UPDATE 10 PM: About 12,000 customers are without power in Westchester County. The biggest outages have been reported in New Rochelle and Pelham: 3,519; with about 1,500 reported out in the Ossining-Croton area and around White Plains.
Most are expected to be restored by 2 a.m. Sept. 19.
According to a press release posted this evening on the power company's website, Con Edison crews are preparing to respond to any outages that occur today or this evening due to the severe rain and windstorms expected to hit New York City and Westchester County. The company reminds customers to take safety precautions and avoid any downed power lines.
Customers can report downed power lines, outages and check service restoration status online by computer, cell phone, or smart phone at www.conEd.com.They can also call 1-800-75CONED (1-800-752-6633). When reporting an outage, have your Con Edison account number available, if possible, and report whether your neighbors have also lost power.
Depending on the severity of storm damage, crews will give priority to restoring service lines that will provide power to the most customers as quickly as possible, then move on to restore smaller groups and individual customers who are without power.
Con Edison offers the following safety tips:
- If you see downed electrical wires, do not go near them. Treat all downed wires as if they are live. Never attempt to move them or touch them with your hands or any object. Be mindful that downed wires can be hidden from view by tree limbs, leaves or water.
- Report all downed wires to Con Edison and your local police department immediately. If a power line falls on your car while you're in it, stay inside the vehicle and wait for emergency personnel.
- If your power goes out, disconnect or turn off appliances that would otherwise turn on automatically when service is restored. If several appliances start up at once, the electric circuits may overload.
- Check to make sure your flashlights and any battery-operated radios are in working order. Make sure you have a supply of extra batteries.
- Weather updates and news on restorations of electrical service can be heard on most local radio and television stations.
