Unitil Corporation, (www.unitil.com), a provider of natural gas and electricity to customers in New England, is preparing for a significant winter storm to impact the region Friday and into Saturday.
According to the most recent forecasts, heavy rains and wind gusts of 40-50 mph are possible beginning at midnight tonight and into Saturday morning. Higher wind gusts and some flooding are possible in coastal regions, with 2-4 inches of wet, heavy snow also possible in inland areas. Based on current forecasts, Unitil has secured additional crews in advance of the storm and will be prepared to escalate its response if warranted.
"The severity of the wind gusts and their extended duration are the greatest concern with this event, though significant increases in the volume of wet snow to fall would also be a potential issue. This is a lengthy event with the potential to create a high amount of total precipitation, and as such we will be monitoring the forecast very closely."
Alec O’Meara, Media Relations Manager
We recommend our customers remain similarly prepared by checking and making an inventory of the following items:
- Flashlights and fresh batteries
- A battery-operated radio and clock
- Bottled water, canned foods and a manual can opener
- A list of important phone numbers and a car charger for cell phones if applicable
- A first aid kit.
In the event of downed wires, assume all cables and wires that have fallen or dangling are energized and stay away. Be sure to avoid wet ground or puddles near a downed lined because water conducts electricity. In addition, keep away from all flooded and debris laden areas because they may be hiding downed lines. Stay in a safe place and avoid driving in damaged areas so you don’t interfere with rescue and restoration efforts.
Unitil will be communicating throughout the event through Public Service Announcements (PSAs), our website, our customer call center and through the media. We also encourage customers to follow along with our storm updates via Facebook, our Twitter feed (@Unitil) and we will be providing real-time outage information online at unitil.com/map.
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR MEDIA: Unitil asks that when reporting outage information, outlets time stamp the information. Outage numbers change hourly and we wish to make sure the information customers receive is consistent and understandable. Re-Tweets and re-posting of old information without referencing a time can create confusion.
Customers experiencing outages should call the following toll-free numbers:
- For the NH Seacoast Area: 1-800-582-7276
- For the NH Capital Area: 1-800-852-3339
- For Massachusetts: 1-888-301-7700
You can also report outages online at http://www.unitil.com/report-outage.
