Almost 2,500 residents in Rome and the surrounding areas woke up without power on March 2 because of an intense winter storm that hit upstate New York late on Wednesday night.
Over 65% of IT equipment failures are generally attributed to poor maintenance, but any power outages within 48 hours of the storm are being directly attributed to the sudden weather change. Winds blowing at upwards of 60 MPH brought down both power lines and trees across the upstate area.
While Rome and Rochester experienced high numbers of power outages, Lake Placid may have gotten the shortest end of the stick, suffering a 19-hour power outage. Residents and visitors alike were without power for an incredible stretch of time. In addition, roads were closed which left no outlet for those attempting to leave the area.
The marathon power outage was caused by a 115,000-volt power line breaking between Lake Placid and Ray Brook. Essex County Emergency Services Director Don Jaquish explained that the power line’s remote location was a large part of why it took so long to restore power to the area. He also said that the severity of the storm caught them off-guard.
“We were expecting two inches,” he said.
Fortunately, visitor establishments were able to make it through the storm with their patrons. Staff at the Hampton Inn reported that guests all congregated in the great room and passed the time by playing board games, listening to live music, and socializing.
In Rochester, several thousand residents without power on Thursday afternoon flocked to the David F. Gantt R-Center to stay warm and dry. Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo and Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren announced early Thursday afternoon that the Red Cross would be opening up the center for those families still without power.
A particularly severe outage in Gates is what prompted the announcement, and there was talk of keeping the shelter open overnight pending word from RGandE on when power would be restored to the area.
In the meantime, many residents experienced significant property damage as a result of the high winds in the area. Ken Cronin, who lives on Winona Boulevard near Winchester Road in Irondequoit, said that both his and his wife’s cars were crushed by a fallen tree.
Despite parking the cars in a safe spot between their house and the neighbors’, Cronin said that “Somehow the tree found its way on top of both cars.”
Power outages left many scrambling for ways to complete work and access the internet to find more information, as well. While USB 3.0 cables are compatible with USB 2.0 laptops powered by batteries, there was no way to get the news on television without electricity.
As of Friday morning, most, if not all of the power outages have been remedied. But the matter of property damages still remains. Driveways, sections of roads, and homes are all still in need of repair. Spring is certainly coming in like a lion this year, so let’s hope it keeps with the old adage and goes out like a lamb.
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