Cranberry Township EMS Helping Most Vulnerable People During Lengthy Power Outage
Follow KDKA-TV: Facebook | Twitter
CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- About 47,000 customers were still without power in our area Friday night, and some may be in the dark all weekend.
Ice and snow brought down trees onto power lines.
Butler County is one of the hardest hit areas. First Energy spokesperson Todd Meyers says the biggest problems fall into a triangle-shaped area between Butler, Kittanning and Arnold.
Maureen McGinnis and her husband Keith are without power but are making the most of at their home in Cranberry.
They're using candles to see and blankets to keep warm.
"Not nice at all," said McGinnis, as she held a small battery-operated light. "We woke up this morning, and we noticed it was off."
RELATED STORIES:
- Winter Storm Knocks Out Power To Thousands In Western Pa.
- 'Largest Outage In Our History': Power Company Says Thousands Expected To Be Without Service Over Weekend
- Warming Centers Open Throughout Region To Serve Those Without Power
- More Weather Stories
Cranberry Township EMS is doing what it can to help the people who are most vulnerable.
"People who are either on oxygen or some life-saving equipment that requires power may have back-up power, but they're not designed to last very long," said Amy Behun, Cranberry Township Fire and Emergency Services Fire Administrator.
She says they've gotten help, even generators for some of those people.
Warming centers have also opened across Butler County.
First Energy says it could be Sunday night by the time everyone gets power back.
Meyers says about 100 additional employees from other areas are arriving to help, but it's still a big job.
He says unlike similar winter storms, many of the trees that came down this time still have leaves on them, which adds to the mass coming down and leads to repair problems.