Power Outage in Rockaway Borough and Rockaway Township: How to Report and Track It

When the lights go out in Rockaway Borough or Rockaway Township, the fastest fix starts with a report to the utility. Both towns get their electricity from Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L), a FirstEnergy company, and natural gas from New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG). This guide covers how to report a power outage in Rockaway NJ, how to track restoration, which local alert systems to sign up for, where the officially listed warming and cooling centers are, and how to stay safe around downed wires and generators.

If there is a fire, a downed wire, a gas smell or a medical emergency, call 911 first.

How to report a power outage in Rockaway NJ

JCP&L offers three ways to report an outage. Do not assume a neighbor already called. JCP&L asks each household to report its own outage, which helps crews pinpoint the problem.

• Phone: Call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877). Customers with a hearing or speech disability can use the 711 relay service. Have your street address and a callback number ready, and mention whether your neighbors have power.
• Text: Text OUT to 544487 (LIGHTS). If you have never used the service, text REG to 544487 first. You will need your JCP&L account number to register by text, or you can add your mobile number through your online account.
• Online: Use the JCP&L outage reporting page on the FirstEnergy website, which also works on a phone. You can report by account number, phone number or service address.

A note on apps: older JCP&L materials mention a mobile app, but JCP&L’s current communication tools page points phone users to text messaging and its mobile-friendly website instead. Those two options work from any smartphone.

How to track a JCP&L outage

• Check your own outage: Text STAT to 544487, or log in to your JCP&L online account.
• See the map: The JCP&L New Jersey outage map shows outage locations, estimated restoration times and causes when available. It is refreshed about every 15 minutes.
• Look up your town: The FirstEnergy My Town search lists outage counts by municipality. Search for Rockaway Borough or Rockaway Township, since they are listed separately.
• Get alerts: Through your online account you can sign up for text or email restoration updates, notices of scheduled outages and severe weather alerts.

After a big storm, an estimated restoration time may not appear right away. JCP&L says crews first have to assess damage once conditions are safe, and that in New Jersey it issues an area-wide estimate no later than 24 hours after the weather passes and it is safe for crews to begin full restoration.

Who gets power back first

JCP&L restores service in a set order: first it clears hazards such as live downed wires, then it repairs high-voltage transmission lines, then circuits serving hospitals, police, fire and 911 centers, then main distribution lines, then the repairs that bring back the largest groups of customers, and finally individual homes. That is why one street can be back on while the next street is still dark.

Medical equipment at home

If someone in your home depends on electric life-support equipment, ask JCP&L about its critical care program, which requires a physician’s form every year. Keep a backup plan for longer outages, too. Residents with special needs can also register with NJ Register Ready, which shares information with emergency responders.

Gas leaks: call NJNG

New Jersey Natural Gas serves both Rockaway Borough and Rockaway Township. If you smell gas, leave the building right away, then call the NJNG 24-hour emergency line at 800-GAS-LEAK (800-427-5325) from a safe place outside. Do not use phones, light switches or anything that could make a spark while you are still inside. For carbon monoxide questions, New Jersey Poison Control is at 800-222-1222. Customers with a hearing or speech disability can dial 711.

Sign up for local emergency alerts

Utility updates tell you about your power. Local alerts tell you about road closures, shelters and storm news in town. Each Rockaway runs its own system.

Rockaway Borough

• RAVE emergency alerts: The Borough sends alerts through RAVE. Sign up through Smart911 for Rockaway Borough. Our earlier story on the Borough’s RAVE alert push walks through the setup.
• Office of Emergency Management: The Borough OEM can be reached at 973-627-1851. Its OEM page lists alert sign-ups and storm checklists.
• Police non-emergency: Rockaway Borough Police dispatch is at 973-627-1314.

Rockaway Township

• Alert Rockaway Township: The Township’s alert system also runs through RAVE and Smart911. Sign up on the Township’s Emergency Notification Registration page.
• Emergency hotline: Call 973-400-6611 for the latest Township notice during an emergency.
• Police non-emergency: Rockaway Township Police dispatch is at 973-625-4000.

Rockaway Township’s older notification page also links Nixle and an Everbridge reverse 911 registration, but the current Township OEM page lists Alert Rockaway Township through Smart911. We could not find any Swift911 service for either town. The Township also covered home readiness at its emergency preparedness program.

Morris County

Residents of both towns can also sign up for Alert Morris, the county’s emergency alert system, which sends messages by email, text, phone or social media. Both town OEM pages link to it, and the Morris County Office of Emergency Management posts updates on its Alert Morris Facebook page.

Warming and cooling centers in Rockaway

The Morris County Office of Emergency Management publishes lists of warming centers and cooling centers that each town has designated. These are the Rockaway sites on the county lists. Hours can change and some sites open only when needed, so call the listed number before you go.

