What you need to know about Hurricane Irene

LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD AND NEW YORK CITY

TRANSIT

Service on the Long Island Rail Road, Metro North Railroad and New York City subways and buses is suspended. Service will be restored after careful inspections of all equipment and tracks, which is expected to be a lengthy process.

Customers should monitor mta.info or call 511 for the most current service information.

BUS SERVICE

Nassau Inter-County Express bus service is suspended. Check nicebus.com or NICE bus on Facebook for updated information.

Suffolk County Transit bus operations are suspended. Check sct-bus.org or call 631-852-5200 for the latest information.

AIRPORTS

Airlines have canceled thousands of flights, including hundreds at the three major New York City airports. Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark-Liberty are closed. Before going to the airport, travelers should contact their airlines to learn about any delays and cancellations.

POWER OUTAGES

LIPA officials are bringing in out-of-state crews to aid in restoring electricity during and after the storm. Workers from Ohio, Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois, Texas, Florida, California and Iowa were to arrive on Long Island and assist with damage surveys and repairs.

Customers should be prepared for service outages lasting as long as a week to 10 days, officials said.

Outages should be reported by calling 800-490-0075, online at liaccount.com/outage, or by texting OUT to 695472.

NATIONAL GRID

Gas leaks on Long Island should be reported to 800-490-0045.

HOW TO REACH LI CITIES AND TOWNS

NASSAU

North Hempstead: Call 311 or 516-TOWN-311 for a service representative or go to northhempstead.com.

Hempstead

Call 516-489-5000 or visit townofhempstead.org.

Oyster Bay

Go to oysterbaytown.com or call highway department to report downed trees at 516-677-5757.

City of Glen Cove

Go to www.glencove-li.us or call 516-676-2000.

City of Long Beach

Visit longbeachny.org or call city hall at 516-431-1000.

SUFFOLK

Babylon

Visit townofbabylon.com or call the public safety department at 631-422-7600 to report downed trees.

Brookhaven

Call the highway department at 631-451-9200 to report downed trees or visit brookhaven.org.

East Hampton

Go to town.east-hampton.ny.us or call the highway department to report roadway obstructions at 631-324-0925.

Huntington

Visit huntingtonny.gov or call its 24-hour emergency number, 631-271-6573, or for downed trees, 631-499-0444.

Islip

Visit townofislip-ny.gov or call 631-224-5600 to report downed trees or power lines.

Riverhead

Call the storm hotline at 631-727-3200 or visit townofriverheadny.gov.

Southampton

Go to southamptontownny.gov or call 631-283-6000.

Southold

Visit southoldtownny.gov or call 631-765-1800.

Shelter Island

Visit shelterislandtown.us or call 631-749-0291.

EVACUATION SHELTERS

SUFFOLK COUNTY

Sachem High School East

Hampton Bays High School

Brentwood High School

NASSAU COUNTY

Nassau Community College

Levittown Memorial High School

Locust Valley High School

SUNY Old Westbury

A special needs shelter at Nassau Community College's CCB building

An Orthodox shelter at West Hempstead High School

PET SHELTERS

SUFFOLK:

Brentwood Recreation Center, Brentwood

Woodland Building at the Eastern Campus of Suffolk County Community College, Riverhead

NASSAU:

Nassau County Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale.

Manhasset High School

For details about and locations of all shelters, see the complete list available at newsday.com

FALLEN TREES AND LIMBS

SUFFOLK

Calls should be made to town or city officials.

Nassau

Call the nonemergency hotline, 888-684-4274, for nonlife-threatening events.

DRIVING TIPS:

If you have to drive, please take these items into consideration:

Crosswinds make it hard to control a vehicle. To stay safe, be sure to drive slowly with both hands on the wheel.

If you must cross a bridge in high winds, try not to stop.

Steer clear of trucks and buses on the road -- the wind makes it extremely difficult for them to maintain control.

Beware of downed power lines.

Watch out for flying and fallen debris. Drive cautiously for days after the storm.

New York State Office of Emergency Management Safety Tips:

Have a plan for those with special needs, children, the elderly and pets.

Monitor local media reports and follow emergency instructions and orders from authorities.

Turn refrigerator to maximum cold and open only when necessary.

Turn off propane tanks.

Unplug small appliances.

Fill large containers with water.

In high winds, stay away from windows and doors even if they are covered. Take refuge in a small interior room, closet or hallway.

Avoid driving into water of unknown depth. Moving water can quickly sweep your vehicle away.

Restrict children from playing in flooded areas.

Do not use fresh food that has come in contact with floodwaters. Wash canned goods that come in contact with floodwaters with soap and hot water.

Stay away from downed power lines.

Use only flashlights for emergency lighting -- candles pose the risk of fire.

Do not use a charcoal grill indoors and do not use a gas stove for heat -- they could give off harmful levels of carbon monoxide.

Remember to provide fresh, cool water for your pets.

Remember that equipment such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and elevators may not be working.