Con Ed Donates $20K to save BRP's Bicycle Sundays

[firedude 985]

Just thought I'd share this. Still want to know how Con Ed came up with $20,000

Westchester Bicycle Sundays will continue; donations save program cut from budget

12:31 PM, Dec. 13, 2011

WHITE PLAINS — Westchester's Bicycle Sundays, cut from the 2012 county budget, will return next year thanks to donations, officials announced today. The Friends of Westchester County Parks and Consolidated Edison will contribute $20,000 each to keep the popular program going

Full Article on Lohud.com

[efdcapt115 1,511]

While I appreciate firedude posting this up, I say Con Ed has some set to be making charitable donations, while their trucks are out there operating unsafely with one person per rig.

Save the "goodwill gesture" Con Ed...hire some damn workers!

[newsbuff 286]

Save the "goodwill gesture" Con Ed...hire some damn workers!

Right about now, Con Ed needs all the "goodwill" and community brownie points, after being hit hard from the past few storms.

[x635 4,066]

It's important for large companies to give back to the community they serve. $20,000 is nothing in Con Ed's budget. This will help to provide many of it's customers with a very popular recreational opportunity.

[sympathomedic 383]

The $20,000 will come from a system wide 2% voltage reduction.

OK kidding. You wouldn't know it to look at me but I love riding those bike Sundays. I appreciate Con-Eds gesture.

[mstrang1 213]

And a decent tax break for ConEd

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

While I appreciate firedude posting this up, I say Con Ed has some set to be making charitable donations, while their trucks are out there operating unsafely with one person per rig.

Save the "goodwill gesture" Con Ed...hire some damn workers!

Had dinner with a former Con Ed forman [just retired] . When he started they had 26,000 workers, when he left they now have 6,000 !!!!!!!!!!

Edited December 14, 2011 by PCFD ENG58

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Personally I don't think they should have to worry about the hits they took from the past few storms. Problem is people are just too damned spoiled and really don't understand the dynamics of power grids particularly when the damage is vast and to primary infrastructure. People think they are more important then the next and that power should be on in 45 minutes. Its getting ridiculous.

As far as more workers...if that's a significant issues...I say absolutely. I would imagine the union would be taking up that issue as well...and I'll be flat out honest...I would say I would support them..but I don't see their union stepping up for their members who like to come in and do my job.

If anything...they are using money on the backs of their customers. Times aren't getting any easier...they should do their best to find a way to lower costs for customers.

[Medic5274 45]

Had dinner with a former Con Ed forman [just retired] . When he started they had 26,000 workers, when he left they now have 6,000 !!!!!!!!!!

That 6000 employees head count is way off. Con Edison has close to 14,000 employees. Yes the numbers have dropped significantly over the last 25 years but it has held around 14,000 for several years now

[jack10562 414]

I believe that 6000 number is fairly accurate for management employees, and the balance is union, for a total of around 14000.

More and more utility "jobs" are "lost" due to the work functions getting contracted out. For example who would have thought that nobody but a huge utility a could operate a nuclear power plant? and then along comes Entergy.

Routine gas and electric construction and maintenance work is getting farmed out to different companies on a bid process, and all ConEd needs is a few contract administrators to ensure that the work was done.

The union is essentially (excuse the pun) powerless to stop them from doing it.

[ex-commish 490]

Just thought I'd share this. Still want to know how Con Ed came up with $20,000

Look at your next bill...

[M' Ave 1,466]

If anything...they are using money on the backs of their customers. Times aren't getting any easier...they should do their best to find a way to lower costs for customers.

The outgoing V.P. earned 5.8 million dollars in his final year of employment. I don't know about anyone else, but my bill keeps going up. Things seem a little backwards.

As for this particular subject....Bike Sunday's are terrific and I'm glad to see it remain a Spring/Fall tradition.

[x635 4,066]

How does one even gain employment with Con Ed?

Regardless, I think that it is any large corporations job to give back to the community. This is something many residents enjoy,and we shoudldn't be looking a gift horse in the mouth.

[PEMO3 523]

Problem is people are just too damned spoiled and really don't understand the dynamics of power grids particularly when the damage is vast and to primary infrastructure. People think they are more important then the next and that power should be on in 45 minutes.

I thought the Con Ed goal was 45 hours.

