Outages Dwindle—Slowly—in Chatham Borough

Chatham Borough Police released several safety tips for residents as the nor'easter began to hit the area.

Those with residents are asked to remove any extension cords from generators that may cross streets to neighboring homes.

"In the event there is sufficient snow to require snow plows to clear the streets, these extension cords could be dangerous to workers and residents," a statement on Kevin O'Shea of the Chatham Borough Police Department reads.

Police continue to urge residents to assume any downed wire is energized and not to go near them.

In anticipation of the nor'easter, brush pickup in Chatham Borough was suspended until Thursday.

Mayor Bruce Harris released a statement Wednesday stating utility crews have been erecting poles and restringing lines to help get residents back online.

The borough has chartered buses for borough and township residents who commute to New York City. They leave at 6, 7 and 7:30 a.m. and leave New York Penn Station at 33rd Street and 8th Avenue at 5:30 and 6 p.m. Each bus is $20 round trip.

There is still no date for when New Jersey Transit's Midtown Direct train service will be reinstated.

JCP&L and out-of-state utility crews have been at work in the borough this week. Residents who are still without power when surrounding homes have power are asked to call Janice Piccolo at the Chatham Borough Municipal Building at (973) 635-0674.

As far as full restoration, Harris said Tuesday, "we don't know enough to beable to provide a definite timeline for restoration."

According to the outage map at First Energy's website, 587 customers remain without power in Chatham Borough as of 8 p.m. Wednesday. Any residents still without power should report the outage to JCP&L at (888) 544-4877.

Streets still without power include:

• Dellwood Avenue
• Washington Avenue to Inwood Avenue
• Highland Avenue
• Fairmount Avenue to Watchung Avenue
• Amherst Road
• Chandler Road
• Broadview Terrace
• Part of Inwood Circle
• Coleman Avenue East
• Coleman Avenue West
• Part of Coleman Avenue circle
• Part of Dunbar Street
• Carmine Street
• John Street
• Clark Street
• Jackson Avenue
• Bartow Road
• Meadow Road

Harris said emergency teams in the borough continue to meet twice each day and the Department of Public Works will work on snow removal throughout the night.