JCP&L- Oct 27, 2012 – 1PM – Hurricane Sandy Preparation/Customers Encouraged to Prepare
From: <*@firstenergycorp.com>
Date: Sat, Oct 27, 2012 at 4:42 PM
Subject: JCP&L- Oct 27, 2012 – 1PM – Hurricane Sandy Preparation/Customers Encouraged to Prepare
JCP&L continues our peparation plans for Hurricane Sandy, Key points in preparation are:
- Individuals should prepare for the possibility of outages lasting 7 to 10 days
- High winds could prolong restoration efforts
- Critical care and well water customers should review their individual and local emergency plans for this event
- JCP&L will coordinate priorities through the County Offices of Emergency Management
- Your Area Manager is always available to you. Additional communications support will aid the local Area Managers throughout this event.
- Customers must report outages for JCP&L to know they are out of power
Reporting a power outage: (888) 544-4877 (888-LIGHTSS)
Customer Service: (800) 662-3115
Follow us on:
Twitter: @JCP_L
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JCPandL
24/7 Power Center outages: www.jcp-l.com
Web Site: www.firstenergycorp.com
Press releases after the jump…
FirstEnergy Encourages Customers to Prepare for Severe Storm
Akron, Ohio – FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) utilities Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L), Penelec, Met-Ed, West Penn Power, Potomac Edison and Mon Power encourage all customers to prepare for the possible severe impacts of Hurricane Sandy early next week.
Weather forecasters are predicting a dangerous storm that will strike the east coast with powerful, damaging winds and heavy rain. Further west, customers could see heavy snow.
Depending on the severity of the storm’s impact on the electrical system, customers are encouraged to stay safe by preparing for the possibility of power outages lasting up to seven to 10 days by taking action before the storm occurs:
- If you have a water well and pump, keep an emergency supply of bottled water and consider filling your bathtub with fresh water.
- If customers have not received a call from FirstEnergy in the past 48 hours regarding their life support equipment, they should call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877). Those who call and are not registered will receive a form that must be completed by their doctor.
- Keep a flashlight and extra batteries handy. Use care when burning candles; open flames are a fire hazard.
- If power goes out, unplug appliances like refrigerators and freezers, and sensitive electronic equipment like TVs and computers, so that they won’t overload when power is restored.
- Gather extra blankets or a sleeping bag for each person. Portable heaters and burning candles that are left unattended, especially around children and pets, can create a fire hazard. In addition, gasoline- or diesel-powered generators and appliances can produce deadly levels of carbon monoxide and should never be operated inside the home or garage.
- Stock an emergency supply of convenience foods that do not require cooking.
- Keep a battery-powered radio with extra batteries on hand. Tune in to a local radio station for current storm information.
- Have a hard-wired telephone or a charged cell phone handy in the event you need to report your electricity is out. Mobile phones can be charged in your vehicle using a car charger when power is out. A smart phone can be used to access online information sources.
- Please call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) to report outages immediately, or report them online by clicking “report outage” on our website, www.firstenergycorp.com. FirstEnergy customer call centers will be fully staffed. The more people who call, the faster we can pinpoint the location where crews must be sent for repairs.
- Immediately report downed wires to 888-544-4877 or your local police or fire department. Never go near a downed power line, even if you think it’s no longer carrying electricity. Stay more than 30 feet away from downed power lines, don’t walk or drive near or over a downed line, and watch out for anything touching the line. If a wire falls on a vehicle, passengers should stay inside until help arrives.
- Keep children and pets away from any wires.
- When operating a generator, always disconnect the power coming into your home. Otherwise, power from your generator could be sent back onto the utility lines, creating a hazardous situation for utility workers. The proper generator should be selected and installed by a qualified electrician.
- Stay out of flooded basements, even if the power is off. Stay away from the breaker box if it’s in a flooded basement.
For updated information on the company’s storm preparation efforts, current outages, FirstEnergy’s storm restoration process and tips for staying safe, visit the 24/7 Power Center at www.firstenergycorp.com/outages. JCP&L customers can find the latest information on Facebook (www.facebook.com/JCPandL). FirstEnergy operating companies will also provide updates via Twitter:
JCP&L: @JCP_L
Penelec: @Penelec
Met-Ed: @Met_Ed
Potomac Edison: @PotomacEdison
West Penn Power: @W_Penn_Power
FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation’s largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and West Virginia. Its generation subsidiaries control more than 20,000 megawatts of capacity from a diversified mix of scrubbed coal, non-emitting nuclear, natural gas, hydro, pumped-storage hydro and other renewables.
Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.
(102712)
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FirstEnergy Corp. For Release: October 26, 2012
76 S. Main Street
Akron, OH 44308
FirstEnergy Utilities Mobilizing Resources in Advance of Hurricane Sandy
Magnitude of Storm Could Result in Lengthy Power Outages; Customers Encouraged to Begin Preparations Now
Akron, Ohio – As Hurricane Sandy gathers strength along the East Coast, FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) utilities Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L), Penelec, Met-Ed, West Penn Power, Potomac Edison and Mon Power are mobilizing employees and external resources to help aid the restoration process should the storm impact customers’ electric service early next week.
Torrential rain, high winds and the threat of excessive flooding have the potential to cause significant damage to the electrical system in New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania and Maryland, which could result in power outages lasting up to seven to 10 days. In addition, extended forecasts show the potential for snow and high winds in the company’s Ohio, central Pennsylvania and West Virginia service areas.
“We utilize detailed forecasting models to determine how a severe weather event like Hurricane Sandy most likely will affect our customers, and what steps we can take to possibly minimize their inconvenience in the event of an outage,” said FirstEnergy Meteorologist Brian Kolts. “While it appears that New Jersey has the potential to be the hardest-hit area, this massive weather event has the potential to cause damage across a large portion of FirstEnergy’s service territory.”
To restore power to customers as quickly as possible, more than 700 FirstEnergy linemen, hazard crews, and internal support resources have been secured for storm recovery work throughout the FirstEnergy service territory. In addition, approximately 500-600 electrical contractors already working for FirstEnergy have been secured for storm recovery work. Almost 1,000 tree contractors also are available, as needed, to work during the restoration process. Ultimately, personnel will be dispatched appropriately to the hardest-hit areas.
The company also is working to secure outside utility crews, electrical contractors and tree contractors to assist in the event of large-scale outages. FirstEnergy currently is working with four mutual assistance groups for resources, including Mid-Atlantic Mutual Assistance (MAMA), the New York Mutual Assistance Group (NYMAG), Southeastern Electric Exchange (SEE), and Great Lakes Mutual Assistance (GLMA).
FirstEnergy utilities have implemented the company’s storm response process, including assessing the need for staging sites, notifying employees regarding their storm roles, addressing employee schedule coordination, and developing strategic plans to deploy hazard responders and damage assessors.
Company representatives also are communicating with emergency management officials, state officials, regulators and the media about storm preparation efforts. Additional governmental affairs and communications representatives will be deployed to the hardest-hit areas, as needed.
FirstEnergy customer call centers will be fully staffed. Customers who are without power are encouraged to call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) to report their outage or click the “Report Outage” link on www.firstenergycorp.com via smartphone. In the event of severe weather, customers should immediately report downed wires to their electric company or local police or fire department. Customers should never go near a downed power line, even if they think it’s no longer carrying electricity.
Emergency power generators offer an option for customers needing or wanting uninterrupted service. However, to ensure the safety of the home’s occupants as well as that of utility company employees who may be working on power lines in the area, the proper generator should be selected and installed by a qualified electrician. When operating a generator, the power coming into the home should always be disconnected. Otherwise, power from the generator could be sent back onto the utility lines, creating a hazardous situation for utility workers.
For updated information on the company’s storm preparation efforts, current outages, FirstEnergy’s storm restoration process and tips for staying safe, customers are urged to visit the 24/7 Power Center at www.firstenergycorp.com/outages. The operating companies will also provide updates via Twitter:
JCP&L: @JCP_L
Penelec: @Penelec
Met-Ed: @Met_Ed
Potomac Edison: @PotomacEdison
West Penn Power: @W_Penn_Power
JCP&L customers also can receive updated information by following the company on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JCPandL.
FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation’s largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and West Virginia. Its generation subsidiaries control more than 20,000 megawatts of capacity from a diversified mix of scrubbed coal, non-emitting nuclear, natural gas, hydro, pumped-storage hydro and other renewables.
Follow FirstEnergy on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.
(102612)