The City of Hartford has been providing periodic updates for residents who are temporarily living without electricity. The latest press release states:
Schools are high on the priority list when it comes to restoring power to the City of Hartford. CL&P officials have also assured all town and city leaders that municipal offices and large industrial and commercial sites are high on the list as crews work to get electricity back on line.
“These areas are critical to our residents as we work to get back to some sense of normalcy. Please remember that downed lines need to be treated as energized lines, so please do not go near them. To help ensure public safety, police, fire, and public works are all teaming-up with CL&P crews to restore power as quickly and as safely as possible, but we need your cooperation,” said Mayor Segarra reiterated.
Committed resources include 5 CL&P crews with an additional 6 going active about 1:00 p.m., this will bring 11 total crews active by day’s end. They will be focusing their efforts along Prospect Avenue, Kane Street, Reserve Road, Maple Avenue, Nelson Street, and Blue Hills Avenue, among others. In addition, 8 city and contracted crews will be working to remove debris and open roads. Two of those crews are dedicated to the Blue Hills neighborhood, which is one of the hardest hit neighborhoods in Hartford.
Hartford residents are reminded that even without power, we have advantages that those in rural areas do not. We can, for the most part, walk a few blocks and get a hot meal, a place to charge our electronics, and social interaction. In Eastern Connecticut, there are people stranded, who may, with a lot of effort, be able to reach a makeshift shelter. Besides the numerous businesses currently open, Hartford has three sites designated as shelters. Sadly, some people have been exercising poor judgment and endangering themselves and others, even though there are a range of safe ways to arrange for a hot shower and warm place to stay at night. The City of Hartford writes:
Residents are also reminded about generator safety. Please do not use generators or outdoor cooking devices inside while you wait for your power and heat to be restored. CO is colorless and odorless and can be deadly.
Instead of wallowing in self-pity about temporarily lacking something, this is the time to sensibly find a way to meet one’s needs, which might mean humbling oneself to staying in a shelter. This is also a time for residents to check in on neighbors, particularly those who are elderly, disabled, or ill. The shelters are able to provide food to meet people’s basic needs, but they will not turn away food/beverage donations that people wish to make.
