O&R Mobilizing Crews For Outages Ahead Of Dangerous Heat, Storms In Hudson Valley

Orange and Rockland Utilities is mobilizing its emergency response team and deploying more staff to tackle possible power outages brought on by the weather as the Hudson Valley is at risk from hazardous heat and powerful thunderstorms.

On Friday, July 25, the National Weather Service issued a map of the Tri-State Area’s Severe Weather forecast. Storms are more likely to occur in areas highlighted in yellow.

As conditions worsen, the firm said it will deploy 125 mutual aid workers, overhead line technicians, tree removal specialists, and customer care representatives starting Friday afternoon, July 25.

The action was taken because Orange, Putnam, Rockland, and Westchester counties were under a Heat Advisory through 8 p.m. Friday, according to the National Weather Service, with heat index readings predicted to reach 100 to 105 degrees. Later in the day, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Westchester, Suffolk, and Nassau counties, in addition to New York City, are also at risk of severe thunderstorms, destructive wind gusts, and localized flash flooding, according to a Hazardous Weather Outlook.

Possible Storm Impacts

Power lines could be damaged and electric supply interrupted by strong winds, lightning, and fallen trees or branches. According to O&R, crews will arrive as soon as it is safe to do so, giving priority to regions that can swiftly restore power to the greatest number of customers, emergency facilities like hospitals and fire stations, and blocked roads.

Important Safety Reminders

Residents are advised by O&R to always regard downed wires as live and dangerous and to never approach them. Report them right away to O&R at 1-877-434-4100 or by calling 911, and keep a minimum of 50 feet away.

Additional advice includes keeping kids and pets away from wires, avoiding cars with wires hanging over them, using portable generators safely—never inside or close to open windows—and having phones, flashlights, batteries, and prescription drugs close at hand.

If power goes out, report it using:

• O&R website: oru.com;
• O&R mobile app;
• Text OUT to 678797;
• Call 1-877-434-4100.

Before the weather arrives, O&R also advised owners of electric vehicles to fully charge their vehicles. Outages may affect charging stations.

As of Friday morning, forecasts anticipate more heat and humidity in the early part of next week, with heat index readings possibly reaching 105 degrees Fahrenheit by Tuesday.