Ice Storm Repair Efforts

I have spent some time looking at the damage done by an ice storm about a week ago. There are huge swathes of trees that came down on power lines and some people haven't had power for over a week. It is easy to blame the utilities when one doesn't have power, but this was unexpected and the damage was wide spread. I am looking at how we could better respond and will work with the utilities in order to make sure they respond quicker also. One of the issues is making sure that areas with smaller populations receive the same response as areas with larger populations. While companies have to prioritize resources, it doesn't matter to a customer whether they are the only customer in town to lose power or the whole town loses power. At the least we need to ensure people get timely, accurate info after a storm of this nature.

I have stayed on top of this situation by talking with each utility to measure their progress and by staying in touch with the Governor's efforts. My office has called each town and we have offered our help in getting paperwork to Mema/Fema offices in order to make sure we qualify for disaster relief aid.

I am worried about the long term effects of this storm and about subsequent storms. There are many trees down and many will die. I am worried about the long term effects on soil erosion and water tables. I also worry that emergency work to get lines up and power and telephone service restored have taken a long time and there are still trees that are down but not touching the power lines presently. these could come down and take wires in subsequent storms. We need to watch this closely.

The following is a press release that I issued on December 19. It contains a lot of information on what has been done; what needs to be done; who to call if power is not restored; and who farms should call over physical losses.

Bosley Comments on Power Outage and Restoration Efforts

Last Friday, parts of the Commonwealth – particularly in the Worcester area and along Route 2 throughout Berkshire and Franklin counties – were devastated with an ice storm that left hundreds of thousands without power and destroyed hundreds of trees.

Representative Daniel E. Bosley (D-North Adams) surveyed the damage around the First Berkshire District earlier this week. “Despite the progress that has been made since last week, I am gravely concerned about a recurrence of downed wires due to fallen trees that have not been cleared given the forecast of two or three storms in succession. It is imperative that everyone work together to restore power to homes and businesses and clear the roads for safe travel and emergency vehicles.”

The storm had far-reaching effects for all utility companies. For example, approximately 20,000 Western Massachusetts Electricity Company (WMECO) customers were without power as a result of the storm – 1,354 in Berkshire County. As of today, more than 17,500 of those have had their power restored with 48 customers remaining – down from 199 yesterday – in Savoy and 13 in Franklin County – down from 88 yesterday.

With over 1,000 line and tree crews as well as an additional 1,300 support personnel working throughout the Commonwealth, National Grid has restored power to all but 13 houses in Florida and 200 in North Adams. They have fielded over 51,000 phone calls and identified 4,000 individual items that require the company’s attention, such as downed lines, open circuit breakers, trees leaning on electrical equipment and broken poles. National Grid customers that lose power can call the customer service center at 800-322-3223 so that a restoration crew can be deployed in a timely fashion.

Verizon had 4,000 lines down but as of Wednesday, they have replaced 900 poles. “Although electricity has not yet been restored to everyone, I applaud the rapid responses of the local utility companies and the state’s emergency management services,” said Bosley. “Given the enormity of the damage, crews have worked hard to restore service.” Most of the utilities have said they hope to have all power restored by Saturday.

For those who remain without power or lose power this winter, Rep. Bosley reminds them to adhere to a few practices to prevent the pipes from freezing and to keep a fuse from blowing when power is restored. According to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) website, “to keep pipes from freezing, wrap them in insulation or layers of newspapers, covering the newspapers with plastic to keep out moisture; let faucets drip a trickle of water from the faucet farthest from your water meter to help keep pipes from freezing; if pipes freeze, remove insulation, completely open all faucets and pour hot water over the pipes, starting where they are most exposed to the cold. A hand-held hair dryer, used with caution, also works well; in order to protect against possible voltage irregularities that can occur when power is restored, you should unplug all sensitive electronic equipment, including your TVs, stereo, VCR, microwave oven, computer, cordless telephone, answering machine and garage door opener.”

For the towns that submitted a preliminary damage assessment to MEMA, the state will sort through to estimate what the state is capable of funding. Following that they will work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to financially assist those communities who dispersed otherwise budgeted funds to provide for the clean-up and any damages sustained to residences and businesses. Rep. Bosley said, “I have been working with MEMA and the Patrick Administration to ensure all cities and towns in the district are accounted for and I am particularly worried about the long-term effects of all of the damaged trees, which could lead to soil erosion and affect the water tables in the future.” As of yesterday, preliminary damages were estimated at around $2.6 million. With more winter weather on the way, those costs will likely increase.

In addition to that, Rep. Bosley recognizes that a lot of damages have been sustained at local farms. For farmers who have suffered physical losses due to the storm, they are urged to call and report losses to the local Farm Service Agency (FSA). For Berkshire County, the contact information for the Pittsfield office is 413-443-1776 Ext 100 and the Franklin County FSA in Greenfield can be contacted at 413-772-0384 Ext 2.

Following the storm, Governor Deval Patrick declared a State of Emergency. The declaration of a State of Emergency will enable the Governor to take the appropriate steps to mobilize many of the Commonwealth's assets, such as the National Guard, and conduct other emergency business to assist local communities is their response to and recovery from the many impacts of this winter storm. If you have questions or need assistance during this emergency, contact Mass 2-1-1 by dialing “2-1-1” or visit www.mass211.org.

National Grid customers that experience a loss of power can call the customer service center at 800-322-3223 so that a restoration crew can be deployed in a timely fashion.