I call BS. Show the plan and the type of outage that's affecting those residents.

With volume of downed wires and inability to get "cans"/"poles", he is full of it, unless his definition of most is 50.01%.

I just called JCP&L again. The rep ("Jamie") told me that it is still their goal to have power back for everyone in Long Valley by tomorrow. I said "Goals are good, but sometimes after seeing the facts, an original estimate needs to be revised. A goal is only achievable if there is a realistically workable plan in place that will get you to that goal. Are you saying that you have a realistic plan in place to meet the goal, despite some rumors I have read online saying that it could take much longer?"

She said, "We are aware that those rumors are out there, such as that we are out of poles, we don't have enough people, etc. Those are just rumors, and they are competely untrue. We have plenty of manpower and equipment, and our goal is still to have your power restored by tomorrow. It is still our expectation that we will meet that goal.

So there you have it, folks. Maybe some of you would like to call them at (888) 544-4877 and see if you hear the same answer.

Question:
How long does it take to repair a downed pole vs. a downed pole with a "can".

If you factor in tree-cutting that has yet to take place, the number of downed poles, and an impending Nor'easter that begins tomorrow afternoon, I don't understand how that is feasible unless the entire army of JCP&L comes in the next 20 minutes to all areas of Long Valley.

We know that's not happening. They're guessing, and not using any empirical data to arrive at their estimates. It's making their management look like a bunch of bungling idiots (I don't blame the linesman, I blame the management of the process).

This Wed or next?

Dont believe them at all. JCPL has no incentive to change their estimate as there is nothing we can do anyway if its wrong. I called JCPL and they wont even tell me the address of the "field offices" to get us specific work information? They said that customers dont need to know where the field offices are dont need to know status updates from the field workers and dont need to know how restoration is prioritized! Apparently we're only customers who dont deserve information. The Mayor of LV has proven to be useless.

Where is the Mayor with providing updates? The Mt. Olive Mayor has been providing specific updates via his Facebook page

No electricity, heat or water since last Monday! This is an outrage! Washington Township residents deserve better than empty promises and vague schedules. Is it true that out of state backup workers were turned away in some instances because JCP&L doesn't want to pay more overtime? Someone needs to be held accountable.

I live in Old Bridge and JCP&L has told us the same thing. I don't believe a word of what they're saying. They have a monolply and the paying customer does not have any choices. The state and federal government needs to conduct an investigation of JCP&L and the utility industry as a whole.

JCP&L was at least partially responsible for those "rumors". They had a representative on 880AM this morning who said that "most" people would be restored on Wednesday but that "rural areas" with lots of down trees (LV at least arguably falls into that category) would take another week. Let's hope we are pleasantly surprised.

Further more the Old Bridge mayor has been ineffective in requiring JCP&L to provide specific information on the affected town outages by zone or street. 49% of Old Bridge is still without power as per the JCP&L website and this is acceptable by our mayor Owen Henry. No leadership !!! He should be demanding an explaination and not just provide links to the JCP&L website.

How can that be possible when I have yet to see a JCP&L truck or any power company in the area? Seriously JCP&L stop the lies and just tell the damn truth!

If JCP&L workers are at home with their feet up watching tv, then I'm outraged. But I don't think that is the case. I think they are out working every single day as hard as they can, in the face of so many ungrateful, self-centered people who can't understand the level of destruction they have to fix over an enormously large area, and they have to fix the more populous areas first. Get a grip. This is a statewide natural disaster, and the utility companies are working as hard as they can -- and for their own self-interest, 'cause the last thing they want or need is more negative news about them after last years problems. I haven't had power since the hurricane either, but I don't blame the people who are trying to restore power for not helping 'me first'.

Anyone know if power has been restored to Wehrli Road?

I'm sure jcp&l are working hard to get us through this. My problem is with the town. Where are the shelters? Or opportunities for families to obtain food? perhaps the officials feel we all have the money to buy a generator lin this town so it's not needed on long valley!! They are wrong This is an outages. We need to sto the next town council
Meeting.

The whole problem is a question of information communication. JCPL does not communicate with its customers, the Long Valley Mayor does not communicate with his town. The workers work long hours under bad circumstances. they work hard, its a classic management problem, and management team with in a monopoly are the worst kind of management.

