Hurricane News & Other Helpful Info

[SmoothButch]

We are in VA and woke up safe and haven't spotted any damage as of yet to our home from Irene. We did awake around 2am due to the loud howling wind whipping around the house.

I have been unable to get ahold of my father who lives down in NC not far from Jacksonville. I spoke with him earlier on Saturday and he had already lost power. Going to keep trying to call and see if he's okay.

[Reader]

FOR THE NJ FOLKS...


PSE&G makes final storm preparations as state braces for Hurricane Irene


About 840 linemen, 540 tree contractors will be working around the clock
to restore electric service


Customers should be prepared for potentially lengthy outages

Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G) Company is making final storm preparations to deal with the potential for significant equipment damage and extended customer outages as a result of Hurricane Irene.

"Our state has never before experienced a storm of this magnitude," said Ralph LaRossa, PSE&G president and COO. "PSE&G will have about 6,000 employees supporting the restoration effort, including 840 linemen and 540 tree contractors available to respond to outages once the hurricane pulls away. While our electric system has been recognized as the most reliable in the nation, we expect significant damage from the extraordinary wind and rain expected to pummel New Jersey this weekend. Full restoration could take between one and three weeks."

LaRossa added, "The safety of our customers and employees is first and foremost. We will begin restoring service as soon as conditions are safe to do so. We appreciate the patience and cooperation of our customers as we deal with what may be an unprecedented event."

In addition to widespread electric outages, PSE&G expects the heavy rain and predicted storm surge to result in gas outages. Water could enter the utility's gas distribution system, as well as flood customers' basements and gas appliances. Customers are reminded to call PSE&G to report gas odors, and contact their local fire department and municipal construction office to receive assistance in pumping the water out of their basements.

Electric crews work to restore power to the largest numbers of customers first, taking into account "priority" customers, such as hospitals, police stations, fire stations, water and sewer facilities, communications facilities (TV, radio, and telephone), and customers on life-sustaining medical equipment. At the same time, the utility restores power to homes and businesses, starting with the circuits serving the largest number of customers.

To report downed wires or power outages, customers should call PSE&G's Customer Service line at 1-800-436-PSEG. PSE&G uses an automated system to handle customer calls as efficiently as possible. Customers who get an automated response when calling PSE&G are encouraged to use it, as it is designed to route their calls to the right destination quickly. The system also provides the option to speak directly to a customer service representative. If you have specific information regarding damage to wires, transformers or poles, we ask that you speak with a representative to provide that information.

Customers with a handheld device, or who are at an alternate location with power, can also report power outages and view the status of their outage by logging in to My Account at pseg.com. General outage activity throughout our service territory is available online at www.pseg.com/outagecenter and updates are posted on pseg.com during severe weather.

If outages are widespread, the utility will activate its Twitter page to keep the public informed about our restoration progress. Sign up as a follower at http://twitter.com/psegoutageinfo to monitor restoration progress.

PSE&G offers the following important information for customers:

DOWNED POWER LINES
Heavy rain and strong winds can cause power lines to come down. Downed wires may appear dead but should always be considered "live." STAY AWAY FROM ALL DOWNED LINES . Do not approach or drive over a downed line and do not touch anything that it might be in contact with. Parents are urged to check for downed wires in areas where their children might play and to remind the children to stay far away from any wires. If a wire falls on a vehicle, passengers should stay in the vehicle until help arrives. To report a downed wire, call 1-800-436-PSEG and tell PSE&G the nearest cross street.

CUSTOMERS WITH LIFE-SUSTAINING EQUIPMENT
Individuals who rely on electricity to operate life-sustaining electronic equipment, such as a respirator or dialysis machine, should pre-register with PSE&G to receive priority attention in the event of an outage. To request the service, call PSE&G at 1-800-436-PSEG. They should also inform their rescue squads and fire departments of their needs, in case of emergency. Even though customers with life-sustaining equipment who have registered with PSE&G will receive priority attention during outages, they should also have emergency back-up equipment on hand, since immediate restoration cannot be guaranteed.

