Progress! CL&P Plans to Have Brookfield at 99 Percent Tonight
Over 50 percent of Brookfielders have power back, but 3,600 are still in the dark.
Brookfield started to see more significant progress in power restoration Thursday, with another 1,000 customers coming back online over the course of the day. Despite the efforts of restoration crews, 3,600 residents and businesses are still without power Friday morning, representing 47 percent of the town (down from a high of 88 percent, or 6,900 customers after Saturday's snowstorm).
With debris and downed wires still strewn throughout the town, officials are asking residents to strongly consider canceling trick-or-treating this year.
“Earlier this week, we suggested that parents delay neighborhood trick-or-treating until Saturday evening,” First Selectman Bill Davidson said Thursday. “In the interest of child safety, we recommend that traditional neighborhood trick-or-treating be skipped this year,” he said adding that, “This is a personal decision each family must make.”
Connecticut Light and Power (CL&P) reaffirmed their promise Thursday that 99 percent of Connecticut will be restored by Sunday and projections on their website state that Brookfield will be at 99 percent by midnight Friday. Town officials are less optimistic, however they do expect many more homes to be online before the weekend.
Davidson said he spent considerable time at CL&P’s Newtown headquarters Thursday to demand they direct their efforts to key problem areas in town and that he and key town officials are working closely with the utility to clear roads and restore power.
Additional Emergency Information
Shelters and Resources: Brookfield High School is open 24/7 as a shelter. Bring blanket, pillow, towel and soap for overnight stay. Food, toilet, showers and wireless internet access are available.
The library is open.
Call 203-775-2575 (police department non-emergency number) for questions you may have regarding shelter, elderly assistance, medical needs and similar matters.
Senior Center is open during regular hours and can be used as a warming center.
The Town has arranged for bus transportation for seniors and others that need transit to the Senior Center or to the high school shelter. Call 203-775-5308. Bus service will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Town Hall is open for regular business. Residents can power phones and electronic devices at Town Hall, the Police Department, the Senior Center and the shelter at the high school.
The YMCA is open for showers and toilets.
Schools: A system-wide E-News announcement will be issued Friday regarding the status of schools for next Monday.
Debris: The town’s residential refuse disposal center will be open Monday through Friday (7:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.) and Saturday and Sunday (8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.).
Water: Potable water is available at both firehouses and the police station; bring your own containers. Bottled water is available at the Brookfield Volunteer Fire Company on Pocono Road (near Town Hall) and the Police Station.
Boil water advisories are still in force for the following water systems:
- Olmstead Water Supply Co. – Brookwood
- Olmstead Water Supply Co. – Butternut
- Rural Water Co. – Brook Acres
- Rural Water Co. – Flax Hill area only
- Candlewood Orchards Property Owners
- Woodcreek Village Condominium Association
Note: Boil water advisory for Greenridge is no longer in effect.
David Propper
6:53 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
How many Brookfielders can you fit in a 1% potato sack?
Amy Landisman
8:00 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
I was wondering the same thing. I've spoken to four families, all in different neighborhoods of Brookfield, all slated for 11 pm on Sunday.
Steven DeVaux
7:32 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
Gary,
God bless the unpaid community volunteers that tackle such issues head on. Unlike paid politicians enscounced in the comfort of offices like CL&P drinking coffee and eating donuts, these unselfish folks reflect the true character of the community we are and have been for over 200 years. Same thing with first responders like the firemen and all the others who draw no weekly salary from the town's folk but do it for their concern of others, just as the town's churches have done.
mike murphy
11:23 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
i haven't seen any politicians enscounced in CL&P offices. you're confusing the political system with emergency workers from neighboring states and as far as Tennessee and Canada. i can assure you CL&P management are not sitting around this past week. yes, the volunteers are remarkable for the charity work they have done. last Sunday 2 members of the Candlewood Fire Company came to my home with portable oxygen tanks in case we had no power. thank God we did. but their concern reminded me once more why i'm grateful for having lived in Brookfield since 1972. we have been without power many times in the past , so i can feel the frustration those still without power are going through
Steven DeVaux
11:39 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
Mike,
"Davidson said he spent considerable time at CL&P’s Newtown headquarters Thursday to demand they direct their efforts to key problem areas in town and that he and key town officials are working closely with the utility to clear roads and restore power."
