ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — High winds and storms Sunday have left thousands of RG&E customers without power.

As of 6:23 a.m. on Monday, RG&E is reporting 532 people without power throughout the region. You can check for the latest updates here. There were over 10,000 people without power around 6 p.m., and crews worked quickly to bring that number down.

NYSEG and RG&E released the following statement Monday morning:

Today, the company will conduct damage assessments and identify the extent of the damage caused by the weather event and crews will continue to make safe roads, and clear debris, fallen trees or other hazards. Crews were repositioned throughout the state overnight to be able to perform work in the most significantly impacted areas. 

The company continues to coordinate its response effort with state and local emergency management officials to clear roads of fallen trees and hazards and restore power service to critical facilities, such as hospitals and nursing homes.

Power outages by county:

Power outage map:

Here’s the rest of the outages reported by NYSEG.

“We just want folks to know that we’ve been preparing for any impacts over the last few days,” said Ridge Harris, a spokesperson for RG&E’s parent company.

“We train for events like this all year round,” continued Harris. “We have emergency preparedness folks, we’ve been talking with our meteorologists to get as accurate weather forecasts as possible. And importantly – pre-identifying areas that have most significant impacts, and dedicating crews and resources to those areas so we can get folks back online as soon as possible.”

In the wake of the storm, the area saw damage to power lines, trees and traffic signals. A Monroe County crew worked to repair a traffic light which had fallen on West Ridge Road in Greece. Elsewhere in Greece, a tree fell, blocking part of a roadway.

The companies offered these reminders to customers when dealing with power outages:

Stay Away From Downed Wires

• Stay at least 30 feet from a downed power line.
• If a downed wire comes in contact with your vehicle, stay inside and wait for help. If you must get out because of fire or other danger, jump clear of the vehicle to avoid any contact with the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Land with your feet together and hop with feet together or shuffle away; don’t run or stride.
• NYSEG customers should call 800.572.1131 and RG&E customers should call 800.743.1701 to report downed power lines or other hazardous situations.

During a Power Interruption

• Contact neighbors to see if their power is off. A loss of power may be the result of a blown fuse or a tripped circuit breaker.
• To report a power interruption, contact NYSEG at 800.572.1131 or RG&E at 800.743.1701.
• Keep refrigerators and freezers closed as much as possible. Most food will last 24 hours if you minimize the opening of refrigerator and freezer doors.

Power Restoration Priorities

The companies’ first priorities are to respond to reports of downed power lines to keep the public safe. NYSEG customers are asked to call 1.800.572.1131 and RG&E customers are asked to call at 1.800.743.1701 to report downed wires. Once this vital public safety work is complete, the company will:

• Assess the damage to the electricity delivery system.
• Develop a detailed restoration plan.
• Make repairs as quickly as possible.

via ROCHESTER FIRST