As Con Edison tracks weather systems forecasting strong winds and heavy rain today and tomorrow, the company reminds customers to put safety first.
Con Edison crews are prepared for the potential of storm-related outages that could occur in New York City or Westchester County.
Con Edison reminds members of the public to avoid downed power lines because they could be live.
Strong winds can knock trees into power lines, causing poles and lines to come down and customers to lose power.
Click here to see a video on the restoration process: Con Edison restoration video.
Customers can report downed power lines, outages and check service restoration status at www.conEd.com or by calling 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). When reporting an outage, customers should have their Con Edison account number available, if possible, and report whether their neighbors also have lost power.
Customers who report outages will be called by Con Edison with their estimated restoration times as they become available.
Also, download Con Edison's new free iPhone and Android app, My conEdison, to report and check the status of a power problem, and view the company's interactive online outage map.
Depending on the severity of storm damage, crews will give priority to restoring equipment that will provide power to the most customers as quickly as possible, then restore smaller groups and individual customers who are without power.
- 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.
Customers can follow Con Edison on Twitter or like us on Facebook for general outage updates, safety tips and storm preparation information. For more tips on storm preparation, go to www.conEd.com.
The company is in contact with the New York City Office of Emergency Management and the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services to coordinate storm response if needed.