More than 3,000 crews facing ‘historic’ power outages after storms

CUYAHOGA COUNTY, Ohio (WJW) – The widespread power outages across Northeast Ohio caused by severe weather Tuesday are expected to continue into next week.

FirstEnergy says more than 3,000 crews, including hundreds of hired contractors, are working to repair the downed lines and transformers, but the destruction is historic.

“We haven’t seen numbers like this since 1993 storms,” said Hannah Catlett, FirstEnergy spokesperson. “It took out power to about 300,000 people then, this one is over 400,000.”

Catlett says it’s all hands on deck trying to restore electricity with crews working 16-hour shifts, but more than 300 power poles and transformers came crashing down.

The work to fix them is taxing and time consuming.

“Those take time to put back into the ground,” she said. “They have to make sure it’s safe.”

One of them came down right in front of Rick Donofrio’s home on Richmar Drive in Westlake.

“We heard that crack that was the telephone pole and the transformer,” said Donofrio. “I miss the air conditioning, but it could’ve been worse. Nobody got hurt, that’s the main thing.”

Not far away in Bay Village at St. Raphael Parish, they also lost power. However, Fr. Jim Winings said they are doing all they can to continue serving parishioners and keep the church open.

On Thursday, they held a funeral by candlelight and services will continue as scheduled this weekend.

“We do have two weddings scheduled here this weekend, so we contacted the families, we still plan on going forward with those weddings even in the darkness,” said Fr. Jim. “Fortunately, we don’t need power to praise God.”

Currently, the estimated date for widespread restoration of power is Wednesday, Aug. 14, although some could be sooner and others longer.

“There will be a lot of customers, thousands who will come on before then. That’s just what we’re working with in terms of the whole Illuminating Company,” said Catlatt.

Many residents are trying to keep their “cool” while waiting, but admit it’s frustrating being unable to even charge or use a cellphone.

“I’m not happy but you just make the best of it, you know?” said a woman who asked to only be identified as Vivian.

An emergency shipment of generators at Home Depot at Steelyard Commons sold out in hours. Additional shipments are headed to the area.

FirstEnergy and Giant Eagle are also teaming up to offer free ice and water at selected locations as of Thursday night.

That’s after some people spent the day looking for it.

“I have four bags of ice that I finally found after driving to Cleveland to almost Berea looking for ice,” said Christina Gracia.

University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s hospital also issued a warning about generators and proper ventilation after several children were rushed there for treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning.

FirstEnergy is asking people to please do all they can to be safe under these trying conditions, understanding that they are working as hard and fast as they can.

“It is just such a widespread storm damage situation,” said Catlett.

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