Severe storm damage in Western Pennsylvania: Power crews still working to restore service
WTAE-TV Pittsburgh
[{'start': '0.733', 'end': '4.104', 'text': "WHAT COMES NEXT.  MIKE, KRISTEN DUQUESNE LIGHT HAS  DOUBLED THE AMOUNT OF CREW  MEMBERS WORKING OUT IN THE FIELD  TO BRING BACK POWER.  NOW, THEY SAY SO FAR, THEY'VE  RESTORED SERVICE FOR MORE THAN  200,000 CUSTOMERS.  BUT THERE'S STILL MORE WORK TO  BE DONE.  THIS WAS AN UNPRECEDENTED STORM,  AND WE HAVE ROLLED OUT AN  UNPRECEDENTED RESPONSE TO DEAL  WITH IT.  DUQUESNE LIGHT COMPANY HAS BEEN  WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO  RESTORE POWER FOR THE 325,000  CUSTOMERS IMPACTED BY TUESDAY'S  STORM.  MATT STEIN WITH DUQUESNE LIGHT  SAYS AS OF THURSDAY, THE LIGHTS  ARE BACK ON FOR MORE THAN  200,000 OF THOSE CUSTOMERS.  THE COMPANY HAS MORE THAN  DOUBLED ITS WORKFORCE IN THE  FIELD BY DEPLOYING 400 OUTSIDE  RESOURCES FROM IN AND OUT OF THE  STATE.  OUR PRIORITIZATION IS CLEARING  SAFETY HAZARDS FIRST, LIKE  DOWNED TREES, DOWN POLES, DOWNED  WIRES, RESTORING SERVICE TO  SAFETY CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE,  HOSPITALS, POLICE STATIONS,  UTILITIES.  THEN WE MOVE ON TO MAJOR  CIRCUITS AND THEN ON TO SMALLER  CLUSTERS AND INDIVIDUAL  CUSTOMERS WHO MAY BE OUT.  DUQUESNE LIGHT IS STICKING WITH  THEIR ESTIMATED 5 TO 7 DAYS FOR  RESTORATION, BUT OFFICIALS  CLARIFIED THAT IS FROM THE TIME  THE STORM HIT.  IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT ALL  CUSTOMERS WILL BE WAITING THAT  LONG.  CUSTOMERS ARE BEING BROUGHT BACK  ONLINE AS WE SPEAK, DESPITE  SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS.  THIS IS THE REALITY FOR MANY  PITTSBURGH NEIGHBORHOODS.  DOWNED LINES, FALLEN TREES AND  RESIDENTS WHO ARE PATIENTLYLY  WAITING FOR POWER LIKE CHRISTINA  ERLICHMAN IN WILKINS TOWNSHIP.  WE KNOW THEY'RE OVERWHELMED, AND  AS SOON AS THEY CAN GET HERE AND  START WORKING WOULD BE GREAT.  AND AS DUQUESNE LIGHT SHIFTS  FOCUS FROM TRANSMISSION TO  DISTRIBUTION LINES, WHICH RUN  THROUGH RESIDENTIAL AREAS,  OFFICIALS ARE URGING PEOPLE TO  STAY FAR AWAY FROM DOWNED LINES  OF ANY KIND.  PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SAFETY SHARING  THIS REASSURING MESSAGE DURING  WHAT HAS BEEN A SCARY FEW DAYS  FOR LOTS THROUGHOUT THE REGION.  IF YOU NEED SUPPORT, YOU NEED  MEDICAL SERVICES, PLEASE CALL  911.  WE WILL GET TO YOU EVEN IF YOU  CANNOT GET OUT OF YOUR ROADWAY.  WE POLICE, FIRE AND EMS WILL  ALWAYS FIND A WAY AND WE WILL  ALWAYS GET TO YOU.  NOW DUQUESNE LIGHT SAYS THEY ARE  LOOKING TO COME UP WITH MORE  REGIONAL ESTIMATED TIMES OF  RESTORATION TOMORROW.  REPORTING LIVE.  I'M JORDAN CIOPPA, PITTSBURGH'S  ACTION NEWS FOUR.  JORDAN, THANKS FOR THAT UPDATE.  NOW, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC  WORKS FOR PITTSBURGH SAYS CREWS  ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO  REMOVE DEBRIS FROM ROADWAYS.  FOR ANYONE WHO HAS CLEARED THEIR  OWN PROPERTIES, THE CITY IS  OPENING DEBRIS, DROP-OFF SITES  THIS WEEKEND.  PEOPLE CAN BRING WHATEVER DEBRIS  THIS STORM HAS CREATED TO THESE  SITES.  FEES WILL BE WAIVED FOR  RESIDENTS, BUT NOT FOR  CONTRACTORS.  THESE SITES WILL BE OPEN"}]