UPDATED: JCP&L to Begin Repairs Late Tonight

As most of Madison remained in the dark Sunday evening, borough officials were finally given some news from JCP&L.

According to a Nixle alert sent out Sunday at about 8 p.m., JCP&L has already surveyed the damage and a crew is expected to arrive in Madison by Monday morning at 2 a.m.

The long wait had many officials frustrated earlier on Sunday.

"We are at the mercy of JCP&L," said Mike Piano, superintendent of the Madison Electric Co.

The Madison Office of Emergency Management, which includes Mayor Mary-Anna Holden, Deputy Borough Administrator Jim Burnet, OEM Coordinator Bob Landrigan and Police Chief John Trevena, continued to examine the damage on Sunday.

Earlier Sunday, officials announced all Madison public schools will be .

OEM has been contacting seniors at the Rexford Tucker apartments on Chateau Thierry, Robert Burroughs apartments on Cook Avenue and Firehouse apartments on Central Avenue to see if those residents need help getting to the warming center at the Madison Ambulance Corps building on Prospect Street.

"We had 12 seniors last night who had no way to get hold of family," Holden said. Anyone in need should contact police. The warming center is not a walk-in center, Holden said.

The real question is when are the lights coming back on. The OEM and electric department have been in constant contact with JCP&L, whose power is transmitted onto the borough lines, Burnet said.

However, JCP&L has not been able to give local officials any idea when the power can be restored.

"We have no clue," said Holden, who started her rounds as soon as the electric went out Saturday at about 4:40 p.m.

"Almost every street is damaged," Holden said. Off Treadwell Avenue on Laurel and Nordling "almost every tree is down," she said.

Ridgedale Avenue and Burnet Road had primary lines down, but were pinpointed early. Most primary lines have stayed up because of aggressive tree maintenance, Burnet said. Once JCP&L restores power, other problems can be pinpointed.

"Please stay inside," Hoden warned. "Tree limbs could still fall and wires are still down.

"The first thing will be get all the roads clear and then we will start a systematic canvas," but residents should bundle their smaller limbs for pickup when danger of falling limbs is over.