmetta, a borough in Middlesex County, was hit particularly hard with flooding Sunday. But throughout the day, the "outpour of support" from nearby towns and first responders has been "quite remarkable," Mayor Chris Slavicek said.

Flooding, and more to come

Helmetta was at the bull's-eye of the heavy band of rain that spiraled in the circulation of Henri. In the 24 hours ending at 9 a.m., Helmetta's 6.7 inches of rain was the most of any Central Jersey town, according to the Office of the New Jersey Climatologist at Rutgers University.

The heaviest rain was centered in central Middlesex County. East Brunswick recorded 4.25 inches while North Brunswick had 4 inches.

In Somerset County, Hillsborough recorded 3.23 inches and in Hunterdon, Flemington had 4 inches.

Flooding was the cause of most of the problems, shutting down streets, causing sink holes and weakening foundations. There were power outages as well, but not widespread. As of Sunday at 3:30 p.m., about 1,774 were reported without power by JCP&L with another eight reporting an outage by PSE&G in Middlesex, Hunterdon, Somerset, Union counties.

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The southern portion of Middlesex County received heavy rainfall over the early morning hours, causing flooding to several roads in Helmetta, South Brunswick, Monroe, Cranbury and Milltown.

In Somerset County, towns that reported flooding included Franklin and North Plainfield, while Union said Linden was hit with flooding.

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Residents were asked to stay off the roads and limit any travel Sunday morning.

Helmetta hit hard

In Helmetta, the Office of Emergency Management ordered a mandatory evacuation for all residents and businesses on several streets including Railroad Avenue, John Place, John Street and Willow Street due to severe flooding. This is an area that is often hit hard by storms and hurricanes.

When Annie Dent left her home just before 7:30 a.m., en route to a training class for her job, John Street was bone dry.

“Nothing was wrong. There was no flooding. I drove out perfectly fine,” Dent said.

An hour and a half later, she received a frantic call from her daughter, at home on John Street: "Mom!," she said. "My car’s about to be stuck in a flood!"

John Street resident Michael Furey woke up to a flood alarm at 4:30 a.m., but said it was hours before the first flood waters could be seen.

"At nine o’clock, I came out of the house and the water was just cascading down the street, growing higher and higher," said Furey, living through his fourth flood on the street in 17 years.

The area is in a flood plain, but Furey blames the flooding not on the rain from Henri but on man-made errors, like flood gates that weren’t opened properly and old, collapsing drain pipes.

"This is all sandy dirt," he said, motioning to the tan brown sediment in the flood waters, which he believes came from construction sites in nearby Monroe and Cranbury.

"There’s a lot of construction going on in Monroe — look at Cranbury Road, (Route) 130. And everything over there is flooding," he said. "The towns don’t talk to each other, the committees don’t talk to each other, the developers don’t talk to each other. There’s no foresight."

According to the Helmetta Fire Department, there was a partial foundation collapse at a home at 38 John Street that occurred while removing evacuees. No injuries were reported.

All residents in the area were advised first to evacuate to the Helmetta Community Center on Brookside Place for shelter. Later, they were taken to Spotswood High School. Those in the Railroad Avenue section were advised to stay in their homes and await evacuation assistance from the OEM.

Helmetta's mayor said all residents were rescued safely and they were now working on getting pets out of homes.

"We are currently at a standstill," Slavicek said at 12:50 p.m. "Water has risen to nearly cover windows of cars. There is an abundant amount of homes that have water on the first floor. We are on the edge of our seats because high tide is coming in the next half hour. And we are supposed to get more rainfall from the storm."

The Middlesex County Fire Marshall also requested available water rescue teams to the area of the Helmetta firehouse to help evacuate the homes. A command post was set up at Main Street and Willow Street, across from the affected area.

Near to this area, Main Street in Helmetta closed near Allegiance Garden Center due to severe flooding.

READ:Memorial service will remember victims of Central Jersey floods

Not far away, at the border of East Brunswick and Spotswood, the intersection of Summerhill Road and Old Stage Road was closed due to a sinkhole.

Around 7:40 a.m. Sunday morning, Monroe Police reported the township was under a state of emergency as multiple roads were flooded and impassable. Several vehicles were reportedly stuck and had to be rescued. Shelters were being opened for residents of Monroe and Jamesburg.

In Rossmoor Village, an adult living community off Forsgate Drive, evacuations also were underway for impacted residents. As of 10:45 a.m., approximately 40 residents were rescued and were taken to the clubhouse.

Mayor Stephen Dalina said power restoration in Rossmoor will be delayed in the flooded areas because the homes need to be inspected by code officials and electricians. Monroe Township Construction Officials and JCPL are on the scene and will be in the coming days, he said.

"Since this morning, I have been in Rossmoor and throughout the township and visited the emergency shelter," said Dalina, who asked that residents stay off the roads. "There are severe flooding impacts throughout the township, particularly in areas of Rossmoor. In some areas, flood waters are beginning to recede, but many major roadways are still closed and completely flooded. Conditions are likely to worsen this afternoon and overnight as flood waters move through the town and waterways begin to crest. Additional rain is predicted overnight. Surrounding communities are also flooded with impassible roads making travel unsafe throughout the area."

Dalina said Monroe opened an emergency shelter at the Monroe Township Senior Center on Halsey Reed Road for those those who have been flooded, without power, and anyone who needs assistance. Currently, 10 residents from Rossmoor are being cared for there. Families also can reunite with their loved ones here.