Rockaway Borough

• Rockaway Borough Library, 82 East Main Street (warming and cooling). Library 973-627-5709; after hours, police dispatch 973-627-1314.
• Rockaway Assembly of God, 113 East Main Street (warming and cooling). Police dispatch 973-627-1314.
• Rockaway Borough Community Center, 21 Union Street (cooling, as needed). Police dispatch 973-627-1314.

Rockaway Township

All Township sites are reached through police dispatch at 973-625-4000. Each appears on both the county warming and cooling lists.

• Rockaway Township Free Public Library, 61 Mount Hope Road. Library 973-627-2344.
• Township Senior Center (Robert A. Galdon Senior Citizen Building), 19 Mount Hope Road, as needed.
• Town Hall and Police Department lobby, 65 Mount Hope Road, as needed.
• Marcella Fire House, 20 Upper Hibernia Road, as needed.
• Marcella Community House, 831 Green Pond Road, as needed.
• Green Pond Bible Chapel, 1083 Green Pond Road, as needed.

For the full county lists, see the Morris County OEM warming centers and cooling centers pages. During heat waves, Rockaway News posts updates like our heat coverage.

Downed power line safety

• Treat every downed or low-hanging wire as live, even if it is not sparking or making noise. Stay at least 30 feet away, or 100 feet from downed high-voltage transmission lines, and keep children and pets back.
• Call 911. The 911 operator will pass the report to JCP&L. Never try to move a line.
• Keep the same distance from anything the wire may be touching, since downed lines can energize the ground and nearby objects. Stay out from under damaged trees and utility equipment.
• Never drive over or under a downed line, and obey road closures and barricades.
• If a line falls on your car, drive away from it only if you can do so safely. Otherwise stay inside until utility workers say it is safe, and call 911. If you must get out because of a fire, do not touch the car and the ground at the same time: jump clear, land with your feet together and shuffle at least 30 feet away. Do not go back to the vehicle.

Generator safety

• Never run a generator inside your home or in a partly enclosed space, even with fans running or doors and windows open.
• Keep it outside, on a dry surface, with the exhaust pointed away from windows, doors and vents.
• Install carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home. You cannot see, smell or taste carbon monoxide.
• Never plug a generator into a wall outlet. That practice, called backfeeding, can electrocute utility workers and neighbors on the same circuit. Use heavy-duty extension cords made for outdoor use.
• Store fuel outside living areas in labeled safety containers. Never refuel a running generator. Turn it off and let it cool for at least two minutes first.

Carbon monoxide symptoms include headache, dizziness, nausea, weakness, shortness of breath and fainting. If anyone has these symptoms while a generator is running, get outside to fresh air right away and call 911. Do not stop to shut off the generator first.

Before the next storm

• Save 1-888-LIGHTSS, 800-GAS-LEAK and your police non-emergency number in your phone.
• Text REG to 544487 now so you can report by text later.
• Sign up for your town’s RAVE alerts and Alert Morris.
• Keep flashlights, batteries, a phone power bank, water and shelf-stable food on hand.
• Know your town. Borough and Township are separate municipalities with separate alert systems. If you are not sure which one you live in, see our Rockaway NJ explainer.

Rockaway News covered how long outages can last in our report on Rockaway and Morris County homes without power after summer storms. For town offices and phone numbers, see our Rockaway Borough guide and Rockaway Township guide.

Power outage in Rockaway NJ: FAQ

How do I report a power outage in Rockaway NJ?

Call JCP&L at 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877), text OUT to 544487 after registering with REG, or report online on the JCP&L outage page. JCP&L is the electric utility for both Rockaway Borough and Rockaway Township.

Is there a JCP&L outage map?

Yes. The JCP&L New Jersey outage map at outages.firstenergycorp.com shows outage areas, causes and estimated restoration times, and is refreshed about every 15 minutes.

Who do I call about a gas leak in Rockaway?

Leave the building and call New Jersey Natural Gas at 800-GAS-LEAK (800-427-5325) from a safe place. Call 911 if there is immediate danger.

How do I get emergency alerts in Rockaway Borough and Rockaway Township?

Both towns send RAVE alerts through Smart911, with separate sign-ups for the Borough and the Township. Residents can also sign up for Alert Morris, the Morris County alert system.

Where are warming and cooling centers in Rockaway?

Morris County OEM lists sites including the Rockaway Borough Library at 82 East Main Street and the Rockaway Township Free Public Library at 61 Mount Hope Road. Call ahead, since many open only when needed.

Top photo: A utility crew works on overhead lines from a bucket truck during storm recovery in Kentucky. Photo: Liz Roll / FEMA, public domain.