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Power Outage Stories - Share Your Pain
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T O P I C
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Discussion Started: 09-16-2008, 1:12 PM
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Have you been affected by the power outages in western Pa.? Share your story here. Please be sure to include your first name and the neighborhood/town/city where you live.
Some of your responses may be used on the air during Channel 4 Action News.
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View Messages: [newest first] | [oldest first]
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DDJ84
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09-22-2008, 9:29 AM
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Laura - Go! You stated what I was trying to get across... I don't know about you, by I have not seen my husband (Duq Light Employee x25 years) for more than 5 minutes while waking him up before I leave for work, since last Monday! So he has done 7 straight days of a minimum of 16 hr days. These 16-18 hr work days are not an option for any lineman/woman.
Some of these people have no clue what these men and women are FORCED to endure and after so many days how the risk of injury increases!
truly, ddj
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lauraj39
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09-20-2008, 9:12 AM
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Yes, we all feel the power outage pain. It is a real INCONVENIENCE to everyone!!! My husband has worked for Duquesne Light for 30 years and it never ceases to amaze me that the public takes out their frustration on the employess who work 24-7 to restore power. Please do the employees a favor and call the "fat cats" (management) to complain. Duquesne Light is understaffed, especially the underground department. This department is so understaffed, because over the last 15 years, they have neglected to train and hire new employees. It takes many years to become a "trained" underground cable splicer, which is a very dangerous job if not trained properly!! These men work in the most critical of places, most of which work at least 12-16 hours a day, with little or no time for eating and restroom breaks. So the next time you feel the need to take your anger out on these men and women, just remember they have not eaten, gone to the bathroom, worked all night in the cold and rain, worked holidays, missed family functions, just to restore YOUR power. Please give them a break and say thanks!!
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sheagerty
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09-19-2008, 1:43 PM
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Although our power was not interrupted a live power line to an absentee landlord's garage is down and blocking both our vehicles into our off street parking area. The power line hangs three feet off the ground. The perfect height for any child to grab and result in serious injury. It took six hours for us to get through to Duquesne Light on Monday and reach their recorded line that doesn't really allow you state the exact emergency. On Tuesday, we finally spoke to a live person to assure they knew the down line was behind our home and a dangerous situation. Called Thursday and was told yes we have your problem reported - down line in FRONT of home. As of Friday late morning, the line still hangs, our vehicles sit and two unfortunate squirrels have been electrocuted. Inpatiently waiting...
Sally & Shawn Heagerty
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DDJ84
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09-19-2008, 1:16 PM
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Remember you pay by use..meters only run if they are being used. Your not paying if your not using.
truly, ddj
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hateduqlt
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09-19-2008, 1:14 PM
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Since our elderly parents have no power and can not leave the house we check on them, do their laundry, make sure there is food, and do what every responsible child would do.
I understand everyone's frustration level is high and it doesn't help that the repairman was there - the tranformer is bad - BUT they don't have a replacement transformer. The line man put a red ribbon on the pole and left. I assume they will get power whenever Duquesne Light gets the parts. At this rate, it could be another week.
My questions are: Are there REALLY enough repair people? Are there REALLY enough parts?
In as much as no one is releasing any prior or current numbers on parts and repairs I have to assume that the numbers are not in Duqusene Light's favor.
Should they be allowed to raise rates if service is this poor? Should there be a massive tree removal around power lines?
This light company and this county are obviously not noted for being progressive and two weeks from now it will be life as usual with no lessons learned nor anything done to prevent the accident from happening AGAIN. Instead of pointing fingers DO SOMETHING!!!
Have a lovely powerless day!
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thomasdh
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09-19-2008, 12:35 PM
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For all of you who are upset with those who are expressing their frustration, you make some good points as you sit in your homes with electricity. I also work in the service industry, and I have also worked excessively long hours to provide the service I am paid to provide, so I know what it is like. But let me add this, I called this AM for an update, and I acutally got a someone who answered the phone. this person sent a dispatch ticket to the service department of Duq Light, because they were not sure if anyone knew our area was without power. This was confirmed on the news as it was reported that the only outages in the area were in Western Allegheny and Beaver counties. After that, maybe someone will get around to restoring the service we are paying for,.
