On Wednesday morning, about 90 percent of Plainview's residents, many cold and uncomfortable, woke up in the dark, without power and modern communications, in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
Many are saying, through social media and instant messages from their phones, that they haven't seen any LIPA crews.
Here's a sampling:
- "Clearwater Drive - no power."
- "Robin Court- no power."
- "Wayne Drive, no power, haven't seen a single LIPA truck yet either. I'm guessing it will be a while."
- "Brook Path. No power and tree service hasn't come yet."
The list goes on. Jeremy Avenue. Lois Lane in Old Bethpage. Netto Lane and Gary Place: No power.
Plainview Patch readers were responding to a Facebook request for the status of their street and their homes.
Some of the stories are simply heart-wrenching:
"We ate all cold and in the dark," wrote Melissa Strauss Kessler, whose home near Parkway School is without power. "A large tree behind my house (fell) on wires (and)about to fall on my house. Transformer in my yard blown up; fire department was called when it was on fire."
Many, like Kessler, are finding that there is not help available. "No one will help with (the) tree until it snaps and breaks (our) roof," Kessler said.
"(There's a ) giant tree down on my house on the corner of Melony and Charlotte," wrote Plainview's Seth Salwen. "No power at all anywhere around me. Not a happy camper right now."
LIPA reports that it has multiple crews "assessing" the power outages in Plainview, where they say 7,793 of their 9,800 customers are without power. None of those "assessments" on their interactive map provide a time estimate for the restoration of power.
LIPA has said it could take them 7-10 days to fully restore power to Long Island. After 2011's Hurricane Irene, Plainview was one of the last area communities to be fully restored to power.
Some stores are operating, some through the use of generators. There are long lines at Dunkin' Donuts around town. Both ShopRites are open. There are gas stations open, including the Hess on Old Country Road. Often, motorists will encounter lines at gas stations.
The Plainview Fire Department has gone on more 200 calls since the storm hit Monday night, and counting. Sirens could be heard all night throughout the community.
For those of you with power, please pass the word along. Plainview Patch will continue to update this story and attempt to answer your questions. Find a way to reach out to us, and we'll tell your story.
Help us get the word out to others through our Facebook Page and on this comment thread. You can add your own photos directly to this story; please remember the caption information.
It may sound silly in light of other peole who have lost their homes, have had trees uproot and crash into their roof or car, etc., , but the fact that Lifetime Fitness in Syosset has yet to reopen is more annoying to me -- as an exerrsie addict who i suffering from withdrawal symptons today -than anything else. Remember -- the LIPA crews are doing everything they can...and this too shall pass!
REALLY?!?! You are complaining because you cannot go to the gym??? You had to eat in the dark??? There are trees on Manetto Hill Road and who will take care of it??? You whining gives Plainview the reputation it deserves. You want exercise ...help yourself neighborhood and get a chainsaw to take down beanches that fell. You are hungry and have to wait on long lines at Dunkin Donutes to eat in the dark in the comfort of your home that is still standing and not under water or burned to the ground? ?? Why don't you wait on that line and bring the comfort of food and coffee to those who lost EVERYTHING and you are complaining about a cold shower or being inconvenienced for extra days because someone did not pay attention to you quick enough so you can take a shower?
LIPA is a monopoly as we have no choice , so they can continue to do what they want without fear of losing customers to their competition . Storm or no storm , their customer service and rates are the worst in the country . They favor the areas where certain politicians live but everyone else is at their whim . It's it a joke that LIPA gets away with it . WE HAVE TO VOTE OUT THE POLITICIANS THAT CONTINUE TO ALLOW THIS COMPANY TO CONTINUE OPPORATING LIKE THIS . They have this highest rates in the country and the worst customer service . Our taxes keep going up but service keeps going down ! Wake up people of Plainview and start making some noise .
Just find resources and use them to the best of your ability. - Laura T, Grace St. Plainview.
I had a conversation with LIPA yesterday and the woman that I spoke to was very helpful and honest. She said that if you are not attached to a major traffic light, hospital, nursing home, school, railroad service or a medical patient's residential home that will receive priority service repair you could be waiting 2 weeks or more. She also said for those of us that have an issue with a transformer (like me) they will try to reset it. If the reset doesn't work and they need to replace it, it will be at least 3 weeks. While this is a major inconvenience, I was happy at least to get the TRUTH and have made other arrangements. I personally work from my home office and will lose my job if I have to wait that long for power to be restored so I wanted to pass on the information to the rest of you. Let’s just hope that LIPA is able to restore power to more gas stations or many people will have a problem getting into work. I didn't see a single LIPA truck until Thursday morning. The truth of the matter is that the company was not prepared to handle the damage. Remember that it is not the fault of the many, many LIPA workers and out of state help it's the poor planning at the executive level. They are the ones providing the direction to the customer service reps to tell you a standard 7-10 days and not the truth. As hard as it is, try not to take it out on them- they are working 16 hours a day. Thought I'd pass along the information.