Tropical Storm Isaias: New Jersey Residents Getting Increasingly Frustrated As They Wait For Power To Be Restored
WYCKOFF, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- New Jersey was hit extremely hard by Tropical Storm Isaias.
Powerful winds brought a tree down on top of two cars on West Glen Avenue in Ridgewood on Tuesday.
Angela Olson's sons were in one of those cars. They were not hurt.
"But I'm very grateful. I think they're very lucky. Someone was looking over them," Olson told CBS2's Nick Caloway.
The cars sat there, blocking traffic on a busy thoroughfare, for two days.
CBS2 was there Thursday when village crews finally cleared it with a chainsaw, allowing Olson to drive her son's car out safely.
The other vehicle didn't fare so well.
Around the corner, neighbors were in disbelief they still didn't have electricity.
A downed tree is still blocking David Refkin's driveway.
"You know, this is a storm that people knew was coming. We had been warned about it for about three, four days, so you would think that they would've been prepared. And here we are, like, 50 hours later. No one has even come to assess the damage," he said.
A long stretch of North Monroe Street is still closed off because of downed trees and lines. There were no signs of PSE&G crews there either.
The company says it prioritizes critical customers first, like hospitals and police stations.
Some families who have generators, like Paul and Kelly Sfikas, offered power stations in their yard for neighbors so they could keep their devices charged up.
It was a popular move, as so many have no other way to stay connected.
"It's been a local hangout. We just recently moved into the neighborhood, so it's been a great way to meet people," Kelly Sfikas said.
MORE: Long Islanders Frustrated With Response From PSEG LI To Restore Electricity
One town over in Glen Rock, Andrew Friedman is getting by on a borrowed generator. His house is one of just a handful on Delmar Avenue to lose power even though the damage there was minimal.
"This sort of feels like the forgotten block," he said.
Friedman, who's surrounded by elderly neighbors and a family with a 1-week-old baby, is especially frustrated by the lack of communication about when his block can expect to get back to normal.
"In more than two days now, there has not been a single PSE&G crew on the block, and calling, Twitter, emails get no answers," he said.
WATCH: CBS2's Alice Gainer Reports From Wyckoff --
CBS2's Alice Gainer traveled to Wyckoff on Thursday and spoke to residents who are still waiting for utility companies to remove fallen trees and restore power.
She spoke to the Mackrell family, who told of how a giant tree split and came crashing down during Tuesday's storm. It's now sitting on power lines, but, thankfully, they said they never lost power.
MORE: Strong Winds From Tropical Storm Isaias Bring Down Trees, Cause Damage Across New Jersey
Still, they're concerned because the tree has been on the wires for two days now. Like many others in the state, it has been a waiting game for crews to get to neighborhoods.
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Roisin Mackrell said she was in her room and watched as part of the tree split.
"'The front yard, mom! The front yard!' She starts freaking out. I'm freaking out," Mackrell said.
PHOTO GALLERY: Tropical Storm Isaias Leaves Path Of Destruction In New York And New Jersey
Somehow, she said, the house didn't lose power, but she's worried they might if the tree resting on the lines isn't removed soon.
"PSE&G was supposed to be here the day of the storm and we're still waiting," Mackrell said.
Many others said they, too, are still waiting.
Gainer stopped on Wyckoff Avenue to talk to Deb Hogan Jones, who was giving her friend some of her food out of her melting freezer. She said the power isn't expected back on until Sunday. It went out after a tree toppled over, taking power lines with it and ultimately crushing the mail truck parked below. The carrier wasn't inside at the time.
Hogan Jones said it has become a dangerous attraction in the area, with people stopping to take pictures.
"I'd love my power on, but the faster they can at least get this out of here and lift this up," she said.
Dawn Hurley lives elsewhere in town and has PSE&G.
"Lost power about 1:30 on Tuesday and probably won't get it back they're saying until Sunday or Monday," Hurley said.
Across New Jersey power is still out for many -- customers of PSE&G, JCP&L, and Orange and Rockland.
Some gas stations can't even pump gas and have had to turn people away.
MORE: Demanding Answers: Some JCP&L Customers Told Not To Expect Power Until Next Week
JCP&L tweeted "Customers may wonder why they don't see crews in their area or why they drive by w/o stopping. They may be en route to repair transmission lines or substations that feed the local network, or to restore critical facilities."
On Thursday afternoon, PSE&G gave CBS2 an update, saying 500 mutual aid workers were in the state before the storm hit, adding right now it has more than 3,000 workers from 15 states and Canada here to help.
The carnage is so widespread, sub-contractors based out of Ohio were on the scene on Charnwood Drive, hired by Orange and Rockland.
Down the block was a company from Georgia.
PSE&G said 575,000 customers were impacted. The utility's goal is to have 85% restored by Friday night. The utility said the best way to get in touch is to use the app.
They also said don't just assume your neighbors have reported a power outage in your area. Even though it's been two days, if you lost power and have not reported it, you should do that now.
