JCP&L Crews From Ohio Headed To Monmouth As Power Outages Likely

Jersey Central Power & Light, the company that supplies most of Monmouth County's electricity, is so concerned about power outages with the nor'easter storm that they preemptively sent a fleet of line trucks from Ohio to Monmouth and Ocean counties this week.

These trucks left Ohio Tuesday and are headed directly to the Jersey Shore, sent by JCP&L's parent company FirstEnergy. JCP&L also told its regular Jersey Shore line workers to be prepared to work 16-hour shifts through Friday.

The extra crews will be needed to pick up fallen branches, pick up downed lines and restore power. Monmouth County officials affirmed this Wednesday, saying they have crews on standby to remove downed tree limbs and help reactivate traffic lights that are expected to go down.

Power outages will be a question of when — not if — in this storm.

"Snowfall accumulations look to be greater in the northern areas of JCP&L’s footprint, where it is anticipated the snow will have a light, fluffy consistency. That type of snow piles up quickly, but generally does not weigh down trees and branches and drop them into our power lines," said JCP&L spokesman Todd Meyers.

"On the flip side, Monmouth and Ocean counties are expected to see a wintry mix of rain and sleet, plus coastal wind gusts of up to 55 miles per hour from this storm," he continued. "Those are the types of conditions that can topple trees into our facilities and cause outages. So while it is too early to tell exactly where outages will occur and how long they might last, we are on the lookout for problems near the Shore."

Heavy rain and strong winds, with gusts of up to 60 mph, are expected to lash the Jersey Shore. Those are the kind of wind gusts that take down power lines.

Report all power outages to First Energy right away at 1-888-544-4877 (1-888-LIGHTSS). Do not approach live wires.

According to JCP&L, its priority is always to restore power to the largest number of customers first, while prioritizing critical facilities such as hospitals, police stations and fire stations.

The snow is expected to start falling in New Jersey around 3 p.m. Wednesday. However, Monmouth County straddles the line where the southern half of New Jersey will get mostly rain, while western and northern Monmouth could get snow.

"We're on the line. There's a big unknown. Monmouth County is in a unique situation with this snow storm, with some of our southern towns predicted to get as little as one inch of snow and some our northern towns predicted to get up to ten inches between noon today and 2 p.m. tomorrow," said Monmouth County Freeholder Tom Arnone.

From JCP&L, do this to prepare for power outages in the winter:

• Keep cell phones, laptops and tablet computers fully charged to be ready for any emergencies.
• Keep a flashlight, portable radio and extra batteries handy in the event a power interruption occurs. Tune to a local station for current storm information.
• Never use a portable generator inside the house or a closed garage in the event of a power outage. Ensure the proper generator is selected and installed by a qualified electrician. When operating a generator, the power coming into the home should always be disconnected. Otherwise, power from the generator could be sent back onto the utility lines, creating a hazardous situation for utility workers.
• Gather extra blankets or a sleeping bag for each person. Do not use gas stoves, kerosene heaters or other open-flame heat sources to prevent deadly carbon monoxide gas from building up in your home.
• If you have a water well and pump, keep an emergency supply of bottled water and/or fill your bathtub with fresh water.
• Stock an emergency supply of convenience foods that do not require cooking.
• Mobile phones can be charged in your car using a car charger when the power is out. If you have a smart phone, this will ensure you have access to online information sources.
• To report a power outage, call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) to report outages immediately, or report online or via text messaging. JCP&L call centers will be fully staffed.
• Immediately report downed wires to 888-544-4877 or your local police or fire department.
• Never go near a downed power line, even if you think it's no longer carrying electricity.
• Stay out of flooded basements, even if the power is off. Stay away from the breaker box if it's in a flooded basement.

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