Town of Webster still cleaning up from Sandy

Posted at: 10/31/2012 7:09 PM | Updated at: 10/31/2012 7:45 PM
By: Ray Levato | WHEC.com

One of the hardest hit areas in Monroe County from Sandy has been the town of Webster.

News10NBC was at Holt Road and Shoemaker Road where a giant tree fell during the storm closing the road. The tree has been take away but the wires are still down. About 1500 homes are still without power in Webster and some people are heading into day three with no heat.

News10NBC stopped by Everwild View, a typical cul-de-sac in Webster.

Tom Kirchhoff went out and bought a generator to power his wife Jackie’s medical equipment as well as a small space heater. His neighbor across the street came over to help. Their street off Holt Road is still without power after a giant willow tree blew over in the storm and brought down a telephone pole and power lines, leaving whole neighborhoods in the dark.

Jackie Kirchhoff said, “Well, it's been pretty tough. I'm in a wheelchair and I can't move around to keep warm. I've been sitting with my blankets as you can see and just waiting for power. I'm eager to have some warmth and be able to get back.”

RG&E says crews are working 17 hours a day. Jackie says she gets different information each time she calls RG&E about when their street will be restored.

Kirchhoff said, “It's just really tough when you can't get information and this being our third day without any power, I think RG&E should be telling us what's going on.”

The neighbor from across the street who helped with the generator has one of his own. They're using it to alternately keep the furnace and refrigerator going until the electricity comes back on.

Chippero said, “Well, we have a little generator that my brother-in-law brought over, so that's good. It's nice the whole area isn't out so we can borrow that. And tons of people have offered to have us come over to their house and have dinner and sleep over and everything. So we're doing fine. We're doing really okay.”

Kirchoff says most of the kids on their street are grown, and with no lights, it's unlikely they will have trick-or-treaters knocking on the door. But she has candy if they do.

Kirchoff said, “I think one of the nicest things about this neighborhood is the neighbors coming around to help each other. And I have a neighbor from across the street right now helping my husband put gasoline in the generator. It's a wonderful thing to live in a neighborhood that cares.”

As for the trick-or-treating, some streets without power may postpone Halloween until the weekend. But the Village of Webster had its annual Halloween party last weekend and 2,500 kids and parents took part.

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