National Grid/NYSEG Amassed A Small Army Preparing for Yesterday

They've assessed the forecast, and planned for days. National Grid and NYSEG, can't just react, when they hear severe weather is on the way. Their need to prepare, preposition assets, just like the military would when preparing for a confrontation.

"We're looking at it as a potentially major event yes," said Dave Bertola, a spokesperson for National Grid."

National Grid moved crews Friday and Saturday in Buffalo, Batavia, and Fredonia.

National Grid says it will have more than 2,000 workers on the clock, trying to keep the power on across Western New York. More workers can be called in out-of-state if needed.

NYSEG says it will start staging equipment Saturday and have additional crews to respond to downed power lines, but they didn't say how many.

National Grid reminds customers that even when the power goes out, workers in bucket trucks can't address the situation until the winds die to less than 40 mph.  Our friends at WGRZ had more on the prep utilities take for this type of event.