Storm Ready: How to Prepare Your Business

Transcription

1 Storm Ready: How to Prepare Your Business Emergency Planning and Storm Preparedness Louis DeBrino, Manager, Emergency Preparedness 1

2 PSEG Long Island: Who We Are and the Promises We ve Made 2

3 PSEG Vision, Mission and Strategic Objectives PSEG Long Island Mission Statement PSEG Long Island Strategic Objectives Build an industry leading electric company dedicated to providing our Long Island and Rockaways customers with exceptional customer service, best-in-class reliability and storm response, and a strong level of involvement in the communities in which we live and work. Ensuring the safety of our employees and the public Making customer satisfaction, including cost, the priority of every employee Working to maintain best-in class electric reliability Enhancing the storm response process 3

4 PSEG Long Island: System Overview and Restoration Priorities 4

5 Transmission and Distribution (T&D) System Overview T&D System Components Transmission Lines Substations High Voltage Distribution Lines Transformers Secondary (lower voltage) wires Service wires to individual homes and businesses System Damage Any of the components listed above could be damaged during a storm. Often, outages are caused by damage in multiple locations. 5

6 System Restoration Priorities Widespread damage across the electric system requires that power be restored using a systematic approach: The transmission system, often referred to as the backbone of the system, must be restored first as it supplies power to other sections. Simultaneously, we repair any problems at substations Work then proceeds on the parts of the system that transfer power from the transmission system to the distribution system Next, we work to restore the distribution system that feeds power to local neighborhoods Finally, repairs are made to transformers, secondary distribution wire and individual service lines connected to customer locations 6

7 Customer Restoration Priorities Large outage issues first Priority is given to restoring power to the largest number of customers at once, ex. a group of 1,000 outages receives priority over a group of 100 At the same time, we focus on public safety and health facilities Police and Fire Hospitals an Nursing Homes Water Pumping Stations Sewer Treatment Plants Evacuation Shelters Schools Commercial customers are usually restored in the early stages due to being located along major roadways and connected to main wires Each repair may require specialty equipment and crews with specific skill sets or may need to be made safe before field workers can restore power 7

8 PSEG Long Island: Restoration Challenges 8

9 Restoration Challenges Large storms can impact the entire east coast and beyond. That can hamper our requests for help from off-island resources. Neighboring utilities often cannot release crews they are looking for help, too Crews that can help often must travel long distances in bucket trucks and move heavy equipment Restoration can be more difficult in areas where poles are located behind properties Equipment must be brought in manually, which takes more time 9

10 Restoration Challenges Debris from trees and other objects Trees often have to be cut away and downed poles removed before repair and restoration work can begin Working safe Power may have to be turned off in some areas to make sure it is safe for crews working on repairing the system Crews routinely work 16-hour shifts in hazardous conditions Additional crews brought in from outside our area are unfamiliar with the Long Island service territory 10

11 PSEG Long Island: Preparing your Business 11

12 Preparing your Business Plan Ahead Don t wait for an emergency to occur PLAN FOR IT Business Continuity Plans should be developed and maintained if services must continue during storm conditions Gather key contact information of local emergency organizations and utilities Hospital, Police, Fire Department, Red Cross, FEMA, SBA PSEG Long Island, Verizon, National Grid Know the vulnerabilities of your business Know your evacuation routes Plan, test, enhance 12

13 Preparing your Business Preparing Your Facility Survey your work location both inside and outside Remove any potential hazards such as low hanging trees and/or debris Secure all property and/or equipment Relocate any valuable or fragile items Ensure all building systems have been tested and maintained including back up generators, HVAC units and communications systems Run generators pre-storm and top off fuel levels if possible Operate generators outdoors only and never near windows and vents If you plan on temporarily closing your business during an anticipated hurricane, turn off all utilities prior to the storm making landfall if possible 13

14 Preparing your Business Protect Important Documents and Information Identify critical information that needs to be secured Designate personnel to properly maintain such information Back-up key documents and/or critical systems Insurance, legal and tax documents Payroll information IT systems including servers and data storage mechanisms Security and building access programs Review contact information for key vendors and partners Review employee contact information If possible, save and maintain all critical information in an alternative and accessible off-site location 14

