Efforts to restore power to more than 1,500 customers continue
Jeffrey Alderton Cumberland Times-News
CUMBERLAND — Day four of the storm recovery continued Tuesday with no major problems reported throughout the region, although thousands of Potomac Edison customers throughout the region remained without electrical service at Tuesday night.
But efforts to restore each and every customer as quickly as possible continued without relenting as more than 1,500 customers remained in the dark in Garrett and Allegany counties by late evening.
“We are down to the work that is very labor intensive, such as replacing a number of poles needed just to restore a couple customers. We hope to have the vast majority of our customers back today,” said Scott Surgeoner, FirstEnergy spokesman, regarding the Potomac Edison service area in Allegany and Garrett counties.
“Right now, there are about 800 customers still out in Cumberland. And we really do appreciate the customers’ patience. Our workers take great pride in what they do and they are working as quickly as possible to get each and every customer back in service,” he said.
By 10 p.m. 490 Potomac Edison customers were without power in Cumberland
The latest outage information by county was being updated every 15 minutes on the FirstEnergy website at http://outages.firstenergycorp. com/mdwv.html.
The number of customers without service was decreasing by the hour Tuesday afternoon.
“As of this morning, there were about 2,000 people needing power and Potomac Edison brought in more resources Monday,” said Dick DeVore, Allegany County Emergency Service chief. “As we had been told, the last ones to be restored would be the most difficult.”
On another note, DeVore said several cooling centers that were opened Saturday at various locations in the county were not opened Tuesday since there was no demand for the temporary relief facilties. Only a small number of local residents reportedly utilized the facilities over the last several days.
In Garrett County, Emergency Services Director Brad Frantz said early Tuesday afternoon “the situation is improving somewhat” as Potomac Edison and allied crews worked to restore electrical service throughout the county. About 400 residents remained without electricity Tuesday night.
Comfort stations at three locations in the county — Deer Park and Friendsville fire stations and the Southern Garrett Rescue Squad — remained open although none had been utilized as of Tuesday. “They will remain open and available in case there is a need,” said Frantz.
Frantz also said back-up battery service at the Department of Natural Resources fire tower on Elder Hill between McHenry and Friendsville failed late Monday evening.
“This has not in any way affected our service. We are continuing to normally alert affected companies so I want to emphasize this has not in any way affected delivery of emergency services. Potomac Edison is actively working on that site as a priority to restore service there,” said Frantz.
The 120-foot tower houses the 911 center’s two-way radio repeater for alerting of Friendsville Volunteer Fire Department, the Northern Garrett Rescue Squad and some other companies.
Frantz also continued to urge any residents that has sustained significant structural damage by Friday’s storm to contact his officer at 301-334-7619.
Contact Jeffrey Alderton at jlalderton@times-news.com
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