Mayor, Fire Chief Weigh In On Damages

Despite continued power outages in some parts of the city, officials in Woonsocket accessing the damages and associated costs left by Tropical Storm Irene feel fortunate.

"It could have been a lot worse," noted Woonsocket Mayor Leo Fontaine today. There were no reported deaths or injuries as a result of the storm and while many city workers can still be seen cleaning up branches and fallen tree limbs, Woonsocket is quickly recovering from yesterday's wind and rain damages.

On a "normal" day in Woonsocket, the crews that provide emergency and rescue services average around 30 calls. Yesterday they had 106, including fires from downed power lines and even small explosions caused by arcing transformers. One of the incidents occurred by the Fire Department Headquarters at the Woonsocket Animal Shelter, but Chief Gary Lataille said today that no animals were hurt.

"Everything was power-related and small in nature," said Lataille. Few additional employees were called into work during the storm because even with the manpower, Lataille explained, Woonsocket has a limited number of emergency vehicles.

The chief was able to equip one pick-up truck with hoses and pumps to create an extra crew. By dedicating this team strictly to pump emergencies, Lataille said that the city will have an easier time in filing paperwork for reimbursements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA.) Tropical storm related work is eligible for FEMA funding since Rhode Island was in a state of emergency, as on Friday. 

As calls came in from all five districts yesterday, workers were forced to quickly access when damages constituted a threat to public safety. In many instances, public works employees were able to help residents to secure their homes. Some of the worst damages occurred on South Main Street at a home belonging to Rep. Jon Brien and Council Woman Stella Brien, when a enormous tree limb landed on the roof of their daughter's bedroom. Workers were at the scene for around two hours securing the building and removing tree limbs from the home.

Though city workers are not allowed to handle power lines, when possible the tree limbs tangled in lines were removed from public roadways. Although they can clean up behind National Grid trucks, for now, Woonsocket is stuck in a waiting game. 

Around noon Monday, nearly 8,000 customers in Woonsocket were still without power. Lataille verified that National Grid trucks are in the city today.

"I know that National Grid priority right now is to fix their own transmitters and lines," he explained, as the company's equipment must be ready to handle demand once power is fully restored. Immediately following, crews are expected to address a number of high-priority calls throughout the state. 

One such call was put in by Fontaine to the vice president of National Grid this morning. "One of our concerns with electrical lines still down, is that things are still running on generators," said Fontaine. The city's   wastewater treatment facility had been using a generator since yesterday morning, but Fontaine said the company was very responsive and restored power to the facility this afternoon.

"They're working pretty tirelessly to get things up and running," he said. The city still has six sites shut down including several traffic lights. Fontaine asked that residents use caution navigating these intersections and be courteous to other drivers. Lataille put in a request this morning to have National Guard troops help to monitor and ease conjestion at city's busier areas including Social Street and the intersection of Mendon and Cumberland Hill Road.

Trash services in Woonsocket will be delayed by one day this week as a result of the storm, but the first day of school is still expected to take place on Wednesday. Although power has yet to be restored at Bernon Heights Elementary, a sign in front of the building proudly exclaimed today "August 31 Is The First Day of School."

"All things considered, Woonsocket fared pretty well," said Fontaine. "We're in good shape compared to the rest of the local community."