County Executive MaryEllen Odell remains at the Putnam County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) with the ICS Team

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“This storm packed a very powerful punch, closing roads and disrupting power across the entire region”, said County Executive Odell. “Our highway crews responded immediately and will continue to stay focused until roadways are passable, but we rely on the power crews to make downed wires safe so our crews can safely remove the debris”.

County Executive Odell discussed the situation with Aziz Uthman, Public Liaison Officer for NYSEG, Brewster Region. NYSEG currently has 6 crews assigned to Putnam County with an additional 3 mutual aid crews. Currently these crews are focused on assisting the local Highway Departments with cut and clear. Uthman said NYSEG crews must wait for the winds to die down before they can use bucket trucks to make repairs but they are working on underground circuits.

The EOC will continue to monitor the weather. The National Weather Service is showing that the high winds should dissipate by 5:00 PM and the storms should move out of our area after 8:00 PM this evening.

All County facilities were already closed to the public and operating on a reduced staff due to Covid-19.

NYSEG reports that currently 14,831 customers are without power. Central Hudson reports 660 customers are without power.

NYSEG and Central Hudson Gas and Electric will continue to work on full restoration and “Make Safe” which allows our Highway Departments to safely clear downed trees and branches.

Residents are reminded to report any outages to their local utility company.  NYSEG can be contacted at 800-572-1131. Central Hudson Gas & Electric can be contacted at 845-452-2700. Both companies have an app available for download to track outages.

Putnam County 9-1-1 remains fully manned and should only be used for emergency requests for Police, Fire or EMS. Calls regarding COVID-19 information should be directed to 211.

Safety Near Fallen Wires:

  • You can’t tell if a power line is energized just by looking at it. You should assume that all fallen power lines are live and proceed with extreme caution.
  • If you see a fallen power line, stay at least 30 feet away from it and anything touching it. The ground around a power line and any objects it contacts, such as a fence, may be energized. Call 911 to report the condition so that emergency responders and Central Hudson or NYSEG are notified.
  • If a downed wire comes in contact with your vehicle, stay inside and wait for help. If you must get out because of fire or other danger, jump clear of the vehicle to avoid any contact with the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Land with your feet together and hop with feet together or shuffle away; don’t run or stride.
  • Do not attempt to move a fallen power line or anything else in contact with it using an object such as a broom or stick. Even non-conductive materials or cloth can conduct electricity if slightly wet.

 Please continue to monitor NY-Alert for updates