Schuylkill County residents continued to deal with power outages Wednesday as crews also raced to get the power back on.
On Wednesday morning, PPL Electric Utilities said there were about 9,000 county residents still without electricity. Martha Herron, PPL's regional community relations director, said that all residents of Schuylkill County should be restored by 11 p.m. Friday.
"That's an estimated restoration time, which means we can have them back sooner," she said. "They're working on the lines that will restore the most customers first."
Among the boroughs without power Wednesday was Saint Clair. Although it has its own Electric Light Department, the borough was depending on PPL to restore power to residents.
Stephen Bobella Jr., emergency management coordinator for the borough, said Wednesday that electricity isn't out due to the borough's department, but due to a PPL issue with one of the main lines that feeds into Saint Clair.
"Our borough light department actually found the problem and contacted PPL," Bobella said. "Our professionals are saying this is a catastrophic failure coming into the borough. Although PPL is telling us that the power could be back on tonight, our light department feels that they would need an army of men and trucks in order to get this working by tonight, so people need to be prepared for the power to be out for a few days."
Bobella said that there is no damage to the infrastructure in the borough and that its department had to contact PPL since it's not authorized to work on PPL lines.
"We're in a bad situation but we're fortunate," said Bob Petrozino, electric light superintendent. "It could have been worse."
By 2 p.m. Wednesday, PPL had sent over 15 trucks to work on the lines.
"The army is here," Petrozino said.
The work was being completed by 3 Phase Line Construction, subcontracted by PPL.
Saint Clair officials said Wednesday that they are considering a plan to notify residents of emergencies more quickly.
For the residents in Saint Clair without power and heat, Independent Hose Company, Dieners Hill, was set up as a warming center and shelter.
"We have medical teams standing by here, just about anything they need," said fire Chief Gary Gorman. "Anybody that's on breathing machines, or anything like that, bring their machines, we have power to power them up."
Jean Kalochie, president of the fire company, said the company has power because it's on a different power grid. Since it got permission to become a shelter for Saint Clair residents, it will be there as long as people need it.
Food was also donated by the Saint Clair Lions Club, Dunkin Donuts, Weis Markets and Giant Foods.
Kalochie said that anyone who is coming to the shelter and has an emergency should call the fire company first at 570-429-0867, so they can be prepared and have EMS available at the company. Bobella said residents are urged to call the borough office for transportation if it is needed at 570-429-0640.
Calls will be going to the police station, which is also putting on extra manpower during the evenings. The fire department as well as ambulances are all staffed.
Tony Mach, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, State College, said that temperatures will be dropping slightly today but it will be less windy.
Today, temperatures will be in the upper 40s, there's a 40 percent chance of showers and there will be 10 to 15 mph winds with gusts up to 25 mph.
Tonight, it will be in the upper 30s and there's a 40 percent chance of snow showers after midnight.
"The winds are dying down," Mach said.
As of 11 p.m., there were 5,172 PPL customers still without power.
Elaine Maneval also knows what it's like to be without power for more than 24 hours.
She has not had power at her South Manheim Township home since late Monday night. When she called PPL to report the outage, she was told service might not be restored until 11 p.m. Friday.
"We are actually getting through pretty well," she said.
Her mother lives nearby and also lost power but has a generator. Maneval, who is also the manager of the Schuylkill Mall, has been staying at her mother's house.
The phone service is still working but the family does not have Internet service. Her children have had to do their school work - some of which requires the Internet - elsewhere, she said.
"We're not totally alienated from the world," she said.
The Schuylkill County Emergency Management Agency said Wednesday after that the Schuylkill Emergency Operations Center will remain activated with limited staffing and that in addition to the warming center in East Norwegian Township, a second one is open at South Cass Fire Company, 14 Water Lane, Pottsville, Cass Township.
According to Penn State Schuylkill's Facebook page, power to the campus was restored Wednesday afternoon and classes will resume at 8 a.m. today.