National Grid Prepared for a Third Winter Storm of the Week
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WALTHAM, MA – National Grid is prepared for a third winter storm of the week to impact Massachusetts Friday evening through Saturday, bringing hazardous wind gusts and heavy rains into the region.
The primary concerns associated with this storm include heavy rains, the potential for flooding in coastal and low-lying areas, and significant sustained wind, including the possibility of hazardous peak wind gusts of up to 60 mph in coastal areas. Saturated grounds from heavy rainfall and recent snow melting along with gusting winds can damage trees and knock down power wires, causing power outages in impacted locations. The storm will arrive late Friday and is predicted to depart mid-day Saturday, and calmer weather is expected Sunday.
Forecasts for next week indicate another storm could be arriving Tuesday, with colder temperatures and the
possibility of snow. National Grid is closely tracking that storm as well.
"Over this past week, National Grid has restored power to over 100,000 customers across Massachusetts in the wake of back-to-back winter storms," said Tim Moore, Vice President of Electric Operations for New England. "We appreciate that some customers have been impacted multiple times from this series of storms, and our team is committed to working as quickly and safely as possible to restore service."
National Grid continues closely monitoring weather forecasts and has crews and personnel in place across Massachusetts. In preparation for this storm, National Grid has secured over 600 crews and more than 1,400 field-based personnel as part of the company's emergency response operations and preparedness activities. This includes overhead line, forestry, contractors, underground, damage assessment, wires down, transmission, and substation workers. As forecasts and conditions evolve, the company will continue to assess resource needs.
As always, the safety of our customers, communities, and crews is the top priority during any power restoration process. Our crews will begin the restoration process when it is deemed safe to conduct work. For example, it is not safe to work in an elevated bucket during periods of
increased wind gusts.
The company has been preparing for the storm and continues monitoring the weather and communicating with local officials, first responders, and life support customers.
The company offers the following tips and reminders:
Customers Should Stay Connected:
- Report power outages at www.nationalgridus.com or call 1-800-465-1212.
- Use your mobile device to track outage information and storm-related safety tips through National Grid’s mobile site, accessible at www.ngrid.com/mobile.
- Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram; we post all the latest storm and restoration updates.
- Track outages and estimated restoration times at www.nationalgridus.com/outage-central
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To stay connected during storms and outages, text to 64743 using any of the below commands.
- REG to sign up for text alerts
- OUT to report an outage
- SUM followed by your town, county, or state to get a summary of outages in your area
- HELP for the complete list of commands
Stay Safe:
- Never touch downed power lines, and always assume that any fallen lines are live electric wires. If you see one, report it immediately to National Grid or your local emergency response organization.
- Power problems can sometimes interrupt public water supply systems or disable well pumps, so it’s an excellent idea to keep a supply of bottled drinking water handy, as well as some canned food.
- People who depend on electric-powered life support equipment, such as a respirator, should let National Grid know. To register as a life support customer, call the company’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-322-3223.
- Check on elderly family members, neighbors, and others who may need assistance during an outage.
Electric Safety:
- If you use a generator to supply power during an outage, be sure to operate it outdoors. Before operating generators, disconnect from National Grid’s system by shutting off the main breaker located in the electric service panel. Failure to do this could jeopardize the safety of line crews and the public.
- If you lose power, turn off any appliances that were on when the power went off, but leave one light on so you will know when power is restored.
Gas Safety:
- If you suspect a natural gas leak:
- Get Out - All occupants should leave the house immediately. Do not use the telephone or light switches for any reason.
- Call Us – After leaving the house and reaching a safe environment, call the National Grid 24-hour gas emergency number for Massachusetts: 1-800-233-5325
- Stay Out - Do not return to your home until National Grid tells you it is safe.
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