Closed roads in Monroe included:

In East Brunswick, the fire department reported a basement filled with water and a collapse on Van Hise Court. The home was also filling with natural gas, so the fire department requested evacuating neighboring homes.

In Jamesburg, a car was stuck in the water near East Railroad Avenue while in Plainsboro, police reported two cars stuck in the water with three people inside on Pheasant Hollow Drive and Dey Road.

Closed roads in South Brunswick included:

In Milltown, police reported Washington Avenue near post office was flooded and closed.

In Sayreville, police reported the partial foundation collapse of a home on Ciecko Court.

Somerset County's Franklin was hit by flooding, with South Middlebush Road between Jacques Lane and Blackwells Mills Road closed as a result.

In North Plainfield, Route 22 westbound and West End Avenue were closed due to flooding waters over the Jersey barrier.

In Union, Linden police said road flooding at Route 1 southbound at Woodlawn Avenue which resulted in two lanes being closed.

Despite the torrential overnight downpour, most rivers in Central Jersey stayed within their banks.

The South Branch of the Raritan River at Neshanic Station crested at 15.13 feet around noon, according to the National Weather Service. The river had risen 10 feet in just seven hours.

In Middlesex County, the Lawrence Brook at Route 18 in East Brunswick peaked at 18.6 feet, six inches below the height recorded during Floyd in 1999.

At noon Sunday, though the Raritan and Millstone rivers were near flood stage, there was little flooding in the usual flood-prone spots. Blackwells Mill Road between Hillsborough and Franklin was flooding but no flooding was reported in the Lost Valley section of Manville.

However, that did not mean Central Jersey was out of the woods. With more rain expected, the National Weather Service is predicting the Raritan River at Bound Brook to crest at about 28.3 feet at around midnight Monday. By comparison, the river reached 42.3 feet during Floyd.

Staff writers Mike Deak and Mike Davis contributed to this report.

email: cmakin@gannettnj.com

Cheryl Makin is an award-winning features and education reporter for MyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. Contact: Cmakin@gannettnj.com or @CherylMakin.

HELMETTA – The borough is a step closer to the potential sale of the former animal shelter site on Main Street, following the approval of an application to convert the building into an electrical contractor's office and warehouse space.

The application, submitted by 58 Main Street LLC, was unanimously approved at the land use board's July 22 meeting, Borough Clerk Sandra Bohinski said.

The project still needs Middlesex County approval because the building is located on a county road, Bohinski said.

EARLIER: Helmetta: Contractor office, warehouse may come to former animal shelter site

Mayor Chris Slavicek declined comment on the sale as it remains in attorney contract negotiations.

The building is located at 58 Main St. in the O-C Zone and Helme Hill Redevelopment Zone.

The application sought use and front yard setback variances and preliminary and final site plan approval for the existing site.

Located on 3.37 acres, the property is directly across from The Lofts at Helmetta, which features 20 two-bedroom townhomes and another 180 one- and two-bedroom loft apartments.

The two-story, approximately 6,716-square-foot Helmetta Regional Animal Shelter was opened at the site of an old power plant in 2011. The project was funded through a $1.9 million bond ordinance.

At its height, the shelter served 21 communities in Middlesex and Monmouth counties.

The shelter came under scrutiny in 2014 by animal lovers, who highlighted what they believed were serious problems at the shelter. After a series of failed Middlesex County inspections, the facility was quarantined in November 2014.

In December 2014, the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or NJSPCA, was granted temporary receivership of the facility to treat and find homes for the remaining animals before the shelter closed.

Over the years, unsuccessful attempts were made to sell the property.

It had been listed for sale for $600,000.

In an interview in 2017, Mayor Chris Slavicek said the borough owed about $1.5 million on the shelter. At that time, the building was appraised at $550,000, he said.

Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com

Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

HELMETTA — Recovery efforts continue for the residents of 73 houses damaged by flood water from Tropical Storm Henri.

The storm dumped about 8 inches of rain across several Central Jersey communities Saturday night and Sunday, including in Jamesburg, Cranbury and Helmetta, where Mayor Chris Slavicek has been helping residents get back on their feet.

"I think it seems like a decade but it's really only been since Sunday," Slavicek told New Jersey 101.5. "Recovery is in full effect."

The community center has become a place where residents can get water, rest and learn information on resources available to assist with repairs. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are available for those who are unable to return to their home.

"We have support from the Red Cross Disaster Relief. Wednesday we're having a resource center at our community center for our residents to speak with the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities is here, Red Cross is here. We're very fortunate and blessed to have volunteers," said Slavicek, who also credited his own staff, the Office of Emergency Management and the mayor of neighboring Spotswood for their help.

"It's my responsibility along with my team to guide the residents to the proper resources and be supportive of them. Not only is it taxing and tiring and financially a burden but emotional too. People need to get back to live, routines, back to work," Slavicek said.

For some residents of the affected neighborhood whose homes and cars were damaged, it's the fourth time they've been flooded but this time is the worst, according to Slavicek.

"I look at it as every single household, every single resident is affected in a different way. Some people have 3 or 4 feet of water in their homes. Other residents, it affected their basements. Some residents are on a higher grade of land so they weren't nearly as affected,"

Slavicek said Helmetta's motto is "small town big heart" and said the epitome of that has been shown since Sunday.

As of 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday these roads are still closed:

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