Windstorm makes a mess in region

Almost 60,0000 lose power in N. Idaho, Eastern Washington

By KATHY NUSSBERGER

and CAROLINE LOBSINGER

Staff writers

After a windstorm roared through North Idaho, western Montana and eastern Washington last Thursday and Friday and made a mess of area utility systems, it knocked out power to almost 60,000 people around north Idaho.

On Friday night numerous areas of Boundary County continued to be without power and at the time some estimates indicated that it might be days before service was restored. However, Northern Lights had many areas of Boundary County restored by late Friday night and/or early Saturday.

On Monday Northern Lights reported that nearly all areas affeced by the storm were back in service, however, they were still clearing up a few individual outages. Northern Lights had crews working around the clock to restore power to what ended up being approximately 10,000 businesses and residences that were affected by the storm.

Northern Lights reminded area residents that during or before power outages strike, they need to be prepared by stocking up on food, water, batteries and flashlights in the event that an outage could actually last for days.

"As soon as we got some people back on, others went back off," said Elissa Glassman, communications director for Northern Lights, Inc., which reported power outages to about 8,000 customers in North Idaho and western Montana on Friday morning.

Avista Utilities spokesperson Debbie Simock said the storm knocked out service to more than 50,000 customers in the Spokane area, and Kootenai and Bonner counties, and caused extensive damage to the utility's infrastructure.

"Our system suffered some extensive damage from the weather," Simock said.

"The storm wasn't just pulling down lines, it also knocked over power poles and made a mess of our system."

The windstorm began shortly after midnight on Friday morning, with winds gusting up to 60-70 mph in parts of Kootenai County and up to 49 mph in Bonner County.

The storm sent trees into power lines causing broken poles and wires throughout the Northern Lights, Inc. service area, Glassman said.

At the height of the storm, numerous homes and businesses in areas of Athol, Laclede, Boundary County and western Montana, as well as all of Priest Lake, lost power.

By Friday evening, Northern Lights said about 8,000 customers were still without power, with some customers losing power as service was restored to others, Glassman said.

Avista customers without power included 362 in the Hope/Clark Fork area, about 100 customers in the Oldtown area and a few in the Sagle area.

"That compares to about 700 who were without power at 11 a.m. Friday," Simock said. "We have made just astounding progress today considering the extent of the outage and the damage to the infrastructure," she added.

Due to power outages at Southside, Sagle and Hope elementary schools and sporadic power at Northside Elementary, Lake Pend Oreille School District officials opted to close school Friday.

Downed trees and the ability of school bus drivers to access those areas also played a part in the decision to cancel school, LPOSD Superintendent Dick Cvitanich said.

Avista and NLI crews worked around the clock to restore power as quickly as possible.

Northern Lights hoped to restore power to Priest Lake by Saturday, but the length of time for power restoration was unknown, Glassman said in a press release. Simock said Avista hoped to have service restored to most customers in metropolitan areas of Spokane and Coeur d'Alene by early Sunday while customers in outlying areas could be without power until Monday.

In an effort to provide aid to residents in the Coeur d'Alene area, the American Red Cross provided shelter at Coeur d'Alene High School, meals and first aid to families forced from their homes by windstorms in Northern Idaho.

Kerren Vollmer, District Director for the North Idaho District Office, said a Red Cross shelter had been opened to help those affected by the storms and were in need of a meal, roof over their head, or a shower. The shelter remained open until everyone who needed housing could return to their homes or arrange for other suitable accommodations.

Red Cross disaster workers served meals to victims at the shelter and medical professionals were on duty to assist with health needs.

"We're in the most difficult part of the restoration now," Simock added.

To report a power outage, or continued loss of service, call Northern Lights at (208) 253-5141 or 1 (800) 326-9594; or Avista Utilities at 1 (800) 227-9187.