NEWARK, N.J., Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Public Service Electric
and Gas Company (PSE&G), New
Jersey's largest electric and gas utility, is closely
monitoring the track of Hurricane Earl and is prepared if the storm
hits. According to the National Weather Service, the powerful
Category 3 storm is expected to affect the East Coast Thursday
night and Friday bringing the potential for heavy rain and strong
winds in our service territory. Earlier this week, Hurricane Earl
pummeled the northeastern Caribbean with damaging rain and winds.
September is the height of hurricane season and Hurricane Earl
is just one of several potential storms swirling around the
Atlantic Ocean that could impact the East Coast in the next week or
two. PSE&G is monitoring these other storms as well.
In anticipation of Hurricane Earl, PSE&G has all personnel
available and is ensuring that additional supplies, such as poles
and pole top equipment, are on hand to promptly respond and restore
service should the inclement weather result in outages.
Clearly, a storm like Hurricane Earl has the potential to
interrupt service. High winds might cause trees to brush up against
power lines and lightning could strike and damage trees or pole top
equipment.
PSE&G uses an automated system to handle customer calls as
efficiently as possible. Customers who get an automated response
when calling PSE&G should not hesitate to use it, as it is
designed to route their calls to the right destinations. The system
also provides the option to speak directly to a customer service
representative. Customers are asked to use this option if they are
calling to report damage to wires, transformers or poles.
This will help PSE&G to restore power more expeditiously.
In addition, 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.
Depending on the severity of the storm, response times for both
electric and gas emergency services may be longer than usual.
In anticipation of possible storm conditions, PSE&G urges
customers to be aware of the following important points:
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:
- Throw a blanket over appliances for added insulation.
- 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.
HOW PSE&G RESTORES POWER TO CUSTOMERS
In the event of an outage, PSE&G's crews work around the
clock to restore power to customers. Their first concern is always
health and safety.
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.
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 gets up to the height of the gas burner on a water
heater or gas heater, customers can shut off the supply of gas to
the unit if they know how. They must call PSE&G
(1-800-436-7734) to have the gas supply turned back on, because
pilot lights must be lit.
- 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.
Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) is
New Jersey's oldest and largest
regulated gas and electric delivery utility, serving nearly
three-quarters of the state's population. PSE&G is the winner
of the ReliabilityOne National Achievement Award for superior
electric system reliability. PSE&G is a subsidiary of Public
Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PSEG) (NYSE: PEG), a
diversified energy company (www.pseg.com).
SOURCE Public Service Electric & Gas Company (PSE&G)
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