Realistically if we get power now or later doesnt matter, compared to the shore, we are all so lucky. We all need a bit of a reality check is the chaos of not having power. We are all safe, healthy, and have a home standing. Where as in the storm people have passed away, been in the hospital and lost their homes, not just their shore house, but their primary and only home. We will get our power back soon but they cant even do that considering they dont have a home. So be grateful for what you have and pray for those in more need

Can someone please tell me where JCP&L crews are working in Long Valley? I would like to go see them myself.

If anyone gets their power back on in LV.....please report it here!!!
Some of us are at work and want to know :)

I live on Hacklebarney Road, jcpl pick up went by about an hour ago. There is no way power is going to be restored by Wed. Went to vote at 7 am to firehouse. Parker Road is still a mess. So many trees and poles down and so many leaning, almost afraid to drive under them. State Park Road looks like a logging community. Afraid we are in for a long haul!

Sorry CV, had to delete that one. Feel free to repost, sans profanity. Thanks.

I say the only way to express our dissatisfaction to JCPL is for all Long Valley residents to pay this month's bill late -- if our power takes 10 days to be restored then we pay our bills 10 days late. This is enough to create a financial issue for them, but not enough for them to turn off anyone's power (by statute they have to provide written notice of their intention to turn off your power).

Who's with me?????!!!!!

With the taxes paid...seems like the town fathers would get on this. Glad I moved out of NJ!

LV Mom

The Fire House on Schooley's Mountain Road has been open 24 hours a day since The first day of the storm. My daughter is one of the CERT volunteers that was at that station for three days, sleeping on a cot at the fire house when her "shift was over, and then taking her next shift. There were MREs(Meals Ready to Eat) from the Red Cross there as well as food dropped off by residents. Coffee, hot water, also available there. Other CERT volunteers staffed the phones at the OEM/Police headquarters, handed out bottled water and bagged ice at the Senior Center and PD. DPW worked two 12 hour schedules clearing roads wherever it was safe to do so (ie No obvious power lines mixed in with downed trees and branches. The Town Library is open during regular hours, providing warmth, internet, wi-fi, coffee, hot chocolate, bottled water, etc. Talk to the news people at WRNJ radio re the regular information updates they have gotten from the Mayor from the beginning of the storm.Be mad at JCP&L, Verizon, ATT, COMCAST etc., but don't kick the Mayor when he was getting out all the information he was given by Police, Morris County OEM, JCP&L, etc.

File a complaint with the BPU to revoke their license.
http://www.state.nj.us/bpu/assistance/complaints/

Finally saw tree cutters on Parker by the Fire Station, and a JCP&L truck looking like it was turning back toward the intersection of Old Farmers and Parker.

Mr. Tobin, do you have any insight into how JCP&L or other utilities use our resources here in town to assess any issues? Do they seek out information from the local authorities to determine some of the extent of issues affecting their network (like downed poles, transformers, trees on lines, etc.)?

LV Mayor on Wrnj radio at 4pm. Can't wait to hear the latest news.

Finally the mayor speaks. In the meantime we continue to accept the complete line of BS we are getting from JCP&L. I am one of the lucky ones that have power. I do not know ANYONE that had power restored yesterday. The line from JCPL that ~1500 customers were restored in quite frankly insulting. If you look at the State website that says that we will have roughly 2500 restored by Saturday runs completely counter to "most of the town by Wednesday" comment written in the article. All the while our town officials are silent. Instead of raising holy hell and getting on the TV, Radio, NEwspapers etc and getting results they have been quiet. Go to the town website and you can see that you can't put leaves in the street but you cannot find any concrete information about when people will have power. This is attrocious service by JCPL and our town elected officials. It is time for things to change.

One other comment. I notice that Jason has to use file pictures taken some time during warm weather of someone working on the electricity because you certainly can't find them working in LV.

How about a text message alert telling people the mayor is going to be on WRNJ, instead of constantly referencing the website half the town can't get to?