Donuts and coffee anyone?
Sal Ruggiero
8:57 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
Seems easy for Mr Davidson to say skip trick or treating this year. My kids have been through enough this week and now they get no Halloween. At least, now I don't have to boil our Greenridge water anymore. Oh wait, my family can't drink it anyways.
Rob Gianazza
9:30 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
With all the downed trees and power lines it makes sense to not have a traditional Trick or Treat night for safety purposes. But as Mr. DeVaux indicated, we have wonderful volunteers in this community. Why couldn't we put on a Halloween Party for the children in a safe environment? It seems to me that there are enough concerned parents that would love to give our little ones a second chance at Trick or Treat.
aimee
9:43 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
i am still out on Powder Horn Hill. just noticed that the restoration time changed on CL&Ps website. yesterday it said by midnight tonight. Now it says midnight tomorrow. this article contridicates the new restoration time...
Dominic Marrese
9:52 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
Call me a doubting Thomas . Yesterday there was conflicting data one site saying Friday midnight , another Sunday.
Steven DeVaux
9:59 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
Rob is absolutely right. Center School would be a great place for the PTO's to hold it! Might even make it an annual event. We have to make lemonade from the lemons we've been handed these last few weeks.
Steven DeVaux
10:10 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
Amy,
Over and over, there seems to be a serious problem with credibility in crisis situations the last two years in Brookfield.
aimee
10:20 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
i get that we had a storm and lost trees and power (although i am truly heartsick over my trees) - that couldn't be controlled. but to be out for a week and then being so close to having back and then to say, no, one more day! will that change again tomorrow??!! i'd like some reporting on that - what is going on that this changed??
Steven DeVaux
10:24 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
To paraphrase you (I think) aimee you're looking for answers, not excuses....results, not rethoric.
Drew Turkenkopf
10:12 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
I am taking a guess here but the answers are probably going to be " There were a lot of downed trees and branches and a lot of downed wires. Also, there exists more people and towns than oneself. And i assume an order of operations so the electrical grid doesn't 'wonk' out on everyone. And oftentimes there is unseen damage that in only revealed upon inspection/hook up.
Just theories. And yes I understand people are angry and it is easier to be angry at people than weather and trees.
Aaron Boyd
10:29 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
The projection has changed to 99 percent by midnight Saturday. We'll post an update later with more information.
George
11:04 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
Aaron, CL & P's estimate for my area is 11 PM Sunday, and there are 166 customers on this line. By my estimate, that alone is 2%.
Tammy Sylvester
10:52 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
A group of parents are working on getting a trunk or treat type of event for Sat!
Claire Cavalea
11:56 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
Hi Tammy,
I am thinking if enoutgh of us work on this we can make it happen!
Antonio Villanueva
12:32 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
Tammy, thanks for handling this. Learn from Danbury Fair Mall event. It was a disaster. Too many kids, one big long line. Most candy was gone in first 20 mins to those there first. Suggest round robin or shotgun start. Perhaps making groups? Anything to avoid long lines forming at each trunk. A lot of kids skipped that day so you might be overwhelmed at just one site.
Steven DeVaux
11:02 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
GO TAMMY!
Steven DeVaux
11:32 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
Tammy,
Contact Fire Chief Steve O'Reilly at the Candlewood Firehouse. I'm sure they would be delighted to host a Halloween Trick or Treat over there and provide everything!
Claire Cavalea
11:55 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
I just left a message for theBill Davidson and the Parks and Rec to try and get a Trunk or Treat set up at one of the schools or Town Hall. They are in a meeting with CL&P right now. I am hoping to hear back soon. The kids and the whole town have been through so much this week. We could all use a little celebration.
