PITTSBURGH — Thousands of customers were without power across the region Friday morning as heavy snow and ice accumulated on trees and power lines.
According to Duquesne Light, as of 10:15 p.m., 259 customers were still without power.
>>CURRENT DUQUESNE LIGHT OUTAGES<<
West Penn Power (First Energy) was reporting 1,026 customers without power in Allegheny County, 284 in Fayette County and 11,385 in Washington County as of 10:15 p.m.
>>CURRENT WEST PENN POWER OUTAGES<<
“It’s been a little chilly. We are hunkered down,” Ed Byrski said.
“Frustrating. We have a gas fireplace so we are warm. But trying to keep food in the fridge and frozen foods in the freezer can be frustrating not knowing when the power will come back on,” Brad Simpson said.
The North Strabane Volunteer Fire Department said it opened its doors and will keep the lights on for anyone in need.
West Penn Power released the following statement:
“We are continuing the restoration process, but driving conditions continue to be a challenge. FirstEnergy crews from Ohio will be heading to Washington County area to assist, since weather did not cause many problems here. Also, we are mobilizing our drone team to conduct inspections of some of the damage caused by the ice in rural areas. That is the thought behind using drones. You can always get back into an area, but sometimes it takes a long time for a person to walk or drive back to a rural area. A drone allows you to cover the ground much more quickly and fly above any icy, snowy conditions on the ground.”
If your power does go out during a winter storm, make sure you have flashlights with fresh batteries, a full cellphone charge, heaters and blankets.
>>STORY: Tips on how to be prepared if you lose power during a winter storm
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