Strong wind gusts are predicted to persist throughout the day, and repair crews from Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation are busy addressing electric service interruptions caused by falling trees and limbs onto power lines. "A contingent of more than 350 electric line and tree personnel are at work today to remove fallen trees and restore electric service throughout the region," said Paul E. Haering, Senior Vice President of Engineering and Operations.

"Although crews are making good progress in repairing lines and restoring electric service, we expect to receive new reports of service interruptions as these windy conditions continue," said Haering. He said that the highest wind gust reported so far was in Tannersville, Greene County at 49 miles per hour, and gusts exceeding 40 miles per hour are also reported in other areas. "The strongest gusts are expected to recede this evening, however we will monitor the weather and continue to address wind damage throughout the duration of this storm," he said. As of 11 a.m., approximately 6,200 service interruptions were reported, and a total of nearly 11,400 residents had been impacted since Sunday evening.

Haering urged residents to keep safety in mind during the storm, and to be particularly cautious when encountering downed power lines. "Assume all lines are live, and stay at least 30 feet away," he said. Downed lines should be reported to emergency management offices by calling 911.

Additional safety measures include:

• Being aware of fallen trees and limbs, and using caution or traveling;
• Never using outdoor gas or charcoal grills indoors, as they pose a fire hazard and over time can give off carbon monoxide gas;
• Installing and/or testing carbon monoxide detectors and ensure they are in working order;
• Avoiding the use of candles for illumination due to fire hazards;
• Following 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;
• Operating cars and motor vehicles outdoors only, and never inside the garage;
• Avoiding travel along roadways as hazardous conditions may cause driving accidents, including those involving utility poles which may cause power interruptions.
• Staying at least 30 feet away from downed power lines, and remember that lines may be entangled and hidden in fallen trees. Assume all downed lines are live; and
• Ensuring exhaust and combustion air vents and chimneys are cleared if debris, ice and snow to prevent a potentially lethal buildup of carbon monoxide gas.

"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 only outdoors," Haering said.  He also advised customers to know how to open their garage door manually if they usually rely on an electrically operated, remote-control door opener.

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 www.CentralHudson.com/Alerts or text REG to 236483;
• On the Web: Visit www.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 www.CentralHudson.com/mobileapp;
• Through social media:  "Like" Central Hudson on Facebook (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. 

More information on preparing for storms and emergencies and communicating with Central Hudson is available at www.CentralHudson.com; for information regarding electric and natural gas safety, visit www.CentralHudson.com/Safety.

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Central Hudson crews repair a broken pole in the Village of Wappingers Falls, Dutchess County.