Still want to know how Con Ed came up with $20,000

Easy answer. Check your next bill. There will now be a new line "Westchester Bicycle Sunday Tax". It will go along with the other taxes, surcharges and delivery charges Con Ed adds every month.

[99subi 121]

How does one even gain employment with Con Ed?

Im pretty sure you have to apply and then take a test. You proceed in levels. If you pass the reading comp then you take the mechanical aptitude,you pass that then you move on to the math and so on . If you pass them all I'm pretty sure they will consider you for employment.

[helicopper 1,050]

Personally I don't think they should have to worry about the hits they took from the past few storms. Problem is people are just too damned spoiled and really don't understand the dynamics of power grids particularly when the damage is vast and to primary infrastructure. People think they are more important then the next and that power should be on in 45 minutes. Its getting ridiculous.

As far as more workers...if that's a significant issues...I say absolutely. I would imagine the union would be taking up that issue as well...and I'll be flat out honest...I would say I would support them..but I don't see their union stepping up for their members who like to come in and do my job.

If anything...they are using money on the backs of their customers. Times aren't getting any easier...they should do their best to find a way to lower costs for customers.

Another problem is damn near every town "demanding" a Con Ed rep at Town Hall or the local PD/FD/EOC/ABC/LMNOP every time there's a major storm. That's ridiculous and a colossal waste of money. No wonder their expenses are so high; they need to keep 100 liaisons employed so every little fiefdom has their own personal ConEd whipping boy.

It does nobody any good at all to have a rep in Town Hall or the PD when restoration is regional and doesn't necessarily coincide with jurisdictional borders. Seems to me those 40-50 reps would be better served supervising field work and let the rep in the County's EOC coordinate local needs with ConEd services.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

POLL; Voted NO..bah hum-bug.....

[firedude 985]

Another problem is damn near every town "demanding" a Con Ed rep at Town Hall or the local PD/FD/EOC/ABC/LMNOP every time there's a major storm. That's ridiculous and a colossal waste of money. No wonder their expenses are so high; they need to keep 100 liaisons employed so every little fiefdom has their own personal ConEd whipping boy.

It does nobody any good at all to have a rep in Town Hall or the PD when restoration is regional and doesn't necessarily coincide with jurisdictional borders. Seems to me those 40-50 reps would be better served supervising field work and let the rep in the County's EOC coordinate local needs with ConEd services.

I could be wrong, but from what I've seen, they have stoped doing this. They realize it's a waste. Instead, on large scale incidents, they mobilize the mobile command units, the emergency support group and emergency command units in certian locations.

Mobile Command Unit 1

Emergency Support Group

Emergency Command Units

Edited December 15, 2011 by firedude

[helicopper 1,050]

I could be wrong, but from what I've seen, they have stoped doing this. They realize it's a waste. Instead, on large scale incidents, they mobilize the mobile comand units, the emergency support group and emergency command units in certian locations.

From what I've seen recently, they still do for widespread incidents like storms. For localized events the trucks you posted pictures of are used as their command and control points.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

I say they open a class...say...25% of what a typical lineman that does repairs on storm damage spends in schooling...and allow residents to fix the issue in their neighborhood. Because they are so knowledgable about power grids and lines, that power should be back on in 15 mins. to 1 hour and not a couple of days after a major storms comes up the entire east cost...or say drops several inches of snow very early in the year with leaves still on trees...over the entire companies service area...they must be able to do it with less training.

[Bnechis 3,961]

Another problem is damn near every town "demanding" a Con Ed rep at Town Hall or the local PD/FD/EOC/ABC/LMNOP every time there's a major storm. That's ridiculous and a colossal waste of money. No wonder their expenses are so high; they need to keep 100 liaisons employed so every little fiefdom has their own personal ConEd whipping boy.

This was a major topic with ConEd during Tuesdays County Emergency Managers Meeting. During the last storm, which ConEd did not send its muni reps out in a timly manor, but did send reps to the County EOC had a major delay in restoration because of the delay in ConEd recieving and prioritizing calls. Most of the local emergency managers agreed that things run better when the Muni Rep is available to them. In my case, if we had to call the county EOC for each request, instead of turning my head, we would have not been able to handle any other issue.

ConEd does not "keep 100 liasons". According to ConEd's emergency manager, They don't even keep one. All of the muni reps are, lawers, billing clerks, accountants and customer reps. They are trained to work within ICS and trained in data entry into the ConEd service network.

