November 27, 2015

Lights out Leaves Cold, Boredom for 20,000 in Washington

By Nicholas K. Geranios, associated press
SPOKANE, Wash. — Nov 24, 2015, 8:40 PM ET

Nearly 20,000 households in Spokane — Washington's second-largest city — were surviving Tuesday after almost a week without heaters, lamps and TV screens because howling winds ripped apart power lines, trees and the electrical grid.

Gov. Jay Inslee visited Spokane to inspect damage from the worst windstorm in the region's history, promising to explore whether Spokane County qualifies for federal disaster assistance.

The storm Nov. 17 packed gusts up to 70 mph that cracked trees and sent them crashing onto cars, killing three people in the state.

More than 180,000 customers lost power at the storm's peak, and those still in the dark face a freezing forecast as Thanksgiving approaches.

"This has been a very long and very, very tough week for Spokane County," Inslee said after being briefed by local leaders, adding that he has been impressed by efforts to care for vulnerable members of the community.

Mayor David Condon said about 200 people were using city emergency shelters each night, but most people still without power were staying with family, friends or in hotels in this county of 490,000.

Avista Corp., the region's largest utility, has been working around the clock, but up to 5,000 customers may still lack electricity by Wednesday night, chairman Scott Morris said.

"Our crews will be working through Thanksgiving," he said.

On Tuesday, a new round of strong winds knocked out power to more than 30,000 people west of Seattle. The gusts over 50 mph felled trees and power lines and mostly affected the Kitsap Peninsula.

In Spokane, Heidi Garrett, 53, did not have power until Monday evening. She and her husband haunted restaurants and their gym to avoid their home, where the temperature inside dropped to 45 degrees.

Most of the remaining households without power are in locations where the electric grid had the most damage and were the most difficult to repair, Morris said.

More than 700 workers from six states and Canada were working 16-hour days to repair power poles and lines, the company said.

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