National Grid Urges Safety as Forecasts Call for Another Round of Stormy Weather in Portions of Upstate New York

Customers Urged to Prepare, Stay Connected if Outages Occur

As the hot and humid weather lingers over upstate New York this week, damaging pop-up thunderstorms have resulted in downed trees, broken poles and power outages in some Greater Capital Region communities. National Grid crews have been working around the clock since Sunday to restore power to thousands of customers in eastern New York who have been impacted by the series of storms and remain at the ready to respond to additional storm activity that is forecasted for today and tomorrow.

The company offers the following tips to help customers be prepared and stay safe:

Electricity & Generator Safety

• If a power outage occurs, customers can 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 to your local emergency response organization.
• 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 your home’s 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 a number of working flashlights and an extra supply of batteries in your home and be sure to charge all electronic devices.
• Please drive carefully and use caution when driving near any crews working to restore power.
• Be sure to check on elderly family members, neighbors and others who may need assistance during an outage.National Grid also advises staying tuned to local media for important announcements from emergency officials about possible evacuations or other emergency procedures. In most areas, information on storm shelter locations is available by calling 211.Stay ConnectedNational Grid offers several ways to stay informed and safe – before, during and after a storm:

  • Customers can receive personalized alerts by text, e-mail or phone call when an outage is detected at their address, along with restoration estimates and associated updates. To enroll, text REG to 64743.
  • For real-time power outage information, online outage reporting, and in-depth storm safety information, visit the Outage Central section of www.nationalgridus.com. Customers who create an online profile on our website can also sign up for email alerts.
  • Online and text alert services can be started and stopped at the customer’s request.
  • Other ways to stay in touch:

  • Visit our website: nationalgridus.com.
  • Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/nationalgridus
  • Friend us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/nationalgrid

  Click here for a video on how National Grid restores power after a major storm.