National Grid increases staffing, prepares for potential severe thunderstorms across Western & Central New York

Company crews are mobilized; customers are reminded to keep safety a priority

Submitted by National Grid

With today’s severe thunderstorms forecasted to break the nearly weeklong heatwave, National Grid has increased its Western and Central New York staffing, extended work shifts through Monday, and is prepared if the storms cause damage to the energy delivery system.

Meteorologists are predicting strong winds with potentially damaging gusts and dangerous lightning throughout the day and overnight. The company has activated its comprehensive emergency response plan, including:

√ Securing external resources and mobilizing crews in areas anticipated to be most severely impacted.

√ Prestaging crews and materials in regions forecasted to be hardest hit.

√ Reaching out to elected, municipal and emergency management officials to keep them updated on our preparations and provide safety information.

√ Informing customers through traditional and social media, email, texts and on our website with messages that include storm safety and preparation tips.

√ Conducting outbound calls to life support and critical facility customers to ensure they are prepared.

The company encourages customers to keep safety a priority with the following reminders:

Electricity & Generator Safety

√ If a power outage occurs, 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.

Click here for details on the company’s storm preparation and restoration process.

Stay informed and connected:

√ Customers with active electricity accounts who text REG to 64743 can have personalized alerts sent to them via text, email or phone call when we detect an outage on their properties.

√ Customers also can text OUT to 64743 to report an outage.

√ For real-time power outage information, online outage reporting, and in-depth storm safety information, visit National Grid’s Outage Central website. Customers who create an online profile also can sign up for email alerts.

√ Customers can read the latest company news, check outage status and report an outage by using the National Grid app.

√ Visit our website: www.nationalgridus.com, follow on Twitter or friend on Facebook.