(NEWS10) – National Grid is increasing staffing, extending evening and overnight work shifts, and closely monitoring the weather. This is in preparation for possible high winds, scattered showers, and the potential thunderstorms forecast for Saturday across Upstate New York.
National Grid has increased employee counts in the field and has activated its comprehensive emergency response plan. That plan includes:
- Calling in outside resources, and mobilizing field and tree crews.
- Pre-staging crews and materials in areas anticipated to be most severely impacted.
- Proactively reaching out to elected, municipal and emergency management officials to keep them updated on our preparations and provide safety information.
- Reaching out directly to customers through traditional and social media, email and texts and on National Grid’s website to provide safety information and to urge them to be prepared.
- Conducting outbound calls to life support and critical facility customers to ensure they are prepared.
National Grid is also offering suggestions about what you should do if your power goes out. Those suggestions include:
- If a power outage occurs, customers can notify National Grid online to expedite restoration.
- Never touch downed power lines; always assume they are carrying live electricity. Downed lines should be immediately reported to National Grid at 1-800-867-5222 or by calling 911.
- Generators used to supply power during an outage must be operated outdoors to prevent the buildup of deadly carbon monoxide. Before operating a generator, be sure to disconnect from National Grid’s system by shutting off the main breaker, located in the electric service panel. Failure to do this could endanger our crews and your neighbors.
- Customers who depend on electrically powered life support equipment, such as a respirator, should register as a life support customer by calling National Grid at 1-800-642-4272. In a medical emergency, always dial 911.
- Keep working flashlights and an extra supply of batteries in your home and be sure to charge all electronic devices before the storm.
- Please use caution when driving near emergency responders and crews restoring power.
- Be sure to check on elderly family members, neighbors and others who may need assistance during an outage.