Also: How many people are listening to WRNJ? Or better yet, listening non-stop so they'd catch the exact moment when the mayor is on? My household has been listening to the radio all day since we lost power (nine days and counting!) and we have had WFAN, WCBS, WABC, WOR on -- but not WRNJ. Heck, I don't know what WRNJ's call number is off the top of my head. We might be in the minority, but I don't think WRNJ is a "no-brainer" source for people to go to.

I understand there's only so much the local government can do with a debacle like this. But what it can do, should be done in a more efficient manner, especially when it comes to communication.

The text alerts have been a big improvement over last year however we are still not getting any reliable info on power restoration status. I have never heard of wnjr. How would I even know when mayor is on. Why doesn't he have a twitter or Facebook page to disseminate info. If someone could articulate what the plan is I think it would do a lot to ease people's minds. Just being told Wednesday isn't acceptable when I can walk down the street and see 10 poles without wires and no crews in sight for 8 days to fix them.

Perhaps the mayor doesn't have power, which could make updating a Twitter or Facebook page a bit of a challenge. Try Googling WRNJ, and you will find their web site at http://wrnjradio.com/.
The web page lists their broadcast frequencies too: 1,510 KHz AM, and 94.7 MHz FM.
Good old fashioned radio. It just works.

What is happening here is an atrocity. Does anybody have any ideas on how to get what is going on out to the news and media because it is very obvious the elected officials really don't care. This town has been left behind and people are suffering, especially our kids.

Well said Greg. Jcp&l u suck! I feel for all who lost everything, but are we going to wait years to rebuild the shore before we get power ? Jcp&l management should all be fired and left in the dark.haha. If they would send help we could be restored quickly !

Last year there was a township meeting with JCP&L after the Hurricane Irene and the October snow storm debacles. Only 50 residents or so showed up and voiced their concerns and demands for better communications. Perhaps if we have another meeting this year, more residents can find the time to attend.

Anyone see a crew yet? Not here on the mountain. Lucky few got their power back Friday. The rest of us sit, wait and detour around Naughright for the 8th day in a row...

i

I can understand the circumstances. However, I would feel a whole lot better about the situation if over the past week of driving from place to place I saw one just one jcpl crew working somewhere. But I have not. I'm sure that maybe there is a crew somewhere as some people have been restored but it cant be much a work force. All i have seen is century link crews working on phone lines. So if you see a crew actually doing work, please post it! Also I would be interested to know if it is a JCPL crew or if they actually did bring in out of state utilities or private contractors to help.

saw them working on flocktown, and half an hour later our power came on. also, the day after the storm, two trucks which were coming out of quail stopped by our house to regroup and communicate with someone else. my husband was out walking the dogs, and talked to them. one guy was from indiana, and another said he was from ohio. they told us they were just starting to prioritize at that point , and couldn't even begin to guess at anythng. they were continually driving in and out towards the power lines which cut thru quail ridge.

I agree with all of you ..yes. We are very lucky that we didn't have extreme loss like the shore . My heart breaks for them. I must say though, when no one does anything for this long ..people take matters into their own hands. Public safety should be # 1 We need to stand up to this, share info with each other because apparently that is all we have, & call our representatives, our mayor, our Govenor ..this is an outrage. For all we pay this company, we should have honest answers.When our Board of Ed & Police cancel school for the next 2 days due to 80% power outage in our town compared to the 58% reported by JCP&L . Did any of you see the newest timeline for power in our town ? Today 11/6 = 1,570 restored. Tomorrow 11/7= 420, Thurs.11/8=688, Friday 11/9= 0, Sat.11/10=1,299. Friday zero ??!! This is beyond unbelievable and this is only in our town, this doesn't reflect everything happening around our beautiful state. So much more is going on !! Check out the Facebook page "JCP&L needs to answer" group page. Obviously, as I ride around from one side of the township to the other to be with my Parents who are taking care of my children while I am working ..I see no one. My lovely neighbor on Mission road who had a huge tree fall on power lines & block the road (See the picture on the Facebook group page) had 3 different groups tell him on 3 different days "we will take care of this for you" and never returned, called or showed up over 9 days.

I really believe the numbers calculated by JCP&L are fictitious, & outright lies especially when I see so little light coming from homes as I drive from one end of the township to the other. Trees hanging over our heads, roads closed for 9 days & sadly people taking the matters in their own hands which has a bad outcome for so many in our county & state at our area hospitals

Yesterday their data stated 3992 outages with a plan to restore 1570. Today their data says Wash Twp has 4456 outages, which means their estimates are off by 2034 in one day.