It does nobody any good at all to have a rep in Town Hall or the PD when restoration is regional and doesn't necessarily coincide with jurisdictional borders. Seems to me those 40-50 reps would be better served supervising field work and let the rep in the County's EOC coordinate local needs with ConEd services.

In some communities, particularly smaller ones, the rep in town hall may not be very effective, but that all depends on what the municipality brings to the location.

While the jurisdictional borders often does not matter (A tree down on wires on one side of the city line may effect the other side.

As I stated above, those 40-50 reps are not field reps.

This is not about regional restoration, its about customer & emergency service provider safety. Here is how we operate and how ConED's muni rep fits in.

During major storms we open our EOC radio room (we also have a full EOC, for dept heads if needed). In the radio room, we have a police supervisor, fire dispatcher, OEM coordinator, DPW Dispatcher and ConED Muni Rep.

1) 60 Control turns over all nonemergency FD calls and many lower level emergencies, including wires down calls to us.

2) All calls to DPW (downed trees, flooding) are answered here.

3) PD Supervisor monitors all dispatches via radio & CAD.

4) ConED's Munirep can monitor the status of the system.

We have at our disposal all field units (PD, FD & DPW) to report back what they find. We can map the problems and prioritze them.

Since DPW crews will not clear trees down (and blocking roads) with downed wires and cConEd wont clear trees down (and blocking roads) to get to downed wires, it is critical to ID and dispatch ConEd and/or DPW crews to the same incident at the same time. This could never be done without the munirep siting right next to the DPW dispatcher. The munirep can communicate with the field supervisor to prioritizewhat they find.

During a storm, ConEd handles dpwn/damaged primary & secondary wires differently. The secondaries are easily cut free by a 1 or 2 man crew. While this does not restore power, it moves the hazard 20 feet up away from people, which frees PD & FD from having to babysit the hazard. It also allows DPW crews to open roads, often by front end loader or snow plow. This would be delayed by days if the muni rep was not able to communicate to the DPW dispatcer that the secondary wires are cleared and its safe.

Primaries still need protection and will take days for crews to get to.

We are also able to direct coned resources as to what roads are blocked and what route they need to take.

Since we implimented this system we have seen the time to reopen all roads has dropped by atleast 24 hours. This is critical to safeguarding the community.

[PEMO3 523]

Since DPW crews will not clear trees down (and blocking roads) with downed wires and cConEd wont clear trees down (and blocking roads) to get to downed wires

You hit on a big point here. One of the questions I have always wondered is why the restoration crews do not include a tree crew and why the tree crews do not include a electrical emergency crew. It always seems both a waste of time to send a crew to a location to only have them not able to do anything and a PR issue for the customer to see the trucks roll up look at the tree on the wires and say I can touch it until the tree is moved or the wires are cut. Why put a team together if it only includes half the resources you need. It would be better to have 20 complete crews on the road then 50 half crews that have to wait for help to do their job. But we all know with Con Ed it is a numbers game. Remember a 10 story apartment building can be considered 1 customer in their book.

[helicopper 1,050]

You hit on a big point here. One of the questions I have always wondered is why the restoration crews do not include a tree crew and why the tree crews do not include a electrical emergency crew. It always seems both a waste of time to send a crew to a location to only have them not able to do anything and a PR issue for the customer to see the trucks roll up look at the tree on the wires and say I can touch it until the tree is moved or the wires are cut. Why put a team together if it only includes half the resources you need. It would be better to have 20 complete crews on the road then 50 half crews that have to wait for help to do their job. But we all know with Con Ed it is a numbers game. Remember a 10 story apartment building can be considered 1 customer in their book.

Ahhh, the task force concept. Imagine that? Unfortunately, because everyone works on their own, in their own jurisdiction/discipline we never see this achieved.

[Medic5274 45]

The outgoing V.P. earned 5.8 million dollars in his final year of employment. I don't know about anyone else, but my bill keeps going up. Things seem a little backwards.

As for this particular subject....Bike Sunday's are terrific and I'm glad to see it remain a Spring/Fall tradition.

Con Edison is very generous with local donations to governments and non-profit agencies as any good corporation should be. But everything is not always as it seems. The Public Service Commission (PSC)requires Con Edison and all Utilities to make local donations every year. So Con Edison is forced to make donations as part of their contract with the PSC