The Town of New Castle just participated in a countywide emergency response call led by Con Edison to hear updates on the storm preparations and response. Here is an update
WEATHER: From now until 7PM expect sustained high winds of 45-65 MPH with light rain on and off. Around 1PM expect severe thunderstorms with even stronger wind gusts. After 7PM the winds will drop to 10-20 MPH, with peak gusts of 35MPH
PREPARATION: Unfortunately, the high winds will impact restoration timelines because workers cannot go up in buckets to complete restoration jobs. Con Edison will visit the outage sites, assess damages, and prioritize road closures and public safety issues.
CURRENT OUTAGES: There are currently 372 outages across the county with 5500 customers out. Here is New Castle we have 918 customers without power, making us one of the hardest hit communities in the county. We have requested a Con Edison municipal liaison, which is a resource specifically dedicated to our community. Con Edison estimates that 95% of customers will be restored within 24 hours of when the storm ends, which means by 7PM on Tuesday, April 14th.
LOCAL RESPONSE: The New Castle Police Department responds to all reported incidents to assess safety. If there are downed wires, we MUST wait for Con Edison, and cannot perform any work. However, if the Town can safely remove the tree (i.e., it is not touching a wire) our DPW is prepared to respond and will do so.
REPORT YOUR OUTAGES!! Con Edison needs to hear from you! Customers can report online at www.coned.com or by calling 1-800-75CONED
STAY SAFE: Avoid downed trees, especially those touching wires. Stay home and stay off the roads – keep roads clear for first responders, DPW, and Con Edison. If you need help, please call the New Castle Police Desk 238-4422 or call 911 in case of an emergency.
