'Trying To Stay Warm': Thousands Handle Day Three Without Power Following Winter Storms
WOODLAND (CBS13) — Thousands are still waiting for power to return after this week's storm. PG&E has told some customers it could be a few more days before it can be restored.
In Woodland, Trammel Johnson has spent days communicating with his family from afar, using only a walkie-talkie. His apartment complex is in the dark and without a generator to keep things going. He's been forced to eat out for every meal.
"It's just really taking my money away," Johnson said.
Johnson stood along the Woodland streets with a sign asking for any help at all, from candles to batteries.
"We do work, we got jobs, but the power has been out for three days," he said.
But it hasn't been promising news from PG&E.
"Just here today they said they're not turning it on until Monday," Johnson said.
Thousands face the same dilemma, as PG&E says many lines have broken beyond repair and need to be replaced. Some families say the communication from the power company hasn't been clear.
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"They just keep pushing it further and further back – we just don't know," said Destin Coute.
It's day three of watching crews out and about near Coute's neighborhood - but it's not happening fast enough for them. Coute says the family is freezing inside their home.
"56 degrees. 56 degrees," Coute said. "We just stack up on blankets and layers – trying to stay warm."
They're left to charge phones in the car and wonder if they can even handle living at home for the moment.
"It's cold in the house when we try to go to bed, we're thinking about getting a hotel room," said Sammy Hawk.
Days into the outage, candles and lanterns are their only light source. Their food in the fridge is spoiled, and families hope the light at the end of the tunnel may be seen soon.
PG&E says restoration times depend on the outage, and can't give a firm time frame on when it may be fully restored.