Friday Update December 13, 2008

Saturday,
December 13, 2008 6:30 p.m.

Dear
Members of the Community,

As of 6:30
p.m., PSNH reports that about 224,000 customers are without

power, a
decrease from the 313,000 customers reported at 8 a.m. today.

Power
Restoration:  Progress is Steady

With the
support of about 180 PSNH and contract line crews and over 120

tree-trimming
crews, more than 500 outage troubles have been repaired in

communities
throughout the state.  (An outage
trouble is defined as all of

the
repairs on a section of line that must be made to restore customers’

power).

PSNH’s
restoration efforts were fortified today with the addition of over

35 crews
from NStar and Connecticut Light & Power. 
The company’s power

restoration
workforce will be enhanced further tomorrow with over 120

additional
crews from Maryland, Ohio, and Canada, who have been traveling

today and
will be arriving throughout the evening and early morning.

Understandably,
customers who have been without power are anxious to know

when it
will be restored.  At this time, PSNH is
unable to provide precise

answers to
individual locations, given the magnitude of the damage and

debris
that must be removed before wires and equipment can be reconnected

or replaced.  PSNH continues to expect that it will take
several days before

power to
all customers is restored, and I strongly encourage customers

without
power to make alternative arrangements for shelter.

Public
Safety - A Top Priority

As the
restoration effort is underway, public safety continues to be a top

priority.  Customers are asked to refrain from cutting
trees and branches

that are
on top of or touching power lines. 
Always assume downed wires are

energized,
and notify PSNH of their location immediately. 
Please remind

children
outside to avoid any wire that is on the ground or hanging near

the
ground, and to notify a grownup if a downed or loose wire is seen.

The town
has established a shelter at the Oyster River High School and it will remain
open though mid day on sunday and possibly longer if needed.

Friday  December 12,
2008  8:30 PM

Dear Members of the Community,

Our various Town departments have been active since around
10 p.m. Thursday,12/11/08, addressing the ice storm and subsequent widespread
power outage experienced by Durham and the region.  While on Friday morning we had about 98% of the Town without
power, it has been restored to UNH and downtown Durham, as well as to scattered
areas throughout the community. 
Anticipating the outside temperature to drop to around 15 degrees this
weekend, we worked with the Great Bay Chapter of the American Red Cross and the
Oyster River Cooperative School District to open a regional shelter at the
Oyster River High School offering shelter, food, and warm showers.  It opened at around 3 p.m. Friday, 12/12/08,
and will remain open until no longer needed. 
Public Service of New Hampshire estimates 3-4 days until power is fully
restored. 

Although on Friday morning approximately 20 roadways were
closed, all major arteries to the community have now been reopened.  Many roads remain partially blocked.  The Public Works Department has engaged the
assistance of the Orion Tree Service which has worked closely with Town crews
throughout the day Friday.  A tree
clearing crew will return Saturday morning to continue clearing debris from
roadways.  The Police Department has
been active, as has the Fire Department with ongoing calls for service and
assistance. 

Two important recommendations for residents:  1) Stay clear of downed power lines as they
may be active and should be considered extremely dangerous.  2) If installing a portable generator, be
certain to install it according to the manufacturer's recommendations.  Improperly installed and/or ventilated
generators can cause fires and omit CO2 into the household which can cause
deaths. 

If residents are in need of assistance, they should contact
the Durham Police Department at 868-2324.