County Executive George Latimer (left) with State Senator Terrence Murphy at the Briefing in Yorktown this morning.
WPCNR THE POWER STORY. March 8, 2018:
County Executive George Latimer conducted an hour Media briefing this morning at Yorktown Police Headquarters, reporting there are 29,653 Westchester Con Edison Customers without power and 18,059 NEW YORK STATE ELECTRIC AND GAS customers out of power, 47, 712 in total.
You can see the complete media briefing at this link below. Thanks to the Westchester County Department of Communications for this timely expedited link up CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW or Copy and put it in your browser and press “Go”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf0_4KmkoRk&feature=youtu.be
No information was given as to what Con Ed and NYSEG are proceeding ahead to address the power crisis. Mr. Latimer praised the Con Ed workers doing the dangerous work but repeated his criticism of yesterday saying Top Con Ed management needed to be replaced for the way Westchester’s greatest power crisis has been handled. He said the utilities have to be accountable now, not when hearings on the recovery efficiency and decisions are held months from now.
The Yorktown Police Chief Noble cautioned motorists not to touch guardrails if they are stuck, because you could be electrocuted if downed live wires are draped across the guardrail and you do not know it.
The Disaster Coordinator from New York State, Cathy Calhoun said there were 155,000 Customers without power across New York State after the yesterday’s storm subsided. As of noon yesterday, there were 29,000. She said National Guard units have helped clear trees and debris, perform wellness checks and helped out wherever police and local officials suggested. She reiterated that Governor Cuomo has promised a full investigation of the Con Ed, NYSEG performance. Previously, Governor Cuom called the untility performance “absurd.”
The Town Supervisor of Yorktown, Ilan Gilbert, above praised his police department and EMS workers for their tireless efforts pleaded with Consolidated Edison to “tell us the truth,” about areas and town areas out of power and to work with police departments. WPCNR Asked if as of this morning, whether Con Edison and NYSEG was now doing this, Golbert told WPCNR they were not.
He sharply criticised Con Ed and NYSEG for not cooperating with the police and using police expertise and knowledge of what areas out of power in Yorktown needed to be service first, giving the impression that Con Ed was not strategically working with areas without power in Yorktown.
Mr. Latimer went into detail on what he thought was wrong with the way Con Ed makes management decisions saying they are the ones who have to shut off power before crews can get to work clearing the trees tangled in downed power wires, and that the utilities had to work with officials of the areas they are attempting to restore in a more open manner and make decisions with the communities and get on the same page.
The Coordinator for New York State said the state national guard forces of some 100 personnel, soon to be four hundred, she said had aided in clearing trees and debris and wellness checks around the County.
Here is the video of that news conference on this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf0_4KmkoRk&feature=youtu.be
