Power Crews Welcomed in Many Neighborhoods
By: Hayley Mason
Updated: October 30, 2012
WINCHESTER, VA- The sight of a power crew is sweet relief for some in Winchester, after Hurricane Sandy left some residents in the dark.
"The power has been off since about nine o'clock last night," says Steve Ricketts, the owner of Southwerk Street Apartments in Winchester. Despite losing power to his building, Ricketts says the storm left minimal damage. He spent the morning sawing a fallen tree that just missed the apartments. "I am lucky it didn't fall all on the AC, or heat pump, or the roof," Ricketts says.
Just around the corner, some weren't so lucky. Joshua Putman says he was sitting on the couch, Monday night, when a tree fell into his brother's bedroom.
"I just heard this big rumble that sounded like thunder at first, and then I realized the house was shaking," Putman says. "My mom started screaming, so I ran upstairs," he adds.
Upstairs, Putman found a gaping hole in the ceiling and a tree across the bedroom floor. No one was injured, but the three family home is ruined upstairs.
"All of our bed is ruined," says Chelsea Haynes who stayed in the room. "All our clothes, my laptop, all of our personal belongings. As you can see the tree is on our bed where we normally would be laying," she adds.
"I think the ones, just without power are pretty lucky, unlike some of us," Putman says.
In Winchester, most of the damage consists of a few downed trees and some power outages. City officials say they're lucky it wasn't worse.
"We had that huge storm that came through in June and took down so many of our big trees and I think that helped so much the severity of this storm," says Winchester Mayor, Elizabeth Minor. "It wasn't as severe," she adds.
In Frederick County, safety officials say they can't give a timeline for power restoration, but they think most people were well-prepared.
"Just be patient," says Chester Lauck, the Deputy Coordinator of Emergency Management for Frederick County. "For those that don't have power, don't have phone, just be patient. The professionals are working on it. Give the power companies room to get in and work on it and get their job done," he adds.
County and city officials hope all power will be restored this week.
"The power has been off since about nine o'clock last night," says Steve Ricketts, the owner of Southwerk Street Apartments in Winchester. Despite losing power to his building, Ricketts says the storm left minimal damage. He spent the morning sawing a fallen tree that just missed the apartments. "I am lucky it didn't fall all on the AC, or heat pump, or the roof," Ricketts says.
Just around the corner, some weren't so lucky. Joshua Putman says he was sitting on the couch, Monday night, when a tree fell into his brother's bedroom.
"I just heard this big rumble that sounded like thunder at first, and then I realized the house was shaking," Putman says. "My mom started screaming, so I ran upstairs," he adds.
Upstairs, Putman found a gaping hole in the ceiling and a tree across the bedroom floor. No one was injured, but the three family home is ruined upstairs.
"All of our bed is ruined," says Chelsea Haynes who stayed in the room. "All our clothes, my laptop, all of our personal belongings. As you can see the tree is on our bed where we normally would be laying," she adds.
"I think the ones, just without power are pretty lucky, unlike some of us," Putman says.
In Winchester, most of the damage consists of a few downed trees and some power outages. City officials say they're lucky it wasn't worse.
"We had that huge storm that came through in June and took down so many of our big trees and I think that helped so much the severity of this storm," says Winchester Mayor, Elizabeth Minor. "It wasn't as severe," she adds.
In Frederick County, safety officials say they can't give a timeline for power restoration, but they think most people were well-prepared.
"Just be patient," says Chester Lauck, the Deputy Coordinator of Emergency Management for Frederick County. "For those that don't have power, don't have phone, just be patient. The professionals are working on it. Give the power companies room to get in and work on it and get their job done," he adds.
County and city officials hope all power will be restored this week.
