These are hot, sweaty, frustrating times for tens of thousands of West Virginians.
As of yesterday, about 300,000 West Virginians were still without electricity. No lights, no air conditioning, no refrigerator.
Representatives of Appalachian Power, Monongahela Power and Potomac Edison say it will likely be this weekend, or perhaps even early next week before electricity is restored to everyone.
That’s discouraging and disappointing, but understandable.
The "derecho" that roared from the Midwest to the Atlantic Ocean last week was historic. The sustained winds of more than 70 miles an hour snapped power poles, blew trees and branches into power lines and ripped down high voltage transmission lines.
Half of all West Virginia lost power, making the recovery effort one of the largest in the state’s history.
Normally, the power companies would quickly get help from neighboring states, but power crews in Ohio, Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia had their own problems. West Virginia had to track down crews from as far away as Kansas, Oklahoma and Canada to help out.
These crews are putting in long, hot days under difficult conditions. As APCo President and COO Charles Patten likes to say, West Virginia’s mountains are magnificent, but it makes replacing power poles a challenge.
Some West Virginians have used–or bought–electric generators to at least keep the basics running at their homes. Others have temporarily moved in with relatives or sought relief in motel rooms, but most are just toughing it out as best they can.
It’s a challenge, especially for older West Virginians and those with health issues. They’ve had to rely on help from friends and neighbors, the National Guard and relief agencies.
An amazing number of West Virginians are still reporting for work as usual, and then returning home at the end of the day only to find that they still don’t have power. These folks deserve credit for their dedication.
A few are complaining bitterly about their circumstances, but it seems as though most are trying to follow the counsel of the late Mountaineer coach Bill Stewart. When the team was facing a supreme challenge or adversity, Stew told his "lads" to "bow their backs and jut their jaws."
That may not be much comfort to the tens of thousands of West Virginians who, on day six, still don’t have power, but there aren’t many alternatives.