News

Heat wave taking a toll on the region

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

(New York-WABC, July 18, 2006) (WABC) -- The Tri-State area is like an oven and the soaring temperatures are causing power outages and big problems across the region.

An excessive heat warning has been posted for the New Jersey metropolitan area where heat indexes are expected to top out around 105 degrees. A heat advisory has been issued for most of the remainder of the region where heat indexes will rise between 100 and 104 degrees.

Because many people don't have air conditioning, New York City is making sure they have a place to escape the heat. The New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM) announced the opening of cooling centers throughout all five boroughs for Monday July 17 and Tuesday, July 18.

Click for Info on Cooling Centers in New York and New Jersey

LATEST PROBLEMS ACROSS THE TRI-STATE AREA AIRPORTS

The west side of LaGuardia Airport (the western portion of the central terminal, where American Airlines operates) and the Marine Air Terminal are operating on backup power.

Passengers who are using Delta Shuttle or American Airlines are strongly urged to check with their carriers.

TRANSIT

Subway service has been restored on all lines.

Due to signal problems at Times Square, No. 1 train service was suspended for about an hour between137th Street and South Ferry in both directions and No. 2 train service was running over the No. 5 line between 149th Street/Grand Concourse in the Bronx and Nevins Street in Brooklyn. No.3 service was also suspended along the entire line.

The N, R, E, F & G lines all have reduced service through Long Island City, NY.

Expect more problems on subway lines as temperatures hit their peak around midday today.

Yesterda, dozens of hot and sweaty passengers were rescued after they were trapped on board an "A" for more than an hour. Service was back to normal this morning.

POWER PROBLEMS

NYC - 416 in Brooklyn and Queens; 92 in Staten Island

Westchester - 2,100 countywide (200 in Yonkers; 175 in Ossining, 200 in Mount Vernon, 200 in Rye, 150 in New Rochelle, 150 in North Castle; 100 in Harrison)

Long Island - 736

Rockland - 100

New Jersey - at least 5,000 (at least 2,000 in Lambertville)

Connecticut - 2,867 statewide (56 in Greenwich, 1,986 in Stamford)

Thousands of people in Yonkers endured the heat without air conditioning on Monday into the overnight hours. That's because of a power outage. At one point in the day, around 11,600 customers in Yonkers were without power.

About 200 Yonkers customers still without power.

The areas most affected in Yonkers were neighborhoods from the Hudson River to the Saw Mill River Road and from Ashburton Avenue to Executive Boulevard.

ISO New York, the independent system operator that manages New York State's electrical grid, says it set a record for peak energy demand statewide on Monday. They say the record for demand was 32,519 Megawatts. The previous record was 32,075 megawatts set on July 26th of last year. ISO officials say they are able to meet the load and maintain required operating reserves.

ENERGY SAVING TIPS

Con Edison is asking customers in Yonkers, Harrison, Port Chester, Rye and Rye Brook to discontinue their use of non-essential electrical appliances. They recommend the following energy saving tips:

Turn off air conditioners, lights and other appliances when not at home and use a timer to turn on your air conditioner about a half-hour before arriving home.

Make sure air conditioner filters are clean so the machines will run at peak efficiency.

Set thermostats no lower than 78 degrees. Each degree lower increases cooling costs by 6 percent.

If you have a room air-conditioning unit, close off the rooms not being used; if you have central air, block the vents in un-used or vacant rooms.

To reduce heat and moisture in your apartment or home, run appliances such as ovens, washing machines, dryers and dishwashers in the early morning or late at night when it's generally cooler outside. Use a microwave to cook, or barbecue outside, if possible;

Keep shades, blinds and curtains closed. Simply drawing blinds and curtains, which act as a layer of insulation, can reduce heat in your apartment or home, and

Try using fans instead of air conditioners, but be sure to leave your windows open for ventilation. Fans use as little as one-tenth the energy as air conditioners.

STAYING SAFE IN THE HEAT

Residents should exercise caution during the heat wave, which may last through the entire week.
Here are some tips:

Wear lightweight, light colored clothing.

Avoid strenuous activities, especially during the hottest parts of the day.

Drink plenty of water and other non-alcoholic beverages.

Make plans to check regularly on the elderly and the very young as they're the most susceptible to the heat. Pets will also need your special attention during this time.

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