Hurricane Irene Update

Updated – 8/29/11

I wanted to take a few moments to update you on Hurricane Irene and the clean-up efforts undertaken by Virginia and its utilities in our area as well as throughout the Commonwealth.

While significant parts of Virginia were devastated by Hurricane Irene, no “sustained” hurricane force winds were recorded in Virginia. The storm surge was less than forecast; however, it was still the fourth-highest level in Virginia history. The heaviest rainfall occurred inland, not at the coast. Unfortunately, the hurricane resulted in 4 confirmed deaths in Virginia, all tree-related. The initial damage assessment is $6.4 million.

I would like to personally thank all those involved in this enormous clean-up effort. Virginia is fortunate to have so many dedicated public servants, utility personnel and concerned citizens to help those that are in need.

Below is the latest news on power restoration and the roads in our area. Also below are some helpful health and safety tips.

Restoring Power in Chesterfield and Colonial Heights

Utility crews are working around the clock to restore power to the state. While over 1.2 million power outages were reported (affecting 2.5 million Virginians), Dominion Virginia Power has made great progress. At 12 noon, Monday, Dominion was reporting slightly over 600,000 customers were without power, with the highest concentration of outages being reported in the Richmond Metro/Tri-Cities area and the Southeastern part of the State. Dominion has stated that restoring power will be the second-largest in company history, the largest being Hurricane Isabel in 2003.

Dominion will restore power to 90-95 percent of the customers affected by Irene-related outages by the end of the day Friday. Seventy-five percent will be restored by the end of the workday on Wednesday.

Please be patient as the focus will initially be on “critical infrastructure” which includes 911 centers, hospitals, water treatment plants, etc.

Dominion Links

Southside Electric Cooperative Links

Additional Information from Dominion on Colonial Heights

After the storm, approximately 85 percent of Colonial Heights was without power, which was one of the highest percentages statewide. Thanks to the hard work of the utility crews, a majority of Colonial Heights now has power.

Transportation News and Information from VDOT

VDOT is encouraging people to exercise caution while driving due to debris, downed power lines and trees on the road.

Where traffic signals are not operating, motorists should treat the intersections as four-way stops.

Statewide, more than 218 state-maintained roads are closed; 22 primary roads and about 196 secondary roads.

Real-time road closures and traffic conditions are available by calling 511 or going to www.511virginia.org.

Health and Safety Tips

  • Stay tuned to local TV and radio stations for the most current information. Avoid loose or dangling electrical wires. All wires should be considered live. Contact your power company immediately regarding these electrical wires.
  • Refrigerators will store food safely for up to four hours without power if the door is unopened.
  • Freezers that are half full will hold food safely for up to 24 hours without power; a full freezer will hold food safely for 48 hours.
  • WHEN IN DOUBT, THROW IT OUT
  • Do not use camp stoves or lanterns without ventilation.
  • Never use stoves for heating. Any of these can cause deadly buildup of carbon monoxide.
  • If water covered your well, you should disinfect it. Call your local Health Department for advice. If you are concerned about your well water, the Health Department can provide a list of testing services.
  • It is still warm enough for mosquitoes to breed, so it is important to empty all the containers, tarps and other items around your house that create breeding sites. Remember to use repellent when outside.
  • If you have medication that requires refrigeration but you lost power, check with the pharmacy on the label. They can advise you if it can still be used.
  • During cleanup, avoid overexertion and strain in lifting and moving heavy objects or loads. Accidents during storm cleanup are frequent and often lead to severe injuries.
  • Be especially careful if you are using chainsaws for storm cleanup. The Virginia Department of Forestry has posted safety tips online at www.dof.virginia.gov.