Plainview residents are growing increasingly angry as their community waits in the dark while other areas of Long Island gradually see power restored.
They are likening their current treatment to LIPA's response to Hurricane Irene just last year, where Plainview was one of the last communities to be fully restored to power.
The residents are responding to a Facebook request for updates from their streets. Go to our Facebook Page here and "Like" us and join the conversation.
At 11 a.m. there were more than 80 comments on the thread which was posted just four hours earlier. Here's a representative sampling:
"Kennedy and Southwick by (Plainview JFK) High School are out!" wrote Lisa Alpert Sorgie. "No sighting of LIPA trucks."
Marci Goldberg Cohen reported a high voltage wire down on Fordham Drive behind Parkway: "(We) haven't seen a truck and when we call LIPA they don't even care," Cohen said. "Wires came down on Julliard or Sutton too; haven't seen a truck there. The entire neighborhood here is out
Manetto Hill Road remains an obstacle course with giant trees slashing across the roadway. Wires were down on the roadway. Cars crept along into oncoming lanes to get around the obstacles.
A huge tree is still blocking Washington Avenue and entangled in wires, reported Jennifer Yentema Federmann. "Until that's cleared and Manetto Hill Road, -- which is ridiculous -- there is no way the kids can safely go back to school."
Plainview schools have cancelled classes and all other activities through Friday
"South of Old Country Road behind library seems to all be in the dark," wrote Edward Lee. "We have a pole snapped in our yard and a big tree on top of (power) lines. Haven't seen trucks anywhere near yet."
And it may be considerably longer before significant power returns.
LIPA has not scheduled a press conference Thursday for an update. Its website continues to say crews are working on assessments of the outages.
Plainview's not alone. Diane Singer Viola lives in North Merrick and has been without power since 9 a.m. Monday. "We have not seen a single truck," she said. "It is so cold and my kids' noses and ears are freezing. My parents are in Plainview and we are just hoping one of us gets power."
Andrea Savin McAuliffe tried to put the crisis in perspective. "Still no power on Lois Lane," she said. "I am just grateful is wasn't worse. There are lots of people who lost their homes completely and some died so the fact I have no power is just an inconvenience."
Please add your comments and locations to this story and our Facebook thread.
That being said, my power was out for eight days last year and that was hard, though bearable. This time though, we are dealing with fuel shortage and much colder weather. I had a bet with my wife,from the onset of the storm, that LIPA will restore power in four days figuring that LIPA surely has learned from last year. Obviously, I had lost my bet and both LIPA and I hadn't learn from past experience.
As for the use of government personnel, I hadn't thought about it until reading these posts. It brings up a very good question: What type of contingency plan do the power companies have and why isn't it more effective than what we are seeing? Shouldn't there be a plan for bringing in military personnel who are skilled in restoring downed power grids? Shouldn't there be a plan for be a plan for more responsive action on removing and repairing downed power lines? We're not a third-world nation, but somehow LIPA manages to make us look like one. Hopefully my outrage will be shared by those who have the power to make necessary changes.
be informed
I lost power at 6PM on Monday 10/29. There are 4 hard hat icons in my area on LIPA's interactive map (http://www.lipower.org/stormcenter/outagemap.html). These icons have been there since Wednesday night. I'm not sure what is taking so long... LIPA reported over 900,000 customers without power, and the latest number on their website says a little over 533,000. I guess that is somewhat good news... The Plainview Center Mall has power, so if anyone needs groceries, the Shop Rite has been open. The Taco Bell on South Oyster Bay Road and Old Country Road also had power. The Dunkin Donuts on Old Country Road (by John Farms) also had power. Woodbury Road heading west towards Hicksville had power, so there are some food options there as well... I too am disgusted by LIPA at the moment, but we've got to figure out how to get through the situation we are in. I have no heat or hot water either, and have been showering at work in Queens. But now, I am concerned about this whole gas situation... Hopefully, one of these politicians (who post their names all over our neighborhood) is reading this thread and will do something about it, instead of standing in front of Shop Rite and only shaking hands during election time...
Think before you rant with no clear point or argument. You live on Long Island. You know prices are high. LIPA can't cater to your personal needs and the exaggerated needs of others. They have a big picture to work towards, not your senile self.