PSEG prepared for Thursday's storm

PSEG Long Island is preparing for another storm expected to bring a mix of snow and rain early Thursday morning through Friday, with potential wind gusts of up to 40 miles per hour.

The utility will have all available line crews, tree trimmers, and support personnel ready to deal with outages, and has pledged that crews will perform damage assessment and restoration efforts around the clock.

PSEG has performed system checks on critical transmission and distribution equipment; arranged for contractors, including tree crews, to assist the utility’s own skilled workforce if necessary; and performed logistics checks — ensuring availability of critical materials, fuel and other supplies.

In addition, the utility has coordinated with county and municipal emergency management personnel, informing them of the preparation work, what to expect and how workers will respond.

According to PSEG LI, the steady accumulation of snow and ice poses the most serious threat of creating power outages. Wet snow on wires and tree limbs, icing and strong winds all increase the possibility of downed wires, as do cars skidding on snow, ice or slush and striking utility poles.

The utility prepared for the storm over the past few days, performing system checks on critical equipment, arranging for contractors to assist its own workforce, ensuring the availability of critical repair materials and fuel, and coordinating with county and municipal emergency personnel.

In cases of lost power, PSEG LI asks residents to first check to see if their house is the only one in the neighborhood that is affected. If it is, check the fuse box for tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses. If the fuse box looks normal, check the wire between the house and the closest utility pole. Any downed wires should be reported as soon as possible.

Residents are advised to keep an emergency kit on hand, including a battery-powered radio, a corded telephone, flashlights and extra batteries, a first aid kit, bottled water, nonperishable food, a manual can opener, matches, candles, blankets and sleeping bags.

Residents are also advised to stay away from all downed power lines, whether on foot or in a car, and keep children away from areas with downed poles or wires. If a wire falls on a car, passengers should stay put until help arrives.