powerless and the storm
1. Powerless
On Wednesday, November 5th, 2008 the Rosebud and Pine Ridge Reservations were hit with a massive blizzard that blanketed a great deal of the South Dakota with ice and snow. 7 days later, the reservations remain powerless. We created this blog to tell the stories of what has happened during this time.
4 Comments »
Tuesday Nov. 11.
LaCreek Elec. has enlisted the assistance of several outside utilities and private contractors. Many crews have arrived to assist.
The SD National Guard, local contractors and farmer/ranchers with heavy equipment are also assisting with opening roads, trails and pulling trucks thru the snow and mud to the downed lines and approx. estimated 1000 broken poles.
Progress is slow as the snow and now muddy conditions hamper the work. Poles must be hauled to the area, trucks have to get to the broken poles and dig and set new ones. New cross members have to be built. Some areas need new wire strung and for that the wire has to be located and trucked in. All supplies for repairs have to be located and trucked in from where ever it is available.
Laborers on foot have been pulling the wire out of snow drifts so it can be re-hung.
At this time the concentration is on getting the communities power by repairing the larger transmission lines. Several crews are working south of Wanblee to Long Valley and very soon north to Kadoka. A 20 man private contractor crew is assisting on 10 miles of downed line to Parmalee.
OST officials have set up a shelter at Wanblee School and are delivering supplies to the areas without power. Food, water, lamps, lamp oil, diapers and other necessary items are being delivered.
During the next few days, warm weather will hamper the effort by melting and creating very muddy conditions and trucks will not be able to get across country unless they are pulled by dozers and 4 wheel loaders with chains on the tires.
This is a very big, expensive, time consuming venture. A lot of coordination is necessary. Some of the outlying (homes and farms) areas have not even been investigated fully to determine total damage. Those areas can probably expect at least another week or more before power can be fully restored depending on the ability of trucks and men to get to them. With the warmer weather and the soft ground, travel is difficult on dirt roads and especially off the roads to get to the poles and downed lines. One nice thing about the warm weather is that the workers can work easier with less stress from cold and the 8″ thick ice is melting off the lines.
Every truck is needing to be pulled as the weather warms and conditions get muddier. Patience will be needed for a long duration in many areas.
Please check on your neighbor to access their need and that they are safe and warm.
we did a food drive for you all here at the elementary in Crow Creek. Who would be the contact person so we can deliver them.
Reservation blizzard update « boyce upholt wrote @ November 12, 2008 at 7:00 pm
[…] of the He Dog teachers have created a blog to call attention to what’s going on in […]
Thank You, Marcia & thank you Crow Creek. We appreciate your generosity.
times like this we need to pull together and help one another.
Once again, Thank You for your support!!!