Con Ed/NYSEG and ETA's

[x635 4,066]

I've been listening to the plethora of wire down calls lately, and have heard many chiefs asking for ETA of the utility companies.

Seems like it's the same thing over and over, day after day, year after year. Either the whole fake "1/2 hour" eta, or "unknown eta"

I know from experiences with them when Con Ed gives an ETA, they will come....eventually. Repeatedly asking for an ETA does not hurry them up, they will come when the next crew is available, and wherever they may be in the WC. Unless their is a life threat, repeatedly asking for an ETA does nothing but tie up the dispatchers and airwaves, since Con Ed won't give an accurate ETA. So field crews are just forced to sit and wait for the next available crew.

I was wondering what everybody else thought about this issue, and what could be done to resolve or improve it???

Now that cell phones are so prevalent.......

[mikeinet 37]

Maybe a better program put together with ConEd and the Fire Service... not really sure how/what can be done.

I personally never understood why coned hasn't outfitted some of its trucks with red lights and such for emergency situations... they just have the "emergency Unit"

[27east 19]

I personally never understood why coned hasn't outfitted some of its trucks with red lights and such for emergency situations... they just have the "emergency Unit"

Same here Mike....They do have those red trucks marked "Emergency" and Tahoes marked "Emergency Command" or something like that.....

[EX2354 0]

Red Lights i dont think is a good idea thats the last thing you need it a Con Ed trucks flying around with red lights. I think more staffing during storms we all pay enough in bills

[Guest]

One idea to make Con Ed respond more quickly, is to charge them for manpower and equipment, after 30 mins on scene, than it is their time and dime, Right now there isn't a motive to get there any quicker. :roll:

[Guest x2371]

If anyone has a good or bad experince with con ed or nyseg goto the county web page and fill out this report it goes back to them Best to have an officer fill it out

http://www.westchestergov.com/emergserv/comm60.htm

[mikeinet 37]

While it might nto be the best thing to have them flying lights/sirens... when you're in northern westchester and they blatently tell you they are responding from say... Yonkers... it might make a little difference.

I agree that FDs should get some reimburstment too for staying at a scene past x amount of time. We are doing them a favor.

[Guest DADAY]

Doing them a favor? Isn't a wire down with power still going to it a life threating emergency? Isn't that what the FD is here for?

I agree that they take a long time. I have been on a few calls where they said that Con Ed has not ETA. Can't really leave. So unfortunatly we're stuck.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Generally the electric guys won't give an ETA, gas will. It is one of the more aggravating aspects of dealing with electrical emergencies. When there is a storm I plan on waiting so my patience doesn't wear thin, they only have so many trucks and when a good storm sweeps through the county it creates havoc. Whats a big pain is when its not storm related and they send you a supervisor in a caravan and he's there and you still have to wait.

[WAS967 97]

One idea to make Con Ed respond more quickly, is to charge them for manpower and equipment, after 30 mins on scene, than it is their time and dime, Right now there isn't a motive to get there any quicker. Rolling Eyes

OH good. Just what they need. Another excuse to jack up thier prices. No thanks, they're high enough.

[x635 4,066]

I say go to the wire down. Cone/rope/sign off the area and leave. If an idiot is stupid enough to go near the live wire, it's their fault.

[DOC22 1]

We had wires down along Route 121 in North Salem, NYSEG ETA was hours since it was one of those real bad storms, we were able to get NYSDOT to maintain the road closure until NYSEG arrived.

This may be an option that is rarely utilized.

[WAS967 97]

I say go to the wire down. Cone/rope/sign off the area and leave. If an idiot is stupid enough to go near the live wire, it's their fault.

But we all know who gets sued for thier being stupid.

[Lieut2 0]

Con Ed will not give a ETA because they found if they told you they would respond in approx. l5 minutes, at l5 minutes and 5 seconds the F.D. would be calling them back and every 5 minutes afterward. Con Ed did attempt to equip. several response vehichles with lights and siren but there application to the DMV Commissioner was denied.

