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 heavy rain and gale-force winds.
"Based on all the weather services' forecasts, we are preparing for a busy day tomorrow. We'll have additional personnel scheduled and on standby, with extra tree personnel and equipment at the ready,” said John Latka, senior vice president of electric and gas operations for PSE&G. “Our employees are rechecking that all objects are secured at our stations and division headquarters. We are advising them to prepare their own homes for high winds, and urge our customers to do the same.”
Gale-force winds can cause flying debris, and bring down trees and power lines. Customers should be cautious and stay alert to their surroundings during and after storms:
Downed wires should always be considered “live.” Do not approach or drive over a downed line and do not touch anything it might be in contact with. If a wire falls on or near your car, stay inside the car, call 911, and do not get out until PSE&G deenergizes the line. If you MUST get out of the vehicle because it is on fire, jump as far as possible away from the vehicle, with both feet landing on the ground at the same time, and hop or shuffle away.
To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, do not run any gasoline powered engine, including generators and snowblowers, in a garage or any other enclosed space.
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.
