NATIONAL GRID PREPS FOR POTENTIAL STRONG WINDS; URGES CENTRAL NEW YORK CUSTOMERS TO PLAN AHEAD

Forecasts Call for Strong Winds to Begin Overnight, Continuing Through Thursday

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – High wind warnings and watches have been posted for most of Central and Northern New York beginning overnight tonight, and National Grid crews are prepping for any damage those winds may cause to its energy delivery network. The company is urging its customers to be prepared, and be safe, in the event of service outages.

National Grid is closely monitoring local forecasts, and will have its regional storm rooms prepped and fully staffed early tomorrow morning. All local crews are on stand-by to report early, if necessary, and will be available to address service issues throughout the event as soon as it is safe to do so.

National Grid advises customers to be prepared in the event of service interruptions. It’s a good idea to have a number of working flashlights, at least one battery-operated radio and an extra supply of batteries in your home. A radio is a good way to stay in touch, as National Grid provides news media with timely information regarding service restoration efforts.

National Grid is keeping safety a priority

National Grid offers the following tips for customers to minimize inconvenience and maximize safety in the event that storm-related power interruptions do occur.

• National Grid customers who experience outages should call National Grid’s outage line at 1-800-867-5222 immediately to expedite restoration.
• Never touch downed power lines, and always assume that any fallen lines are live electric wires. If you see one, report it immediately to National Grid or your local emergency response organization.
• Power problems can sometimes interrupt public water supply systems or disable well pumps, so it’s an especially good idea to keep a supply of bottled drinking water handy, as well as some canned food.
• People who depend on electric-powered life support equipment, such as a respirator, should let National Grid know. To register as a life support customer, call the company’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-642-4272.
• Check on elderly family members, neighbors and others who may need assistance during an outage period.
• If you use a generator to supply power during an outage, be sure to operate it outdoors. Before operating generators, disconnect from National Grid’s system by shutting off the main breaker located in the electric service panel. Failure to do this could jeopardize the safety of line crews and the public.
• If you lose power, turn off any appliances that were on when the power went off, but leave one light on so you will know when power is restored.

The company provides a number of channels for customers to learn about service issues and interruptions during storms. Customers can receive text message alerts and updates by texting the word STORM to NGRID (64743) or follow the storm on their mobile devices by using the National Grid mobile app. The company provides real time outage information on its Outage Central web site at nationalgridus.com/OutageCentral.

E-mail alerts are also available to customers who create an online profile on the company’s website. All alert services can be started and stopped at the customer’s request. National Grid also provides storm and restoration updates through Facebook and Twitter.