In responding to storm-related damage to the electric system, O&R's number one priority is safety — followed by rapid restoration of service.

• Crews first clear live power lines and equipment that pose a hazard to public safety. They also give priority attention to facilities that are critical to the health and well being of the communities.

• O&R then concentrates its repair work on damaged areas that will restore electric service to the greatest number of customers in the shortest amount of time. Repairs are first made to major high-voltage transmission lines (2) that feed power into local distribution systems.
• Next, crews work on the distribution lines (4) serving smaller groups of customers. It's at this stage that you're most likely to see crews in your neighborhood. If you see an O&R truck drive right past your home, however, it doesn't mean you've been forgotten. Often, problems along one street are part of a bigger problem many blocks, or even miles, away.
• Finally, repairs are made to individual customers (5). Customers likely to be restored last are in places where downed trees obstruct crews from working, and in isolated areas where buildings are far apart.