Hurricanes National Grid is concerned about your safety and that of your family. One of the best ways to ensure the safety of loved ones is by preparing for a storm. Here’s how:

• Continue to monitor this web site and your local media for important information.
• Consider all downed wires to be energized and dangerous, including telephone, fiber optic and cable TV wires. They may be in contact with energized electric wires that are not within your view. To report downed electric wires, please call us: 1-800-867-5222 in New York and New England 1-800-465-1212
• Disconnect sensitive appliances, such as computers, televisions and microwaves, to avoid potential power surge damage when electricity is restored.
• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors shut-food will stay six to nine hours in a refrigerator without spoiling. Frozen foods will keep about 24 hours.
• Use generators safely-for detailed information, see the Generators section.
• If your home has flooding, check with an electrician before turning on anything.
• If you anticipate an extended outage, consider moving yourself and your family - especially those with special needs - to an alternate location.
• Consider checking on others who may benefit from your assistance.

Our crews begin restoring service as quickly as possible once safe conditions are established. Under our priority system, repair crews typically first address problems with transmission lines and substations that serve large numbers of customers, and restore critical customers such as hospitals and public safety facilities. While those problems are being resolved, crews also begin to work on substations and primary lines that serve many customers. Crews then target secondary lines that serve local neighborhoods. Lines and transformers within neighborhoods and the wires that connect them to homes and businesses come next-starting with areas that involve the most customers


If you depend on electric-powered life support equipment, such as a respirator, make sure that you have notified us. If you have a medical emergency always dial 911.
(Outbound calling is being done by our Call Centers to those who previously notified us about having life support equipment.)

• Water. The American Red Cross recommends one gallon of water per person per day.
• Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food.
• Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food).
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio.
• Flashlight and extra batteries.
• First aid kit .
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation.
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities.
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities.
• Local maps.
• Cell phone with chargers

You might also want to include:

• Prescription medications and glasses.
• Infant formula and diapers .
• Pet food and extra water for your pet.
• Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container.
• Fire Extinguisher.
• Matches in a waterproof container.
• Personal hygiene items.
• Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels.
• Paper and pencil.
• Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children.

Being a good neighbor can be demonstrated in a variety of ways, including assisting the elderly during this stressful period. If you have an elderly neighbor make sure they are aware of the pending situation and have considered their options:
Plan A: Stay Home:

• Remain calm and gather all supplies that you will need EARLY, including adequate medical/prescription supplies.
• Establish a “safe room” in an interior room with no window. Bring needed supplies including battery-powered radio, flashlights, medication, food and drinking water into this room.
• Make sure that your home is secure and shuttered, and that it can withstand a hurricane. Ask neighbors to assist with preparations if necessary.
• Make sure that a neighbor or someone in your family knows that you will be there.

Plan B: Stay with Local Friends: If you plan to stay with family or friends during a hurricane, take these precautions:

• Remain calm. Call them in advance. Make sure they will be ready for you.
• Have a backup plan in case they are out of town.
• Have your emergency checklist completed outlining your needs.
• Bring your own food, water, medicine supply and important papers with you.
• If your loved one has dementia, ask to have a room just for you and your loved one. Ask them to take the same safety precautions you have in your home (e.g., hide sharp objects and poisons, limit access to exits, cover mirrors).
• Notify your friends/family/neighbors of your evacuation plans.

• Use surge protectors.
• Unplug televisions and other sensitive electronics.
• Consider a UPS.
• Charge the battery for your cell phone and laptops.

• Before lowering a TV antenna or satellite dish, make sure to turn off and unplug the TV, and avoid power lines.
• Turn off all swimming pool pumps and filters, and wrap them in waterproof materials.
• Turn your refrigerator and freezer to their coldest settings ahead of time to keep food fresh longer in the event of a power outage.
• Turn off and unplug any unnecessary electrical equipment.
• When working on a ladder, look up and note the location of power lines before you begin. Be sure that ladders or scaffolds are far enough away so that you – and the ends of the tools you're using – don't come within 10 feet of power lines.

Customers using generators should make sure their wiring system is disconnected from our system before operating the generator. When using a portable generator, make sure the main circuit breaker in your electric service panel box is in the Off position. If you have a fuse box instead of breakers, pull out the main block, remove the fuses and reinsert the empty block. This is necessary to prevent your generator's electricity from going back into our system, which could endanger the lives of line crews and your neighbors. Also, it's required by the National Electrical Code.

Use generators outdoors only.Never use a generator inside buildings, vehicles, basements, or any enclosed areas - the exhaust fumes contain poisonous carbon monoxide and can kill or cause serious injury.


National Grid is prepared to handle storm situations. It’s our responsibility to you. But here’s what you can do to best protect your business and ensure the safety of your employees.

Take the necessary precautions:

• If a storm threatens, secure your building.
• Cover windows.
• Cover and move equipment/furniture to a secured area.

Protect data with backup files:

• If dependent on data processing, consider an alternate site.
• Make provisions for alternate communications and power.

Make plans for supplies and services:

• Be prepared to work with limited supplies of cash, and be without water, sewer or power for at least two weeks. Store emergency supplies at the office.

Protect employees:

• Employee safety comes first! Prepare, distribute and exercise your business hurricane plan for recovery.
• Consider providing shelter to employees and their families and helping with supplies post-storm.
• Establish a rendezvous point and time for employees in case communications are disrupted.
• Establish a call-down procedure for warning and post-storm communications.
• Provide photo IDs and a letter of authorization to enter the building.

Contact customers and suppliers:

• Share your communications and recovery plan in advance.
• Prepare a list of vendors to provide disaster recovery services.