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DDJ84
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09-19-2008, 11:20 AM
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I am with Figaro5 and aceofbase- so sorry you are all without power.. I have family, dear friends, bosses and neighbors who were also without power from Sunday through up to Thursday. And yes, i too was without power for a time - and after the power was on i was without cable, internet and phone for 3 days.
I also have a husband who is a lineman who I haven't seen since Sunday because he is FORCED to work 16 to 18 hr days. Who has missed our son's court of Honor this week, doesn't even know that our nephew's wife had a baby on Monday... and guess what??? We aren't rich by any means! He is NOT making LOADS of money to NOT restore your power.
Obvioulsy thomasdh and many others have no clue that it is not about plugging in a plug to get your power on; nor is it simply a matter of bringing out new transformers and replacing them. Just because there is a transformer on your street and you are without electricity, doesn't mean the transformer is bad. If the transformer is good these workers have to comb the area and find the source of the problem - which sometimes means hiking through woods/back yards etc. sometimes the source of the problem can be blocks away from the transformer... or on a hillside and they have to attempt to get to it in the dark.
Someone commented about the lines being 7000 watts.. lets try 30,000 volts. And you want these guys who are working on minimal sleep if any to RUSH IN so you can watch TV???? How selfish and ignorant are you all??
I sympathize for everyone without power and know it is a huge INCONVENIENCE.. but I sit here daily - knowing that my husband is risking his life working to restore power. Fearing every single time my phone rings that it is someone calling to say my husband has been fried! It sickens me to see the comments being made, from so many people who obviously don't know exactly what it takes to restore such a huge, wide-spread power outage.
Perhaps you should all read the paper too [which does not require electricity] and know that Duq Light only sent about 14 people to Texas to HELP THOSE DEALING WITH MUCH MORE DEVASTATION and once we had the storm, they called all of them to turn around and come home. since when is lending a helping hand to people who truly need it such a crime?
Who should be embarassed and ashamed?? All I know is it should not be Duq Light or their linemen who are making much bigger sacrifices than missing out on the conveniences of having electricity.
Think about it...really
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huffygirl3
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09-19-2008, 11:04 AM
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I understand that people still without power are very frustrated. I remember a time when my power was out for just 3 days and how frustrated and mad I was at the utility companies. However, I know have a different perspective being that my boyfriend of a few months is a lineman for Duquesne Light. He has been working around the clock restoring customers power. He worked one 24 hour shift, came home for 8 and went back to work. He is now on a cycle of working 16 hours and then off for 8, working for 16 and off for 8 until everyone is back up and running. He is only home to eat and sleep and is back out busting his rear with everyone else at Duquesne Light. I think we all need to be a little bit more patient and give these employees the appreciation they deserve. I know that they are doing all they can and are not being given enough credit.
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thomasdh
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09-19-2008, 4:53 AM
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It's very comforting to know that the number is down to 6,100. That is unless you are one of the 6,100 which I am. There is a substation less than 500 yards from our area, and I suspect that is where our half of our area gets our power from, a change that was made last summer. That being the case, the 20 - 30 homes on our street will be the last to get power restored. There is no one else in over a mile radius from my home without power execpt those on our streets. If Duquesne Light it not embarrassed by their performance, that explains a lot.
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chatrbee2
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09-19-2008, 12:46 AM
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It is a shame that people feel the need to bad mouth the men/woman who are working hard to restore power. While people sit and complain that it isn't good enough. I had been without power for 4 days. And yes it was rough and expensive, but by the grace of god go I. Thankfully we all had beautiful weather to ride out the rest of the week. Loss was minor compared to what many have to endure and most towns had somewhere you could drive to in order to get what was needed. I was never unable to get fuel, food or water. I did miss the luxeries of life, however, many of us are just to spoiled.
I feel for those who lost food and required certain things for medical needs. Those issues are different and people need to know how to deal with a crisis before it happens.
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