Frustration Growing For New Jersey Residents, Businesses After More Than Three Days Without Electricity
FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Frustration is growing for residents and business owners in New Jersey after more than three days without electricity.
There were plenty of large trees falling and wreaking havoc across the state, but there were also a lot of small trees falling in the wrong spot, leaving residents wondering why they still don't have power days later.
Dentist Heather Sculthorpe showed CBS2's Nick Caloway around her pediatric dental practice in Franklin Lakes, which went dark on Tuesday.
Friday, after more than 72 hours, still no power.
"We're not here for our patients, which is so upsetting, and we're losing tons of money," Sculthorpe said.
Even though most businesses nearby have had their power restored, her office building has not.
RELATED STORY: New Jersey Residents Getting Increasingly Frustrated As They Wait For Power To Be Restored
Next door to the dentist is the State Farm office run by Vic Tafro.
It's his job to help clients in a time of crisis, no easy task without power or Wi-Fi.
"They rely on us to be here and to help them through this. And it is extremely frustrating to not be able to help them and not have the power to do it," Tafro said.
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Residents are also frustrated with Orange and Rockland Utility's response.
Vera Stern's family of six lost power, and since they're on well water, their water system is down, too.
"We called probably three or four times a day, and I keep telling them, it's sort of a health hazard at this point because you can't use your toilets, you can't flush your toilets, you can't get water," Stern said.
The storm's destruction and the frustration that followed is widespread across the tri-state area.
RELATED STORY: Long Islanders Running Out Of Patience While Waiting For Power To Return Days After Tropical Storm Isaias
On Long Island, residents of a senior complex in Woodbury were stranded in upstairs apartments, unable to operate stair lifts to get down, wondering why a community like theirs isn't a priority for utility crews.
"I have asthma. I have shortness of breath," one resident said. "This is really unforgivable."
In Flushing, Queens, residents are exasperated by how long the clean-up effort is taking.
"I just want somebody to come and take the tree," one woman said.
RELATED STORY: Queens Residents Exasperated As Power Outages Linger Days After Tropical Storm Isaias
To speed things up, the city had members of the FDNY go out in teams to try and clear some 10,000 downed trees in Queens alone.
People in some hard-hit neighborhoods say they haven't seen utility workers on their block since the storm hit, but crews are out working around the clock.
One utility worker even came all the way from Florida to help get the power back on.
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