National Grid will distribute dry ice and bottled water again today to support customers affected by the damaging storm that struck large portions of upstate New York. Service has been restored to 97%, or 125,000 of the 128,000 customers impacted by tornadoes, heavy rain and powerful winds across Eastern New York. Customers who remain without power are in the areas hardest hit by the storm, where crews have been faced with downed wires, broken poles, damaged transformers, and uprooted trees on power lines, resulting in impassable roads and difficult-to-reach equipment. This includes Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Saratoga, Warren and Washington counties.

The company’s extensive resources are expected to make significant progress in these regions today with most remaining customers restored by 11:30 p.m. today. Isolated and scattered single customer outages in the hardest-to-access areas could potentially extend into tomorrow. Crews will continue to work tirelessly to accelerate these restoration times to every extent possible.

Dry ice and bottled water distribution is a component of National Grid’s emergency response. Distribution locations were selected for their accessibility by customers in communities hardest hit by the storm. Customers are asked to bring a cooler or paper grocery bags to transport dry ice to their homes, and company personnel will provide information about its proper handling.

Dry ice locations in eastern New York will be available on July 19 at the following locations

Speculator Fire Department
2859 NY-30
Speculator, NY 12164
8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Warrensburg Volunteer Fire Department
18 Elm St.
Warrensburg, NY 12885
8 a.m.- 5 p.m.

What is dry ice?

Dry ice is manufactured by freezing carbon dioxide at very low temperatures until it reaches a solid form. Handle the dry ice very carefully — use gloves, a cloth, etc. to protect your hands while working with the dry ice. It is important to avoid any direct contact with the skin.

When transporting dry ice in your vehicle, remember that carbon dioxide buildup can be hazardous in a closed space. Rolling down windows and ensuring your vehicle’s ventilation system is not set to recirculate are two ways of preventing this buildup in the car. Additionally, always keep small children and pets at a safe distance from dry ice.

Using dry ice safely

Keep dry ice wrapped tightly in newspaper, paper bags, or towels when not in use to extend its shelf life and remain safe. To preserve refrigerated (not frozen) foods, place the dry ice at the very bottom of coolers, refrigerators or other insulated containers. Avoid direct contact between dry ice and food.

To preserve frozen goods, set the dry ice on top of the frozen items. Do NOT allow foods directly the dry ice. Be sure to layer insulating material, such as cardboard or Styrofoam, between the dry ice and perishable items.

Dry ice is not edible; NEVER add it to a beverage or edible item.

When wrapped in an insulating container, small quantities of dry ice have an effective cooling time of roughly 24 hours. Keeping refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible also helps to preserve the food and further extend its cooling life.

When dry ice is unavailable, or if available quantities are only sufficient for preserving your frozen food, consider purchasing regular ice cubes, available at convenience stores, gas stations or other markets. For effective cooling techniques, place bags or containers of ice throughout the refrigerator or cooler. Avoid direct contact between dry ice and food.

The Restoration Process

The company’s first priority is to ensure the safety of our customers and our crews by clearing away dangers such as live, downed power lines. Next comes repairs to main transmission facilities, including towers, poles and high-tension wires that deliver power to thousands of customers. Recovery work at local substations also is a high priority, followed by repairs to neighborhood circuits, transformers and service wires. Click here for a video about how National Grid restores power after a storm.

Estimated Restoration Times

• In the early stages of a storm, the restoration times on National Grid’s Outage Central site may be listed as “assessing conditions.” This is because debris such as trees, tree limbs, and downed wires must be cleared away so that damage to our equipment can be assessed and restoration plans can be executed. 

• It's normal for outage numbers and Estimated Restoration Times to fluctuate as we de-energize lines to make conditions safe for repairs. inclement weather persists. Additionally, there could be new outages that occur if more storms impact the region.
  
  
• Outage Central Reminder: Our Outage Central page shows the estimated time of restoration for communities and reflects the estimated time for the last customer in that community to have power restored. The most accurate way for customers to check on the power restoration estimate for their specific address is to log into our Report or Check Outage page.
  
  

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

Electricity & Generator Safety

• If a power outage occurs, customers can notify National Grid online to expedite restoration.
• 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.
• 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.
  
  

Safety Near Downed Power Lines

• Always use extreme caution near downed power lines and wires, and always assume that they are carrying live electricity.
• Never touch a person or an object that is in contact with a downed line, as electricity can pass through to you.
• Take caution when approaching fallen trees, which could have power lines caught in them.
• Remember that water can conduct electricity. If you see a line down in a puddle or flooded area, avoid contact with the water to prevent risk of shock.
• Click here for more downed power line safety tips.
  
  

Gas Safety Reminders 

It is important to act quickly and safely when you suspect a natural gas leak. National Grid and other gas delivery companies add a harmless chemical called mercaptan to natural gas to give it a distinct, pungent odor similar to rotten eggs. If you suspect a gas leak, it is important that everyone in your home exit the property immediately without:

• Touching any electrical or light switches, doorbells, phones, or anything that could cause a spark, including any appliances or thermostats
• Turning any electrical equipment on or off
• Pulling plugs from outlets
• Smoking or lighting matches
• Re-entering until you receive authorization from National Grid or emergency responders
  
  

 Call National Grid’s gas emergency line at 800-892-2345 or 911 immediately after exiting and getting a safe distance from the building.

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 us on X and friend us on Facebook.
• Click here for details on the company’s storm preparation and restoration process.

About National Grid

National Grid (NYSE: NGG) is an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company serving more than 20 million people through our networks in New York and Massachusetts. National Grid is focused on building a smarter, stronger, cleaner energy future — transforming our networks with more reliable and resilient energy solutions to meet state climate goals and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.