(NEWARK N.J. – Sept. 4, 2024) September is National Preparedness month, and with hurricane season entering peak activity, PSE&G reminds customers to prepare ahead of time for disasters and emergencies. 

“The safety of our employees, customers and communities has always been our top priority. National Preparedness Month raises awareness about the need for individuals, families, and communities to be ready for emergencies and disasters,” said Jorge Moya, senior director electric operations, PSE&G Utility Emergency Preparedness.  “Rest assured, we constantly monitor the weather forecast and conditions to ensure we are prepared with plenty of material and crews to respond to extreme weather-related emergencies such as lightning strikes, wind toppling trees onto our poles, floods due to heavy rain and other weather-related incidents that could affect our system.”

We have already seen the results of this year’s busy hurricane season across the United States. Natural disasters and other emergencies can disrupt access to goods and services that support our day-to-day lives.

Planning ahead can save lives, reduce the impact of disasters and speed up recovery efforts. Learn how to stay safe before, during and after a storm. We encourage people to take proactive steps like creating emergency plans, assembling disaster supply kits and staying informed about potential risks, ensuring that everyone is better equipped to handle unexpected situations. The American Red Cross and the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management both provide helpful resources on how to prepare for the unexpected should an emergency arise. Watch and share this short video about what to put in an emergency kit. Learn more about how to create a family safety plan, and more.

PSE&G Is Prepared

PSE&G prepares year-round for extreme weather to maintain reliable service for our customers. Eleven years after Superstorm Sandy raged across the East Coast, we continue to work to protect customers’ utility service from the damaging impact of extreme weather by strengthening and upgrading our infrastructure. 

“Our investments in infrastructure including recent upgrades to the technology we use to manage outages as well as the installation of smart meters have helped us remain one of the nation’s most reliable utility companies. In fact in December 2023, J.D. Power named us number one in customer satisfaction with residential and business electric service in the east among large utilities,” said Moya.

We’re well prepared and ready to safely and reliably deliver gas and electricity. Our rigorous preparedness program for severe storms includes storm drills, employee training, reliability inspections, equipment repairs and upgrades.  We continually refine our emergency preparedness program to ensure we maintain a high level of reliability for our customers.

Stay connected with PSE&G:

Know how to report a power outage or damage to utility poles, wires, or equipment. These communication tools help us stay connected during an outage by sharing valuable information and status updates.

• Mobile App: Download the PSE&G mobile app to report outages and receive information on restoration times, crew locations and more.
• Text Alerts: Register for MyAlerts to receive text notifications at pseg.com/outagecenter. Once registered - report an outage and receive status updates by texting OUT to 4PSEG (47734). You can also report your outage through our app or on our website at pseg.com/myaccount.
• Website: Visit PSE&G’s Outage Map for the latest in outage info, restoration times and crew locations across New Jersey at pseg.com/outagecenter.
• Phone: To report an outage by phone, call PSE&G at 1-800-436-PSEG (7734).
  

Stay informed and follow us social media: Facebook, Instagram (@PSEG) and Twitter (@PSEGdelivers) for updates before, during and after the storm.

Utility and Storm Safety: 

• Downed wires should always be considered “live.” Stay at least 30 feet away from downed lines, and don’t go near the pole or anything touching the line. Immediately contact PSE&G, at 1-800-436-PSEG (7734), via our mobile app or our website, to report downed wires and dial 911 if an immediate hazard exists.
• Electric current passes easily through water, so stay away from downed power lines and electrical wires. Don't drive over – and don't stand near – downed power lines.
• Downed lines can potentially be hidden in standing water. If you encounter large pools of standing water, stop, back up and choose another path.
• To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, do not run any gasoline-powered generators in a garage or any other enclosed space.
• If you are on life-sustaining medical equipment, ensure that you alert PSE&G in advance and notify your local police and fire departments. For more information, visit www.pseg.com/life.
  

Flood Safety: Whether it’s melting snow or powerful rainstorms, New Jersey has experienced increased floods and it’s important for you to familiarize yourself with flood safety by visiting: pseg.com/flood, including how to recognize an overheated or “runaway” boiler.

If your home/business is flooding:

• Remember that pools of water may become electrically charged. Appliances in standing water may also become charged, so do not touch them after they have become surrounded by water.
• If you can do so safely, turn off air conditioners or major appliances that may have been running when the outage occurred. This will help avoid a sudden surge of power when electric service is restored.
• Call PSE&G immediately at 1-800-880-7734 (PSEG) or 911 if you smell gas.
• Don’t go into basements with standing water, raw sewage or obvious electric hazards. Stay away from the breaker box in a flooded basement.
• Watch out for animals and snakes that may have been flooded out of their homes and are seeking shelter.
• Review additional storm safety and preparation tips.

PSE&G
Public Service Electric & Gas Co. is New Jersey’s oldest and largest gas and electric delivery public utility, as well as one of the nation’s largest utilities. PSE&G is the 2022 Edison Award recipient from the Edison Electric Institute. PSE&G has won the ReliabilityOne® Award for superior electric system reliability in the Mid-Atlantic region for 22 consecutive years. For the third consecutive year, PSE&G is the recipient of the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year award in the Energy Efficiency Program Delivery category. In addition, in 2023 J.D. Power named PSE&G number one in customer satisfaction with residential and business electric service in the east among large utilities. PSE&G is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc., (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), a predominantly regulated infrastructure company focused on a clean energy future and has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for North America for 16 consecutive years (www.pseg.com).