IF YOU LOSE POWER
First check your neighborhood. If you are the only one without power, check your fuse box for tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses. If that's not the problem, look outside at the wire between your house and the utility pole. If it is down, report it immediately to PSE&G.

If you lose power:
KEEP REFRIGERATOR AND FREEZER DOORS CLOSED. Food will stay frozen between 36 and 48 hours in a fully loaded freezer (24 hours in a half-full freezer).
Know how to open your garage door without the electric opener.
Remember, electric well and sump pumps will not operate.
Unplug all motor-driven appliances like refrigerators and freezers and sensitive electronic equipment (like TVs, microwaves and computers) to prevent a possible electrical overload when power is restored.
Leave one light switch on to indicate when power is restored.

IF YOU USE A PORTABLE ELECTRIC GENERATOR, CAREFULLY READ AND FOLLOW THE MANUAL THAT CAME WITH IT. Be sure your generator is UL-approved, installed by a licensed electrician and inspected by your local electrical inspector. There must be a way to physically disconnect your generator from utility lines. Customers who improperly install, operate or maintain a generator are responsible for any injury or damage suffered by themselves, their neighbors or utility workers.


FLOODED BASEMENTS
Flooded basements can pose a genuine safety risk. Below are some steps you can take to help ensure your safety in the event of flooding:
Be cautious in flooded basements.
If customers lose electricity and their basement is flooded, notify PSE&G (1-800-436-7734) and call the local fire department to have the basement pumped. Stay away from the breaker box if it's in a flooded basement. And don't go into a flooded basement if energized wires are present.
If water is rising to the height of any gas appliance, the gas supply to the appliance should be turned off. If customers are unable to do so, please contact PSE&G or your local police or fire department for assistance. To restore gas service to appliances call PSE&G (1-800-436-7734) and have the appliances checked for safety and restored to proper operation.
Customers should call PSE&G (1-800-436-7734) immediately if they smell gas.



GENERAL TIPS:
Mother Nature can be unpredictable. It's wise to have an emergency kit on hand year round. Here are some things to include:
A battery-powered radio.
A corded telephone (cordless phones will not work if the power is out)
Flashlights and extra fresh batteries.
A first-aid kit.
Bottled water and an adequate supply of non-perishable food.
A non-electric can opener.
Matches and candles with holders.
Extra blankets and sleeping bags.
A list of emergency phone numbers, including PSE&G's Customer Service line: 1-800-436-PSEG. Call this number to report power outages or downed wires.

[lipstixgal]

We are in northern NJ and have power and internet yay so far so good. It doesn't seem as bad as they said it would be!!

[JustJo]

Saw on the news last night that virtually all of the FPL (Florida Power & Light) line workers and trucks are headed north to help clean up after Irene. They left a skeleton crew for us, but the rest are headed your way.

[Zimmeh]

I remember when we rode out Hurricane Charley that hit Punta Gorda, FL in 2004. This was a fast moving hurricane that hit Orlando, about three hours later. I am a native Floridian and that scared me. When we were able to go outside the next morning, we walked from our neighbors apartment to our apartment, and we had a small oak tree in the stairwell and we had to climb through it to reach our apartment. The French doors were blown open, water and debri was all over the living room and my two cats, were scared to death in the bathroom. As a result, I ended up with pneumonia from the black mold and it took the management company several weeks to clean up the mess. You could see where the high winds lifted the roof of our apartment and dropped it back down. You could see the roofing nails through the paint. I tried to call my mom, who lives near Daytona Beach, FL and the cell phone towers were down for AT&T. It took me a few hours to finally get in touch with her and found out that she was ok and that they lost power for two weeks. She lives near the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and the river, came up over the seawall and left a mess in the pool.

I feel for the people who have lost their power and lives and my thoughts and prayers go out to them!

