Egg Harbor Twp., NJ, Police Chief Frustrated Over Motel Water Rescues

The police chief of one municipality in Atlantic County has expressed his concerns and growing frustrations over repeated storm-related water rescues at three local motels, saying, "It's getting old."

NJ Coastal Storm Causes Widespread Flooding

A slow-moving coastal storm that has been impacting the South Jersey shore since Saturday has caused extensive damage to dunes in many beach towns. Residents and drivers have also experienced several high tide cycles that have flooded numerous roads in our area.

As an example, this is what one neighborhood in Ocean City looked like around 5:00 Sunday evening:

As is normally the case whenever a coastal storm occurs, the Black Horse Pike in the West Atlantic City section of Egg Harbor Township was closed several times due to high water.

Motels Flooded, Rescues Required

And it was that high water that inundated the notorious motels along that stretch of road, causing crews to be deployed to rescue six people and a dog.

Police Chief Voices Frustration

A reporter with AccuWeather was out covering the story, and he was able to interview Egg Harbor Township Police Chief Fred Spano, who didn't hold back when discussing the situation.

Spano said that not everyone at those motels, both residents and owners, heeded warnings to evacuate, even with advanced notice, prompting their response.

Several years ago, four motels there were demolished as part of a grant program to mitigate flooding and to make that stretch of road a nicer gateway into Atlantic City.

In 2015, EHT Mayor James "Sonny" McCullough told CBS News,

These motels have been in a rather deplorable condition. We have had homicides out here, we have had narcotics problems out here, we have had domestics out here.

And while infamous places like the Hi-Ho Motel and the Bay Point Inn are long gone, three remain.

Storm Moving Out, Sunny Weather Ahead

The good news is that this coastal storm is slowly departing and sunny -- and much, much drier -- weather is in the forecast for Wednesday through the upcoming weekend.