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Staff at Sunrise Assisted Living alerted responders to the discovery among the third-floor resident’s possessions in Building 4 on Tenakill Park Drive East shortly before 3 p.m. July 13, Police Capt. Jason Lanzilotti said.
Cresskill police, firefighters and EMS “coordinated and conducted precautionary evacuations of the 3rd floor while others further away were sheltered in place,” as were any non-ambulatory residents, the captain said.
“Precautionary evacuations were also conducted on the 2nd floor directly below,” he said.
Technicians from the Bergen County Bomb Squad took and disposed of the device and gave the go-ahead for everyone to return.
The device "was legit," one veteran officer said.
Also responding were a Bergen County Sheriff’s K-9 unit and sheriff’s officers.
“Once the building was deemed completely safe, the building and the residents were turned back over to the Sunrise staff,” Lanzilotti said.
Less than 116,000 of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II are still alive, with many of them in their 90s, according to the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
The overall number of living WWII veterans is expected to dip below 100,000 in the coming months -- and reach 50,000 by 2026.
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