[mikeinet 37]

DADAY: I meant that we're doing them a favor in that we don't just cone it off and leave... a lot of times FD's or at least chief's stay on scene until a crew arrives. I agree with x635 - cone it, tape it off, and go back to bed... if someone walks across it or drives over it.. .they probably had it out for them anyway.

Id' be curious to know why coned to denied Lieut2?

[EX2354 0]

Last nite while i had the scanner on about 11pm the Village of Mamaroneck police were dispatched for wires down in turn the FD was also dispatched. 2 calls were put into Con Ed by PD and 60 Control both got the answer no eta. About 45 minutes later 2 more calls were put in agian by PD and 60 Control the answer they got was a hour and a half eta. To me it seemed like a quiet nite no stroms no big fire calls where Con Ed would be tied up. I would of put barricades and yellow tape i dont know what time Con Ed finally showed up i went to bed unlike the poor guys sitting on the call for who knows how long then they had to get up to go to their jobs today. Ive been on calls where we had wires down burning in the street and taped it off and left after waiting hours for Con Ed. I think its time Con Ed took a look at there responce time and for local depts. to start billing them for there time on scene waiting

[JBE 328]

Two words...First Available...

[BFD1054 1,552]

My father works for Con Edison and has for 42 years. He is no longer a lineman, but works on the 500 foot towers you see around the area. I talked to him recently about this issue. One major problem is that many guys are retiring and Con Ed isn't replacing them for whatever reasons (probably $$$). Also, all employees have to go through alot of training, obviously, so training new guys to replace the out-going ones takes time.

Con Edison is just like any emergency service provider (PD, FD, EMS) if you think about it. They only have so many crews on the road at once and they can get jammed up easily. They operate out of various locations such as Buchanan, Eastview, Yonkers and NYC. If theres a bad storm with alot of power outages and lines down, its easy to understand why they may have a longer response time. My advise is as alsfirefighter stated, expect a delayed response and have patients!

Hell, anyone remember Hurricane Floyd lol???

[x635 4,066]

Con Edison is just like any emergency service provider (PD, FD, EMS) if you think about it.  They only have so many crews on the road at once and they can get jammed up easily.  They operate out of various locations such as Buchanan, Eastview, Yonkers and NYC.  If theres a bad storm with alot of power outages and lines down, its easy to understand why they may have a longer response time.  My advise is as alsfirefighter stated, expect a delayed response and have patients!

Hell, anyone remember Hurricane Floyd lol???

Well said by BFD1054. One of my points that I was trying to make is that I don't feel it's neccesary to commit three pieces of apparatus to a simple wires down call, nor do I think it's necasary for a chief to call every 3 minutes for an ETA. That only ties up the dispatcher and the Con Ed dispatcher more. They know the wire is down, chances are they have multiple customers calling as well in regards to a power outage, so they will be there as soon as they can. I agree with calling once an hour for an ETA though, or as special circumstances require.

[Guest]

Wires down is Con Eds problem, Not the FD or Pd problem, Secure the area and protect the public from the danger , that is the Fire Dept. problem. Con ED also has Duty to respond in a resonable time frame to relieve the FD, It is already costing the taxpayer's when they have apparatus out on wires down.

Again charge CON ED after a certain amount of time at any scene. :roll: That will make them respond more Quickly, all they have to do is have a Con Ed employee respond to relieve the FD.

[27east 19]

Con Ed will sometimes send an employee in a car to stand by when there are wires down before the crew gets there. Happened once on my block during a winter storm a few years back.

[Pudge3311 5]

Interesting Article from Indiana:

http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/a...nId=46&id=43531

Wonder how well it will hold up here.

[WAS967 97]

I agree with the ruling. FDs don't have any responsibility really when it comes to downed power lines unless the power lines are on fire and/or in direct threat to human life or limb. IF they get to a downed power line and it is not an immediate threat, it should be marked clearly and left for the power company. It's not the FD's job to babysit a power line any more than it's not my job to babysit a psych patient that the hospital "hasn't decided to admit yet".

[Guest]

in peekskill it takes them 30 min eta on a good day on a bad day maybe 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours but they do a good job and get there quick some times to.