WCP: Turning the Lights On After the 2018 Winter Nor’Easter

First and foremost, I hope you are all safe and in good health following the Winter Nor’easter that drenched the region with rain, snow, sleet and blasted 70-plus miles per hour winds last weekend. Countless trees were knocked down, causing thousands throughout Westchester to lose power. Specific to Mount Vernon, as of Sunday evening, over 4,000 customers were without electricity.

I spoke with both Con Edison and the leadership of the hard-working Utility Workers Union of America Local 1–2 to coordinate and expedite power restoration efforts. I want to express my thanks and gratitude to our emergency service personnel — Police, Fire, and Public Works. They broke through jagged branches and cleared dozens of cluttered streets to assist our residents and help our businesses get back on their feet.

DPW has been working around the clock since the storm started. Our crews were even featured on lohud.com. Areas hardest hit are being monitored closely and a full DPW complement is working on the clean-up effort. Note that we are prioritizing residential neighborhoods first to ensure life safety with parks to follow.

We’re in constant contact with Con Ed, and one common thread in those discussion is that we are demanding accurate information. The public deserves to know when crews will arrive to reconnect power. Bad news is better than fake news. We need to know exactly how many people are without power and where, so that we can effectively provide assistance to those affected.

Unfortunately, the forecast this week is calling for more storms to roll through the region by mid-week bringing a wintery mix of rain and heavy wet snow. Under conditions like these, safety is concerns number one through 10.

To ensure the safety of our residents, I have instructed the Doles Center to remain open as needed to serve as a warming/charging center for those without heat or electricity. Residents can head to the Doles Center to charge their phones and other devices, warm up, or even just watch TV or connect to our Wifi. There are also emergency meals and bottled water available as well.

If you stay in your home and the power is out, please do not resort to lighting your house with candles. This is a major cause of fires during blackout events, so please be sure to use flashlights instead. If you are using a generator, make sure to place it in a well-ventilated area outside your home. Never operate a generator indoors.

Should you have any questions, need storm help, or know any senior in need of extra assistance… send us a private note on social media or email us at mayorthomas@cmvny.com.

Information from Con Ed is available at www.coned.com.

Stay safe.

Originally Published in Westchester County Press — Tuesday, March 6, 2018