Five days after severe weather struck northeast Ohio, people continue to experience significant power outages. Governor Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency for eight affected counties on Saturday and mobilized resources to speed up recovery efforts. As of Sunday night, about 10,500 homes were still without power. Line workers from 17 states are working tirelessly to restore power, but the process is proving difficult.
Recovery efforts intensify as power restoration progresses
FirstEnergy spokeswoman Lauren Siburkis said significant progress has been made, with 90% of customers having their power restored. However, the remaining outages are in more remote and hard-to-reach areas. Widespread tree damage is making access difficult, so workers must use climbing skills rather than cherry pickers to repair power lines. Siburkis emphasized how labor-intensive the remaining repairs are. “A lot of tree damage, and a lot of that tree damage, is in hard-to-reach areas,” she said. “In some cases, we can’t use our cherry picker to get out, so our line workers have to manually climb poles and make repairs, which is very time-consuming.”
Local impacts and community resilience
Willoughby Hills residents are among those most affected by the power outages. Joe Frankhauser, a local resident, described the situation as frustrating. “I work from home and we have no internet connection,” he said. “It’s like having your arms chopped off. I’ve had to find places with Wi-Fi to work. With the support of neighbors, we’re getting by, but it’s been tough.” Despite the difficulties, Frankhauser and other residents are coping. Community support has been crucial, and neighbors are helping each other deal with the challenges posed by the extended power outage.
State and federal resources mobilized for reconstruction
The emergency declaration underscores the need for additional resources in the affected counties. Kevin Friis, planning director for the Cuyahoga County EMA, said the declaration will allow for a faster recovery and possible relief funds. “We recognize that this is a major incident and are requesting additional resources,” Friis said. “We are having both state and possibly federal teams further assess the damage.”
FEMA is expected to conduct a damage assessment in northeast Ohio, and county emergency management agencies are working with local communities to determine damage and obtain possible reimbursements. Friis noted that the assessment will also include cleanup efforts, including overtime, equipment and labor. For those affected, including homeowners, businesses, renters and non-critical private nonprofits, contacting county emergency management offices for damage assessments and possible financial assistance is essential.
As the situation evolves, efforts continue to restore power and support recovery in Northeast Ohio. Community resilience, combined with state and federal support, is critical to overcoming the impact of this severe weather.
