South Whitehall Cleans Up, Many Still Without Power

in South Whitehall became a refuge for scores of people without power in the aftermath of the weekend's snowstorm, which left more than 100,000 people without power in the Lehigh Valley.

The Szmigiel family, who were without power since Saturday at their home on Huckleberry Road in the township, were among those who came to the restaurant to eat a hot meal and to power up their phones. 

Jackie Szmigiel, who was finishing up eating, said she thought the power would be restored Monday but learned that she probably wouldn't have power again until 11 p.m. on Thursday.

"We're all a little stunned," said Szmigiel, who was with her son Matt and daughter Lizzy, both students at .

Szmigiel said the family had been sleeping at home using extra blankets and camping lanterns. And their Labrador Retriever named Rosie? "We've been letting her sleep on top of us for warmth," she said.

As of 3 p.m., 7,184 customers were without power in South Whitehall.

At the height of the storm, about three-fourths of the township was without power, said Brad Osborne, president of the township Board of Commissioners. He said more people lost power in the rare October snowstorm than did during Hurricane Irene and its aftermath.

PPL Electric Utilities spokesman Joe Nixon said the storm was among the top five in the past 20 years in terms of number of customers affected. In the company's coverage area, at least 325,000 customers in 29 counties were affected. As of 2 p.m., some 123,000 customers were still without power, including 90,000 in the Lehigh Valley, he said.

On Monday morning, township Manager Jon Hammer and Public Works Director Tony Ganguzza, along with public works crews, were out assessing damages. Hammer said the staff wanted to make sure roads were clear and opened. Another priority was to clear away any fallen trees and limbs.

Hammer said the township was offering the following assistance to residents:

* The township's yard and garden center, to the rear of the township municipal building, will have extended hours. Through Nov. 7, the center will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday through Saturday.

* The township Public Works Department will devote time over the next several weeks to help residents with cleanup of downed branches that are curbside. Crews cannot go on private property to clear debris.

* The public works department will resume leaf collection once all the branches and debris is picked up, so leaves should be separated in different piles from the debris.

* The township's contracted hauler J.P. Mascaro wll continue with regularly scheduled curbside yard waste collections.

The township, along with Upper Macungie emergency management, set up a shelter during the height of the snowstorm at . With classes at Parkland High School resuming on Monday, Lehigh County opened a shelter at the on Cedar Crest Boulevard in South Whitehall.

Osborne said several residents from Cedarview Apartments, which had been without power, were among those who had stayed overnight Sunday. The township brought breakfast from on Monday morning.

"They're upbeat," said Osborne, who had talked with some of the displaced residents. He said people seemed to appreciate that they had a place to go and food to eat until power could be restored to their homes.

Osborne said South Whitehall's Emergency Management Coordinator Jeff Kelly was at the shelter in the morning, and that his son, Chris Kelly, deputy emergency management coordinator, would be there through the afternoon.

The American Red Cross was working with Lehigh County emergency management officials to provide a safe and warm refuge at the Troxell shelter for Lehigh County residents left without power following Saturday's snowstorm, said Red Cross spokeswoman Janice Osborne. She said Red Cross disaster workers were assisting with staffing and serving meals.

Jackie Szmigiel said her family had been eating out at restaurants as they ride out the power outage, and charging their phones where they could.

The worst thing, she said, was not being able to have coffee first thing in the morning. The family has been reading by flashlights at night. She said she planned to go look for a laundromat and a place to shower.

Nixon said the power restoration would be a multi-day effort. He expected power to be restored to most residents in the next day or two.

Township residents who have any questions about cleanup are asked to call the public works department at 610-398-0407.