Electric service has been restored to more than 10,000 customers of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation in the aftermath of Sunday’s and Monday’s wind storm, however continuing wind conditions are driving additional outage reports as trees and limbs fall onto power lines.

“Although crews have restored power to thousands of our affected customers, damage from this long-lasting storm continues to be reported,” said Paul E. Haering, Senior Vice President of Engineering and Operations. He explained that although good progress has been made, more than 180 damage locations remain, and that the number of locations could rise before the strongest winds subside this evening. Repair crews will continue to work overnight and through most of Tuesday to restore electric service to all affected customers.

“We expect to restore service to many of our customers today and tonight, and will continue to work throughout the day tomorrow to restore power to all affected customers,” he said.

Haering reminded residents to keep safety in mind during the storm, and to be particularly cautious when encountering downed power lines. “Keep yoursef and others at least 30 feet away from downed power lines, and assume all lines are live,” he said.

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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Electric service is restored near Barhet Ave. and Inwood Ave. in Poughkeepsie.

Line crews were at work on Netherwood Road in Pleasant Valley.

Tree crews clear a fallen tree in the Fairview area of Poughkeepsie.

Repairs take place along Salt Point Turnpike in Pleasant Valley.