Many Colorado Springs residents cope with not having power through weekend
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- People in one east side neighborhood hard-hit by damage from Wednesday's windstorm, are reacting to it in different ways.
In the Patty Jewett neighborhood, south of the Patty Jewett Golf Course between downtown and Citadel Mall, power has been out since the powerful winds blew through.
Several streets in that neighborhood remain closed because of large fallen trees and downed power lines.
Susie Dorle said that she is temporarily staying with friends in the area because her home is too dark and cold.
"I worry about my water pipes freezing," she said. "I'm keeping perishable foods in my friends' refrigerators so that it doesn't spoil."
Todd Blystone said that he spent one night in a hotel but will tough out the remainder of the power outage in his house.
"I can just put on an extra sweatshirt or throw on an extra blanket," he said. "I camp out a lot, so this doesn't bother me. And I work or go out to eat and drink, so I don't have to stay around the house. I have flashlights for whatever light I need."
Maria Lafayette was carrying a pot of food to cook at her daughter's house, who lives a few blocks away and has power.
"I know that the crews are busy," she said. "But I have left messages with my councilman and the mayor. This (situation) is unacceptable. The city should have brought in more resources a lot sooner."
During a noon briefing at the east end of the neighborhood, Colorado Springs Utilities said that more crews from Fountain, Alamosa and Denver are arriving to help with repairs.
"We're hoping that with the extra help, we can get everybody back on by Sunday," said spokesman Charlie Cassidy. "Around 15% of our customers, roughly 7,000 people, still are without power."
Cassidy stood in a homeowner's backyard where the windstorm wrapped a carport around a utility pole and pulled power lines down to homes.
"This is what our crews are dealing with," he said. "Not only restoring power, but removing debris from our infrastructure before we can even start turning things back on. It takes longer. Many of the remaining outages affect individual homes instead of entire neighborhoods."
Jennifer Green, a disabled woman who has the damaged pole in her backyard hopes for relief soon.
"I lost my left leg in a car accident and have metal throughout my body," she said. "So the cold really bothers me. I also have cancer."
Green said that she, her husband and two sons spent one night in a motel.
"But we can't afford to do that longer," she said.
Her husband acquired a generator that will allow the family to have some electricity for the time being.
CSU reported lowering the number of customers without power to 5,000 Friday evening; some residents along Cedar Street, near the Patty Jewett Golf Course, are among the areas where crews restored electricity.
The City of Colorado Springs is opening a warming shelter Friday at Sunnyside Christian Church, 2025 N Murray Boulevard. It opens at 6:30 p.m.
