In response to the damage caused by this past weekend’s powerful thunderstorm, Governor Paterson has directed the State Emergency Management Office (SEMO) to work with affected communities in clearing roads, repairing power lines, and aiding in recovery efforts.
“This weekend’s storm has taken a toll on New York. More than a quarter of a million New Yorkers were without power this morning – including 250,000 on Long Island. Many State agencies have been working together to get the lights back on, including the Long Island Power Authority, which has restored power to 70 percent of their customers already. But there is still much work to be done, and many more New Yorkers who are waiting.”
“I have directed the State Emergency Management Office to continue to work with affected communities to assess damage and coordinate with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to obtain any potential disaster assistance to aid communities in the clean-up and recovery efforts. In the meantime our State, county and local highway crews and first responders are working tirelessly to open roads and clear the way for utility crews to restore power. Scores of roads are closed or are blocked by downed tree limbs, trees and wires. Our first concern is for the safety of our citizens. If you see a downed wire, do not touch it. Consider the wire to be live and report the location to your utility. People should exercise caution while driving and pay attention to local emergency officials’ orders.”
Customers may call the following numbers to report electrical outages:
LIPA / National Grid – 1-800-490-0075
ConEd – 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633)
NYSEG – 1-800-572-1131
