Halloween warning from PSE&G

The following advisory for Plainfield from PSE&G was received by email Sunday afternoon. Though the message speaks to 'Mischief Night', it is just as applicable for tonight, Halloween, wherever there are downed lines and branches that have yet to be removed. Better safe than sorry!

PSE&G Fall Storm Update and Important Safety Messages- October 30, 2011

Safety First:

Whether you call it Mischief Night, Goosey Night or Cabbage Night, tonight is a dangerous night for children to engage in this pre-Halloween ritual. There are many downed wires that may not be visible at night. Children and teens should stay in tonight for their safety, and parents should ensure they do so.

Downed wires should always be considered "live."  STAY AWAY FROM ALL DOWNED LINES.  Do not approach or drive over a downed line and do not touch anything that it might be in contact with.  To report a downed wire and other visible equipment damage, call 1-800-436-PSEG and tell PSE&G the nearest cross street.

Check in on your elderly neighbors to see if they are alright and to see if they need extra blankets or additional assistance. Contact local officials if assistance is needed.

Do not try to use a gas oven or range to heat a room. The appliance will deplete oxygen from the air, causing asphyxiation or deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.

Be cautious when using space heaters.  Read and follow the manufacturer's instructions and heed warning labels.  Be sure all members of the household understand how to operate space heaters safely.

Outage Update:

About 317,000 PSE&G customers are without power at this time due to the storm. Counties most affected by outages are Bergen, Essex, Passaic, Union and Middlesex.

Crews have been working through the night and will be receiving assistance from other utilities and contractors. Based on our current assessment of the damage, full restoration for customers in hard-hit Bergen and Essex counties may not occur until Wednesday.

Customers are reminded to stay away from downed power lines.

To report a power outage, call PSE&G's Customer Service line: 1-800-436-PSEG.

Electric crews work to restore power to the largest numbers of customers first, taking into account "priority" customers, such as hospitals, police stations, fire stations, water and sewer facilities, communications facilities (TV, radio, and telephone), and customers on life-sustaining medical equipment.  At the same time, the utility restores power to homes and businesses, starting with the circuits serving the largest number of customers.

Customers with a handheld device, or who are at an alternate location with power, can also report power outages and view the status of their outage by logging in to My Account at pseg.com. General outage activity throughout our service territory is available online at www.pseg.com/outagecenter and updates are posted on pseg.com during severe weather.

---

-- Dan Damon [follow]

View today's CLIPS here. Not getting your own CLIPS email daily? Click here to subscribe.