There was a major effort in the Ortley Beach section of Toms River Friday to prevent flooding and damage as a strong coastal storm swept through New Jersey.

Crews were out most of the day securing sand dunes by bringing in nearly 300 loads of sand. The hope was to form a wall to keep the ocean away from homes.

"When we came out here this morning, there really wasn't much beach," said Mike Cervone of Early Asphalt. "Now that high tide is starting to come up, it's getting worse."

The constant rain and strong winds were badly eroding the beach. Most of the sand was gone from the Seventh Avenue beach. Residents were hoping the wall put in place would help up against the storm.

Meanwhile, Toms River Mayor Tom Kelaher and the Office of Emergency Management director had rescue crews and equipment ready to go.

"We have swift water rescue teams on standby," says OEM Director Paul Daley. "Hopefully we won't need them, but we did learn a lot from Sandy and we are much better prepared."

On Thursday many New Jersey officials were worried about the impacts the coastal storm would have on the state, coupled with the threat of Hurricane Joaquin out in the Atlantic Ocean. Now it seems as if Joaquin will bypass New Jersey with minimal affect.

However, Mayor Kelaher isn't letting down his guard. "We still have the effects of it with higher tides," he says.

For a community greatly affected by Superstorm Sandy, most are just hoping their homes are safe.