NH utilities preparing for Hurricane Sandy

CONCORD, N.H. -- Utilities in New Hampshire are closely monitoring Hurricane Sandy, alerting extra crews that they could be needed when the storm hits early next week.

A spokesman for Unitil Corp. says the utility is talking to crews as far away as Tennessee and Michigan to make sure they will be available. Alec O' Meara said typically, Unitil talks about reaching to contractors as far as three days in advance of a storm, but the calls are being made sooner than that this time.

Northeast Utilities' Public Service of New Hampshire also has secured a number of contractor crews and the company is working to retain additional line workers and support staff. Spokesman Martin Murray says PSNH also has two storm trailers to assist with coordinating responses to storm-related damage.