Con Edison Responding to April Nor’easter, Offering Tips

NEW YORK, NY - With more than 1,000 additional personnel on hand, Con Edison is prepared to respond to any outages caused by the heavy rain and wind buffeting the Metropolitan area. The utility has ramped up its emergency response with extra electrical repair and tree clearance crews, along with additional call center personnel, all ready to respond to any weather-related service problems and customer calls.

The company also has additional damage assessment teams standing by to respond to reports of downed power lines and power outages. Quick assessment of the damage helps ensure that repair crews will have all the necessary replacement equipment needed when they arrive on the scene, which helps expedite restoration time. The company is working closely with local officials to ensure that repair crews can quickly and safely respond to outages in flooded areas.

Con Edison continues to monitor the progress of the storm and will maintain elevated staffing levels to ensure a rapid response to any service problems.

Strong wind gusts could take their toll on trees, causing them to topple into power lines and result in outages. In addition, extensive flooding from rising levels of seawater can damage underground electrical equipment in low-lying areas, which could cause customers to lose power.

The company urges customers to report power interruptions or service problems on-line at www.conEd.com, or by calling Con Edison’s toll-free customer service number 1-800-75-CON ED (1-800-752-6633). When reporting an outage, customers should have their Con Edison account number available, if possible, and report whether their neighbors have also lost power.

Con Edison offers the following tips to prepare for a storm:

-- 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 your power goes out, turn off all lights and appliances to prevent overloaded circuits when power is restored. Leave at least one light switch in the on position to alert you when power has been restored.

-- Check to make sure your flashlights and any battery-operated radios or televisions are in working order. Use candles and oil lamps with care. Also, make sure you have a supply of extra batteries. Weather updates and news on restorations of electrical service 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.

-- Make sure your cordless phones are fully charged. Customers should consider maintaining at least one corded, or landline, phone at all times.

The company will maintain close contact with the New York City Office of Emergency Management and the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services to coordinate storm response as necessary.