15 Preparing your Business Preparedness Checklist Develop a checklist for your worksite if and when a storm occurs while you are on the premises Items should include but are not limited to: Battery operated radio or TV Non-perishable food supply for you and your employees (3 days minimum) Water supply for you and your employees (one gallon of water per person, per day 3 days min.) First aid kit Medications Tool kit Flashlights and extra batteries Cleaning supplies Blankets, pillows, etc. Cash and loose change 15

16 Preparing your Business Keeping Employees Safe Review all daily and emergency contact information for employees Develop a mechanism for communicating with employees during both pre and post-storm conditions such as call trees, and text blasts Develop and distribute a pre-determined policy on emergencies and your expectations for employees Alternative work arrangements Hours of operations Emergency thresholds Review and test emergency plans with all employees Encourage employees to plan at home Alternative housing or family meeting place Child care Pet care Go kits 16

17 Preparing your Business Additional Resources PSEG Long Island Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) New York State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services American Red Cross United States Small Business Administration

18 PSEG Long Island: Enhancing the Power Restoration Process 18

19 Storm Hardening Initiatives Adopted stronger standards in targeted locations Expanded tree trim activities Larger trim zone and expanded hazardous tree removal Increased mileage Substations enhancements Raising key equipment at substations located in low-lying areas Semi-permanent protective barriers and additional monitoring sensors installed Arverne Far Rockaway 19

20 Enhancing the Storm Restoration Process Outage Management System (OMS) Brings new features that enhance the restoration process Uses advanced technology to enable access to more real-time information on outages and work completed Provides for more timely status information for customers and increased crew efficiencies due to effective dispatch tools, including outage maps and job closure information 20

21 Flood Restoration Process Protocol outlines process to get power back to homes and businesses in flooded areas after major storms PSEG Long Island to make available adequate resources to assess whether a structure can have power safely restored Utilize combination of 3 rd party resources and data collected by CEDAR Teams Homes and businesses deemed unsafe for power: Require licensed electrician to certify that customer-owned electrical equipment has been inspected, tested and/or repaired and can be safely operated Must also certify compliance with National Electric Code Inspections and associated costs are the customers responsibility PSEG Long Island will abide by any local codes and/or ordinances that impose additional requirements for restoring power 21

22 Enhancing the Storm Restoration Process Roadway Clearance and Damage Assessment Municipal Roadway Clearance Assistance Dedicated resources to work with municipal DPW crews De-energize lines to make safe for tree removal Focus on opening critical roadways Transitioning from data collection forms to electronic data capture utilizing GIS and GPS coordinate technology Platform to collect information in the field and share with decision makers and other agencies Expansion and integration with intelligence from towns, villages and other emergency response organizations Assist with Situational Awareness 22

23 PSEG Long Island: Key Communications Enhancements 23

24 Enhanced Communications During Storms Comprehensive Communication Process Increased use of Press Releases and Briefings Daily Municipal Conference Calls with elected leaders and municipal officials Improved Website with Storm Center Expanded Social Media Team Facebook & Twitter Blasts and Notifications 24

25 Helpful Information Before, During and After the Storm Visit us at 25

26 PSEG LI Storm Center Website 26

27 Preparing Your Business 27

28 Emergency Response Resources 28

29 PSEG LI Outage Map Normal Conditions Individual outage data Crew status Estimated Time of Restoration Large Scale Outages Area outage data Estimated Time of Restoration for a region Individual updates and notifications as jobs are assigned for repair 29

30 Storm Safety and Preparation Videos 30

31 PSEG Long Island: Interaction with Managed Accounts 31

32 Proactive Interaction with Managed Accounts Dedicated Account Executives Direct and single point of contact Established and maintained methods of communication Pre-established relationships and coordination Specific focus to business segment Increased Proactive Communications and Outreach Yearly account updates and maintenance Notifications and alerts Newsletters and awareness outreach Planning and preparedness webinars 32

33 Proactive Interaction with Managed Accounts During Storm Conditions Increased Communications Pre and Post storm communications sent via personal contact and/or e- mail Additional status updates are sent periodically throughout the duration of the event A 24/7 customer hotline is also made available for managed accounts during large scale outages Restoration Priority A restoration priority is given to managed accounts in conjunction with PSEG Long Island s overall restoration strategy All managed accounts are closely monitored during major storm events for updates and/or status changes Additional awareness and coordination between internal departments through reporting and OMS tools 33

34 Questions? 34