NEWARK –Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G), New Jersey’s largest electric and gas utility, is preparing for the approaching storm system that could bring snow, freezing rain and high winds to the company’s service territory.
The utility is scheduling additional personnel in the field, fueling trucks and has spare poles and other equipment available.
“While snow and wind normally don’t pose a serious problem, icing on lines and trees can increase the possibility of downed wires and power outages,” said John Latka, senior vice president of electric and gas operations for PSE&G. “Those types of conditions also make it difficult for our crews to get around, and we can’t go up in buckets to make repairs if there are high winds. We will respond to outages and no-heat calls around the clock – as quickly and safely as possible.”
In advance of the storm, PSE&G advises customers to prepare an emergency kit that includes:
• Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days
• Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Manual can opener for food
• Cell phone with chargers
PSE&G urges its customers to be cautious during and after the storm:
• To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, do not run any gasoline powered engine, including generators and snow blowers, in a garage or any other enclosed space.
• Downed wires should always be considered “live.” Do not approach or drive over a downed line and do not touch anything that it might be in contact with.
To report downed wires or power outages, call PSE&G’s Customer Service line at 1-800-436-PSEG. Also, customers can report outages by logging into their PSE&G account online or by texting “OUT” to 4PSEG (47734). The utility’s mobile-friendly website includes an “Outage Map” that is updated every 15 minutes and displays the location and status of power outages in PSE&G’s service area.
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