Zimmy

[Reader]

Originally Posted by JustJo

Saw on the news last night that virtually all of the FPL (Florida Power & Light) line workers and trucks are headed north to help clean up after Irene. They left a skeleton crew for us, but the rest are headed your way.

Thanks Florida!

[Reader]

Central Jersey update...

The birds are back yapping outside. They are out eating the seed!

I think it is a good sign.

[DapperButch]

No problems here and we have power.

[gaea]

I was up late watching the news and up early this morning watching the news, Im seeing flooding in parts of new york, i hope everyone is ok i saw a report where a woman was washed out to see in her car unbelievable . surfers out in oc,md...crazy i say but hey if they gotta catch a wave. it looks horrific from where i sit...please all be safe.

[JazzGirl]

My daughter had a change of plans with her best friend. They went to Bethany's brother's home in Worcester. So far, so good. THANK YOU all for the love, support, caring, prayers and concerns. Thank you especially LaDavina for the info you gave me.

May all be safe, warm and free from harm!

Jazzie

[Reader]

MSNBC: NYC evacuation order for low-lying areas to be lifted at 3pm today.

[atomiczombie]

Just wanted to say I have been thinking about all you east coasties and hope everyone is safe and ok and not too much property damage.

[Tommi]

Goodnight Irene , Goodnight Irene, I'm glad your'e moving on.

Good to hear from all you folks along the eastern side if the USA.

[Leigh]

I've been worried about all of My friends on the east coast and I've heard that everyone is okay so I'm glad for that but I also hope everyone else who hasn't reported in today is okay

[Gaige]

I was at work when the worst started. I ended up leaving work early, around 1am during the brunt since we couldn't find any drivers to make the runs. My boss actually asked me to make a run to Hopkins at double time pay. I agreed and my biggest worry wasn't the weather. It was getting mugged or finding parking. He laughed and said you're an emergency worker...double park. He ended finding a driver to make the run though so I just headed home. It was a strange ride home because all the highway lights were out along I-95. Got home to no power. I was told it went out around 11pm. It came back on about an hour ago. WTG Baltimore Gas & Electric and a huge thanks to the 3,700 out of state utility workers that came to help.

[MissItalianDiva]

Luckily my mother is here on vacation with me but Staten Island is BAD....my mother and fathers cars have water up to the side windows and they are doing rescues out there. I cant get a hold of my family so we are praying and hoping all is ok. Stay safe everyone in LI and SI

[Reader]

Originally Posted by MissItalianDiva

Luckily my mother is here on vacation with me but Staten Island is BAD....my mother and fathers cars have water up to the side windows and they are doing rescues out there. I cant get a hold of my family so we are praying and hoping all is ok. Stay safe everyone in LI and SI

We are thinking of you and your family. Cell service is very sketchy, and so is power.

DON'T FORGET THAT YOU SHOULD ALWAYS KEEP AN OLD-FASHIONED PHONE (non-wireless) ON HAND FOR EMERGENCY. EVEN WHEN YOU LOSE ELECTRICITY, MOST TIMES THE LANDLINE PHONES STILL WORK. (they get their power from the phone line, not the electric coming in to your house)

[LaDivina]

Just checking in to say Scorp and I are fine but we lost power a couple hours ago. Sump pump is running, though, so yay!

[SmoothButch]

Originally Posted by SmoothButch

We are in VA and woke up safe and haven't spotted any damage as of yet to our home from Irene. We did awake around 2am due to the loud howling wind whipping around the house.

I have been unable to get ahold of my father who lives down in NC not far from Jacksonville. I spoke with him earlier on Saturday and he had already lost power. Going to keep trying to call and see if he's okay.

I finally got ahold of him and he is fine. Thanks everyone!

[Heart]

Friends report things are BAD in the Catskills. But media keeps focusing on the five boroughs and a few downed branches. Bloomburg wants his Giuliani moment. Ugh.