Central Hudson Gas & Electric is advising local residents to prepare for severe thunderstorms that have the potential to bring damaging winds, hail and heavy rain to the area on Thursday afternoon and into the evening. These conditions could cause electric service interruptions.

 “Preliminary forecasts suggest these storms could bring wind gusts of over 55 mph, large hail and heavy rains to the area,” said Ryan Hawthorne, Assistant Vice President of Electric Engineering and Operations at Central Hudson. “We will continue to closely monitor the weather conditions and prepare for any potential outages that could result from storm damages by readying equipment and personnel, and maintaining contact with regional utilities and local emergency responders.”

Sustained winds and strong wind gusts can cause trees and limbs to fall on power lines, causing hazardous conditions. Residents are reminded to stay at least 30 feet away from downed power lines, remembering that lines can be hidden within fallen limbs, and to assume that any downed line is live, Hawthorne said.

“With families working and schooling from home, we know how critical electrical service is to stay connected,” Hawthorne continued. “Our crews will continue to adhere to CDC and state guidelines and practice social distancing while restoring electric service as safely and efficiently as possible.”

Hawthorne recommended ways in which customers can prepare for the storm and potential electric service interruptions by:

• Paying attention to weather advisories, storm outage updates and/or shelter information;
• Charging electronic devices in order to connect with https://StormCentral.CenHud.com;
• Keeping handy a flashlight and fresh batteries;
• Having a battery-powered radio to remain informed of restoration efforts;
• Confirming adequate packaged or canned foods that require no refrigeration or cooking, and if shopping in advance of storms limiting quantities of perishable food;
• Avoiding opening a refrigerator unnecessarily during outages, so that food lasts longer;
• Having a non-electric can opener;
• Keeping an emergency supply of bottled water on hand for drinking and washing; and
• Filling bathtubs with water as added reserves.

In addition, customers are advised to keep safety in mind, especially during service interruptions:

• Never use outdoor gas or charcoal grills indoors, as they pose a fire hazard and over time can give off carbon monoxide gas;
• Beware of fallen trees and limbs, and use caution or traveling;
• Avoid the use of candles for illumination due to fire hazards;
• Follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions on the use of emergency generators, and be sure to shut off the main breaker when in use and operate the units outdoors;
• Operate cars and motor vehicles outdoors only, and never inside the garage; and
• Avoid travel along roadways as hazardous conditions may cause driving accidents, including those involving utility poles which may cause power interruptions.

Customers can stay informed of storm and restoration conditions in the following ways:

• By text messaging: Customers should enroll in Central Hudson’s Texting Program to use text messaging to report their power condition and to obtain repair status. To enroll, visit CentralHudson.com/Alerts or text REG to 236483;
• On the Web: Visit CentralHudson.com/Storms to report outages and obtain restoration updates;
• Via smart phones: A mobile version of the Central Hudson’s website can be accessed by web-enabled cell phones and mobile devices at https://mobile.CenHud.com. Free Central Hudson mobile applications for Android and Apple and are also available by logging onto CentralHudson.com/mobileapp;
• Through social media: “Like” Central Hudson on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/ CentralHudson) and “Follow” on Twitter (www.Twitter.com/CentralHudson); and
• By phone: Call the Central Hudson PowerLine at (845) 452-2700 or 1-800-527-2714, and please use the automated system to report or monitor your power condition.

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