Storm Impact Across Region
A severe windstorm is battering parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey, with gusts forecasted up to 75 mph in the hardest-hit areas like Ohio Edison and Pennsylvania utilities. FirstEnergy serves about 6 million customers across these states and has activated its incident command structure to coordinate internal and contractor teams, forestry units, and damage assessors.
Over 20,000 customers were already without power as of Friday, exacerbated by fallen trees, downed lines, and blocked roads that further hinder crew access.
Safety Limits on Repairs
Bucket trucks, essential for overhead line work, cannot be deployed when sustained winds surpass 40 mph, a standard safety protocol to protect linemen from tipping hazards. Ground-based repairs or alternative methods are limited, forcing pauses in restoration until conditions improve, expected early Saturday.
FirstEnergy outlined its five-step restoration priority: clearing hazards first, then fixing high-voltage transmission, critical facilities like hospitals, large outages, and finally individual homes.
Customer Preparation Tips
The utility urged residents to report outages via its app or website, avoid downed lines, and prepare for extended outages by securing generators and supplies. Strong winds into Friday evening will likely prolong disruptions, especially where trees threaten lines.