Lights Return to South of County after Long, Dark Night

LIVINGSTON COUNTY – The power is back on in the vast majority of affected homes in southern Livingston County.

According to New York State Gas and Electric (NYSEG) there are still two customers awaiting power in West Sparta. The rest of the over 1,400 who lost power on and off throughout the night reportedly have their lights back on.

NYSEG reports that these last two customers should have power by 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Some residents, especially those with small children, left home to seek heat with relatives during this outage.

Accuweather.com provides the following safety tips for homeowners dealing with long-term power outages in winter:

If the power goes out in a winter weather event, temperatures can drop significantly. Make sure to keep all doors to the outside shut. Use towels to block drafts coming in from window and door cracks.

It’s also possible to insulate windows with black blankets. The black draws heat from the sun. If the sun’s beams are coming through the window, put the blankets on the floor where the sun is directly shining instead.

Running a bathtub of hot water also draws in heat to the house.

Turning faucets to a trickle helps prevent pipes from freezing. If needed, wrap pipes in insulation or newspaper. Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing.

Avoid driving when conditions include sleet, freezing rain or drizzle, snow or dense fog. If travel is necessary, keep a disaster supply kit in your vehicle. Do not travel alone and let someone know where you are going and your expected arrival time.

Don’t rely on gas stoves, charcoal grills or other open-flame heat sources. Deadly carbon monoxide gas – which is odorless and invisible – may build up in your home.