4 Days After Winter Storm, Hundreds In Washington County Still Without Power
WASHINGTON COUNTY (KDKA) -- Hundreds of people in Washington County are still without power after snow and ice pounded the area last week.
The county's public safety director said West Finley was one of the hardest-hit areas. Craig Yoho still doesn't have power four days after the storm.
KDKA's Amy Wadas: What are you doing to stay warm?
Yoho: 2007 Hummer H2, that's my living room, dining room and kitchen.
Yoho says he's also been sleeping in his vehicle because the temperature inside his home is too cold to be comfortable.
"You can see your breath. The bottled water is frozen. So right now, I'm worried about the pipes more than anything. But this is home."
Down the road, Jean Morris was putting her gasoline tank away until she needs it again to power her generator.
"I have to go every day to fill it up," said Morris.
She said the generator has been keeping her warm since Thursday evening.
"No TV, no anything. I just have a furnace and refrigerator plugged into the generator," said Morris.
Washington County Public Safety Director Gerald Coleman said the county is doing what it can to help out.
"Our hardest-hit area right now seems to be East Finley, West Finley area," said Coleman. "We did help with some bottled water for West Finley. We did help with some cots for the Cecil area. Fortunately, none of the cots were used."
Coleman says most of the warming centers were closed because hardly anyone was using them.
However, he stresses if you need help, call 911. He says several townships are in the process of issuing an emergency declaration. He says West Finley, East Finley and Cross Creek townships issued verbal declarations, while Donegal Township filed declaration paperwork with the county. Coleman says an emergency declaration gives communities the opportunity to get funding from the state.
Meantime, West Penn Power says Washington was one of the hardest-hit counties because of all the ice. A spokesperson says around 700 linemen were dispatched to the area from all over Pennsylvania and Ohio to help get power on as quickly as possible. West Penn Power hopes to get power restored to everyone in Washington County by midnight.