CON EDISON JOINED BY THOUSANDS OF OUT OF STATE CREWS
NEW YORK – Con Edison is being joined by an army of mutual aid crews from various states and Canada that will help restore service knocked out by Hurricane Sandy.
Nearly 2,000 out-of-town crews are being deployed in New York City and Westchester County from various staging areas. An additional 400 crews are scheduled to arrive in the Con Edison service territory by Sunday.
Con Edison has established Mutual Aid Base Camps and staging areas at Rye Playland in Rye, Citifield in Queens, and Miller Field in Staten Island. Con Edison is building additional base camps in FDR State Park in Yorktown Heights and the Queens Hall of Science.
Con Edison crews have restored electricity to more than 700,000 customers, or approximately 70 percent of all those who lost power since Hurricane Sandy slammed through New York. Nearly 950,000 Con Edison customers were affected by the storm.
The hurricane is the worst natural disaster to strike New York and Con Edison’s customers.
Safety remains the No. 1 priority for customers, Con Edison employees, and contractors. Crews are facing thousands of downed wires in New York City and Westchester County. The company is working closely with emergency services personnel to open blocked roads and streets.
In addition to restoring electricity to homes and businesses, weekend goals include bringing electricity to schools for Monday, and polling places for Tuesday. Those restorations are nearing 100 percent for accessible buildings.
Some cannot be re-energized since they are in flood zones with damage that prevents the safe re-introduction of electricity.
The company expects to make significant progress restoring electricity over the next seven days by planning work and sharing it with hundreds of overhead crews from around the country.
As of 10 p.m., Con Edison reported approximately 246,000 customers out of service. That included 7,300 in Manhattan, 74,000 in Queens, 24,000 in Brooklyn, 27,000 in Staten Island and 15,000 in the Bronx.
In Westchester County, the company reported 99,000 customers out of service. Originally, 210,000 customers in the county were affected by the hurricane.
Customers can report downed power lines, outages, and check service restoration status by computer or mobile device at www.conEd.com. They also can call 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). When reporting an outage, it is helpful if customers have their Con Edison account number available, if possible, and report whether their neighbors also have lost power. Customers who report outages will be called by Con Edison with their estimated restoration times as they become available.
The company is advising its customers to pay close attention to reports from city and municipal officials. Con Edison will continue to provide updates through the media as the storm moves closer. Important information will be posted on the company’s website, www.conEd.com.
· Never operate a portable electric generator indoors or in an attached garage. Be sure to place the generator outside where exhaust fumes will not enter into enclosed spaces. Only operate a generator outdoors in a well-ventilated, dry area, away from air intakes to the home. The generator should be protected from direct exposure to rain and snow.
· Use extreme caution before going into a flooded basement. Know whether there are electrified services or unsanitary conditions and wear high rubber boots. Also, know how deep the water is and probe it with a wooden stick, if necessary, to gauge the depth. Keep children out of basements where there is water.
· If you see downed electrical wires, do not go near them. Treat all downed wires as if they are live. Never attempt to move or touch them with any object. Be mindful that downed wires can be hidden from view by tree limbs, leaves or water.
· Report all downed wires to Con Edison and your local police department immediately. If a power line falls on your car while you’re in it, stay inside the vehicle and wait for emergency personnel.
· If you still have power, charge your cell phones, lap tops and other mobile devices, so that they’ll work if you do lose power.
· If your power goes out, turn off all lights and appliances to prevent overloaded circuits when power is restored.
· Check to make sure your flashlights and any battery-operated radios are working. Also, make sure you have a supply of extra batteries. Weather updates and news on power outages can be heard on most local radio and television stations.
· Avoid opening your freezer to see if food is still frozen. Every time you open the door, room-temperature air enters and speeds the thawing process. Most fully loaded freezers will keep food frozen for approximately 36 to 48 hours; half-full freezers will keep food frozen for approximately 24 hours.
The company is in constant communication with the New York City Office of Emergency Management and the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services and company personnel are working closely with city and municipal emergency officials.
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