Steven DeVaux
1:14 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
They be back when the coffee and donuts run out. Go for the Candlewood firehouse. Those firemen in Brookfield are the best.
mike murphy
11:57 am on Friday, November 4, 2011
steve, there's nothing wrong with having a cup of coffeeand a donut, or a foot long sub and a can of pepsi if you are working on a plan to open roads and restore. what is considerable time anyway? an hour, 4 hours? however long he stayed there demanding power restoration or working on a plan, it seems he had the same affect as any citizen in our area who called up demanding that CL&P get out to their street Stat! sitting around drinking coffee and eating donuts implys that people have their feet on their desks and are reading the newspaper.
Steven DeVaux
1:12 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
Antonio,
That is the best line I've heard in days.
Mike,
I didn't report the story. I just read it. I checked with a number of people who said they never saw Davidson in their neighborhood this week. Their claim, however true or not true it is, is that he never even comes to campaign...that he just mails out glossies of himself smiling. People can vote on the whole fiasco on Tuesday.
mike murphy
12:03 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
99% seems to be the word of the month
Antonio Villanueva
12:33 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
Except in this case, you do not want to be the 1%.
Don
12:03 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
I didn't know CLP was a federally run, government owned agency. We have more lines of B.S. than electricity.
Claire Cavalea
1:17 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
I was thinking that a Trunk - or -Treat on Saturday would be a great place to "campaign" . Just saying. One more reason for the Town Officials to make it happen. Plus with the vote on Tuesday happy parents are good to have at the polls!
Steven DeVaux
1:29 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
Wait until the public comment portion of the Board of Selectmen's meeting Monday night. Watch them cancel it just like they canceled the town meeting people petitioned for.
Poo fartman
3:54 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
I'm being told 11 pm on sunday along with 6 of my neighbors. So add that to the 1%.
mike murphy
6:53 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
steve, i never implied you were making your comment up about where davidson was or wasn't. believe it or not i agree with your comments.
antonio i agree with you also. i bet the person in bethel who won 240 million last night isn't worrying about his power today
Steven DeVaux
7:58 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
Nope. Not at all.
mike murphy
6:58 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
steve i couldn't agree more about the Candlewood Company. as i said , i have copd and they were at my doorstep sunday morning with oxygen tanks to make sure i had a backup supply if our power was out. that wasn't part of their duty, it was good people concerned for my health. i can only say God Bless them
Steven DeVaux
8:02 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
Mike,
Those guys dragged me out of my house as it was burning down. I trusted them with my life and they delivered. God bless Chief O'Reilly and the Candlewood Shores fire company.
Ashley
7:53 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
First it was Friday, then Saturday, then Sunday. when is the power going to be back? I understand this was a huge storm but not having power for a week is absolutely unbearable. If I have to take one more shower in a public place, drag tons of bags and items with me place to place, sleep uncomfortably either in my freezing cold house or on someone else's couch, or use bottled water to brush my teeth one more time, I really think I'm going to go nuts.
Steven DeVaux
8:00 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
Ashley,
The Katrina people had it far worse. It's all relative. Personally I think they are making it up as they go along to take the heat off themselves but that's only supposition based on prior proclivities.
Ashley
9:49 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
yeah everything is relative but how come it seems like everybody in Brookfield has their power back except my neighborhood? I keep hearing of every other neighborhood getting theirs back and I get my hopes up only to wait another long cold dark day. They even did the surrounding roads right by house, and someone at the top of my road has it. I don't understand
Michael Gianfranceschi
8:34 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
you know if the politicians would leave the cl&p guys alone and stop wasting thier time with stupid meetings maybe they would have time to get something done. Meeting with cl&p officials is just a photo op to make it look like they are doing something. I'm pretty sure that the cl&p guys aren't at a bar throwing down a few shots laughing at all the suckers without power.
Steven DeVaux
8:41 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
Right on Michael. The CL&P guys are the 99%'ers an the paid political hacks looking for Photo Ops and mindless blurbs are this town's 1%.
Michael Gianfranceschi
10:27 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
don't put words in my mouth Steve, and if you don't think that the politiciaans aren't runnin' their mouths and puffing out their chests and pointing fingers at whomever the public is mad at this week then I've got some prime swampland that you might be interested in buying.