Rye Brook Full Power Restoration Time: 8-10 Days

The Village of Rye Brook is still 79 percent powerless due to Sandy’s destruction and Con Edison does not expect to have full electricity restoration until next weekend, according to the Assistant to the Village Administrator David Burke. Assessment and restoration efforts are underway, but will take time to complete as the primary focus is to clear all roadways that are blocked, Burke said.

Con Edison's priorities are:

• Road closures (for emergency vehicle access)
• Damage to public infrastructure (roads, etc.)
•  Public safety facilities (hospitals, etc.)
• Damage assessment
• Schools, voting locations

Even if we have all are roads open, other communities may not, Burke explained. 

Currently 628,236 Con Edison costumers in Westchester County are without power. County Executive Rob Astorino reported Wednesday that Con Ed CEO assured him resources were not being diverted to New York City, but many Patch readers have reported that they have not seen Con Ed work going on in their neighborhoods.

The City of Rye and Village of Rye Brook have both reported that their DPW crews have been working with Con Edison crews since before the storm. They first need to clear roads of debris, and then Con Ed can work on the electricity. Rye officials said the estimated power restorationtime there was 2-8 days on Tuesday. Patch will report any changes to that number as that information becomes available. 

In Rye, approximately 20 roads remained closed as of Wednesday night. In Rye Brook, all main roads are open and only one secondary road is closed, Pine Ridge Road between Lincoln and Mohegan.

“DPW and ConEd are on site and it should be open soon,” Burke said of Pine Ridge.

Burke reminds people that although all roads are open for travel, people should remain aware that wires are still down and they should stay away and assume all wires are live. Never approach down wires, he said.

The Anthony J. Posillipo Community Center on King Street will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. as a heating center where people can use the internet and charge cell phones.  The Port Chester High School Emergency Shelter is now closed.

Village Hall is closed due to the power outage and all scheduled meetings for tonight are canceled. Regular sanitation is scheduled for today, Thursday, Nov. 1.

Do you know of a place offering heat, showers and electricity? Please tell us about it in the comments. 

Clean Up, Storm Recovery Tips from Rye Brook:

If you are without power, you should notify Con Edison at 1-800-75 CONED even if your neighbor has done so.

Please view the Storm Safety Guidelines prepared by Rye Brook Building Inspector Michael Izzo with respect to damaged electrical systems, natural or liquid propane gas equipment, and sanitary systems to help ensure your safety.     

Storm Debris Cleanup Procedures

In order to assist with storm cleanup efforts, the following procedures are in effect:

• No tree permits or replanting is required for tree removals due to storm.

• Please only hire licensed contractors to remove trees and clean up properties.

• Downed trees and stumps must be completely removed from the property by the homeowner or the homeowner’s contractor.  Cut-up trees and stumps cannot be left at the curb.

• Branches and limbs of a manageable size (i.e. handled by hand by one person) can be neatly placed at the curb.   Branches and limbs should be no greater than 4-5 feet in length in piles with a maximum height of 4 feet.

• Brush shall be bundled and tied for efficient pickup.

• Please do not stack any storm debris (branches, limbs, sticks, etc.) on top of leaf piles.  They cannot be mixed together for pickup.

• Please do not place any storm debris in the roadway.

Rye Brook Fire Department Pump Out Procedures
All requests need to be made through the Police Department at 937-1020 
All requests will be placed by the Police Department on a list for Fire Department action
Threat to structure or utilities are a priority
Water must be above 12 inches (due to the large size of Fire Department pumps)
Pump outs are evaluated by the Fire Department on a case by case basis

Procedures for Damage to Electrical Systems, Gas Equipment and Sanitary Systems

In the event of a storm, wind, rain or flood event, please keep in mind these simple guidelines with respect to electrical systems, natural or liquid propane gas equipment, and sanitary systems to help ensure the safety, health and welfare of you, your family, your property and the community at large. 

·        Do not attempt to touch or move any downed or low-hanging electrical power lines. This could result in injury or death. Report damaged power lines to the Rye Brook Police Department at 937-1020.

·        Flooding can damage your electrical system, and Con Edison may de-energize your system (disconnect your power at the pole) if such damage occurs. Report flood damaged electrical equipment to the Rye Brook Police Department at 937-1020. Do not attempt to use any electrical outlets or other electrical equipment damaged by water. Should your electrical power be shut off by Con Edison due to damage by flooding, you must retain the services of a Westchester County Licensed Electrician to make whatever repairs are necessary.

·        All electrical repairs must be inspected by the Village’s Electrical Inspection Agency prior to being re-energized by Con Edison. Please contact the Building Department at 939-0668 for further information.

·        Flooding can cause your natural or liquid propane gas heating / hot water systems to become unsafe. Report flood damaged heating equipment to the Rye Brook Police Department at 937-1020. Do not attempt to use flood damaged gas heating / hot water equipment. This could result in fire or explosion.

·        Any damaged gas heating or hot water equipment must be repaired by a Westchester County Licensed Plumber or H.V.A.C. Contractor.

·        All natural or liquid propane gas system repairs must be inspected by the Village Plumbing Inspector prior to being placed back in service. Please contact the Building Department at 939-0668 for further information.

·        Never remove the caps on your sanitary sewer house traps in an attempt to drain flood water. This is a violation of Westchester County and NY State Health Codes, and can result in a sewer back-up allowing raw sewerage to flow back into your home through the opened trap.

Power Outages:
Customers are urged to call Con Edison immediately to report any outages at 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). Customers can also report power interruptions or service problems as well as view service restoration information online at www.conEd.com and on their cell phones and PDAs.  When reporting an outage, customers should have their Con Edison account number available, if possible, and report whether their neighbors also have lost power.

In the event of severe outages, primary distribution feeders will be restored first, with the highest priority given to lines that supply the most customers out of service.  Next, the crews will restore secondary facilities, such as transformers and secondary cables, again with highest priority given to lines supplying the most customers out of service.  Individual services, lines serving a single home, will be restored as crews become available.

Con Edison offers the following tips to prepare for a storm:

1. If you see downed electrical wires, do not go near them.  Treat all downed wires as if they are live.  Never attempt to move or touch them with any object.  Be mindful that downed wires can be hidden from view by tree limbs, leaves or water.  Report all downed wires to Con Edison and your local police department immediately.  If a power line falls on your car while you’re in it, stay inside the vehicle and wait for emergency personnel.

1. If your power goes out, turn off all lights and appliances to prevent overloaded circuits when power is restored.  Leave at least one light switch in the on position to alert you when power has been restored.

1. Check to make sure your flashlights and any battery-operated radios or televisions are in working order. Use candles and oil lamps with care.  Also, make sure you have a supply of extra batteries.  Weather updates and news on restorations of electrical service can be heard on most local radio and television stations.

1. Avoid opening your freezer to see if food is still frozen.  Every time you open the door, room-temperature air enters and speeds the thawing process.  Most fully loaded freezers will keep food frozen for approximately 36 to 48 hours; half-full freezers will keep food frozen for approximately 24 hours.

The company will maintain close contact with the New York City Office of Emergency Management and the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services to coordinate storm response as necessary.