The outage maps are really of no use to individuals that want to know when their power is coming on. It's for a political user, period. The aggregate really doesn't matter to the individual that wants to know when to expect their power.

In this day and age, I find it unfathomable that I can't understand what area of the grid I'm on, what issues are affecting me (downed wires, downed pole, downed transformer, destroyed substation, etc), and the priority with which that is getting done.

I would feel better being able to track the priority list, understanding that my area is 100 in the list, and they are at 20 (still working on hospitals, schools, major roadways). Based on progress, I can adjust my expectation.

The empty promises and guesswork based on zero empirical evidence of what exists on the ground is really what's inflammatory and frustrating for people, and is really what's fueling the majority of these posts. People just don't know what to expect, and that's uncomfortable and disconcerting.

Decisions about whether school is opening, whether I can take my family out of the area, whether a gas station will open soon can all be made more accurately with a little more transparency into the process.

I applaud the guys working on the line, sacrificing time with their own families...they're really not the issue. Nor is the shore. It comes down to basic communication, and in the communication age, I expect more of my utility provider.

there could be areas which are restored only to then fail.

the number of outages in wash Twp Morris county went UP last night not down by the 1,364 they promised

Long Time LV Resident ..I applaud you for your eloquent words & will use them when I call the Govenor's Cell phone today. You are absolutely correct ..we must hold them responsible & accountable for what is going on. Their totals for total power outages in our town & I am sure the rest of the state should not fluctuate ..their accuracy makes us all feel they have no idea what is happening ! So everyone call your mayor's offices, senators, representatives, our govenor, the board of public utilities, & especially the better business bureau. They work & represent us !

The one crew that I have seen in town is not JCP&L, They are from Ohio. I did see a JCP&L pick-up truck that I tried to flag down but he sped up instead. The number of outage effected homes went up overnight. The trees across Fairmount road have not been touched. The trees of Bartley-Flanders and Old 24 that are leaning against the power lines have not been touched. Drove down 206 yesterday and only saw one crew (BTW the one I saw from Ohio last week) working on the lines. And the "fix" they made to the power lines on Schooley Mtn Rd was to cut the downed pole and lash the wires to a tree that is leaning toward the road. Oh that seems like an accident ready to happen.

All - Thanks so much for the conversation and keeping each other informed. We spoke with JCP&L this morning as well as our local Department of Public Works regarding the impending Nor'easter. Go here to find out more: http://patch.com/A-zv43

heard yesterday from the wife of a lineman, that his crew worked six hours on a problem, only to have it break when the juice was turned back on.

That's exactly the point...would you be upset with a guy whose been working non-stop since the storm, who spent six hours trying to solve your problem, and ran into an issue? No...if that type of information were available for public consumption, I think it would do a lot to alleviate some of the angst.

Jcp&l has revised their estimate and are now saying the majority of customers will have service restored by Sunday night. Certainly more realistic, but not encouraging to say the least.

This conflicts their own website which says sun the 11th!
Just look at all the down wires & poles still on 517 - ain't gonna be today...btw did we elect a new mayor yesterday? Stay warm & hydrate...
Capt Morrissey

i don't think we need jcp&l to tell us that they run into problems. anyone who has ever done any project in his own home,and who exercises a bit of brain, realizes that things don't usually go as planned. how many times have you done something which you THOUGHT would take 20 minutes, and ended up taking hours, and several trips to home depot? heard today that there are 18,000 workers in nj right now, who will continue to work until the wind reaches 40 mph.

Parker Acres just came up...except for me. I've got downed wire affecting 3 of us. Understandable...

JCPL said we could be without power until December, and I believe it.

See NJ.com for Mayor Short's quotes on what he thinks about JCP&L's numbers of outages. Glad we have the proof that they are lying !!!Yes !!! Call (609)-292-6000 our Govenor wants our info to keep track of the real stories here. Go get 'em Christie !

Well Wed cmae and went - hereit is Friday and still many without power - why do we think JCP&L is telling the truth now?