Parks In Mahwah Close This Weekend In Preparation For Irene

All Bergen County parks will be closed Saturday and Sunday due to Hurricane Irene, according to a release sent out Friday by the Office of Bergen County Executive Kathleen Donovan.

In Mahwah, this includes the , , and .

According to the NY-NJ Trail Conference, numerous parks throughout the area have done the same, prompted by hurricane conditions and flooding in the forecast.

The County Executive, who asked residents not to travel at all once the storm begins, also released the following tips for residents preparing for the storm:

• Stock up on non-perishable food, bottled water, manual can opener, baby supplies and pet food.
• Have emergency equipment within reach; portable radio, flashlights, candles, matches, spare batteries, first aid kit, cell phone and important medications.
• Charge cell phones ahead of time; be sure to have at least a ½ tank of gas in automobiles.
• Bring anything indoors that can be picked up by the wind (garbage cans, bicycles, lawn furniture, etc.)
• Inform local authorities about any special needs; if a family member relies on electrically operated medical devices, etc.
• Customers of Rockland Electric should call 1-877-434-4100 to report power outages.