Putnam County Opens Comfort Stations Due to the Stom

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While the Nor’easter is still delivering strong winds the impact of the overnight devastation is being assessed by Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell from the Putnam County Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The EOC went online at 8:00 am Friday March 2, 2018 and has stayed open to allow coordination of response to the storm. In order to effectively provide coordinated assistance to our residents the County Executive declared a State of Emergency at 2:41 pm on March 2, 2018

As of now almost 25,000 customers are without electricity in Putnam. In response County Executive Odell has opened the Putnam Valley Senior Center on 117 Town Park Lane in Putnam Valley NY as a comfort station. She also discussed the situation with our community partners and worked with them to open community comfort stations at; Temple Beth Shalom, 760 Rt 6, Mahopac and Knights of Columbus, 10 Fair St, Carmel. The Town of Kent has also opened a comfort station at the Kent Town Hall, 25 Sybil’s Crossing, Kent Lakes NY

“This storm has left many without power and we are working with our utility companies to effectively restore electricity as soon as possible” said County Executive Odell. Odell has a meeting with NYSEG officials to work on restoration timing.  Odell and NYSEG are also working on a schedule to deliver dry ice to residents sometime today. “We expect the delivery point to be our Board of Elections Building, 25 Old Rt 6 in Carmel”, said Odell, “NYSEG is working to confirm a delivery time”.

Our highway crews remain on the job working to open roadways and remove trees tangled in electric wires once the utility company confirms it is safe to do so. Residents encountering downed wires should assume they are live and stay at least 20 feet away. While most main roads are passable the secondary roads still have a number of trees and debris in place that are blocking safe passage. Some trees and limbs have partially fallen and are being supported by wires or other trees. These are particularly dangerous and residents should stay away from the area.

Putnam County has cancelled all public transportation routes today. Service will resume Monday March 3, 2018

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