Home > Blogs > Jeff Johnson > Jeff's Blog

Storm Recovery Information Louisville Kentucky

By Jeff Johnson

Real Estate Agent with On the Move

September 18, 2008 05:19 AM

To all my friends and neighbors in Louisville Kentucky. We still are without power. Please see the following information taken from the Metro Louisville Govt. Website. I can definitly relate as I have been without power since Sunday Afternoon

Jeff Johnson Realtor at On the Move REALTORS, Inc.

Storm Recovery Progress

Thursday September 18, 2008

Louisville is bouncing back from the hurricane-force winds that swept through the area on Sunday. More than 1,800 utility employees and contractors are now working around the clock to restore power to Louisville residents - the largest restoration project in the history of Louisville Gas & Electric.

Louisville wind storm image. Courtesy of www.flickr.com

Updated at 10:30a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18
More than half of the homes and businesses in Louisville that lost power during Sunday's wind storm have had their electricity restored, and LG&E crews are working around the clock to restore the remainder.

Power has been restored to 172,000 customers as of 8 a.m. Thursday, LG&E officials said. More than 129,000 customers are still without power across the Louisville area.

More than 301,000 LG&E customers were without power in the Louisville service area at the height of the storms.

"We are making steady progress," Mayor Jerry Abramson said.

Also, Abramson announced that the American Red Cross will set-up a shelter at the Louisville Gardens, to open immediately. It will provide sleeping cots and food to needy families who can no longer stay in their homes without power.

The shelter also will accept people who need to recharge and plug in their medical devices, such as nebulizers and sleep apnea machines. The shelter is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Three suburban government centers will also be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays to allow people to recharge their medical devices (if there is a need, the center may also be open on weekends. A decision about that will be made later this week). The government centers are:

Southwest Government Center, 7219 Dixie Highway
East Government Center, 200 Juneau Drive (Middletown)
Central Government Center, 7201 Outer Loop

Abramson also announced that Brown-Forman Corp. and UPS donated $25,000 each to Dare to Care to purchase emergency food to help people impacted by the storm. Waste Management also donated $5,000

"These companies have proven, once again, that they are model corporate citizens," Abramson said. "This money will, literally, help save lives by providing families with food."

Abramson also challenged other corporations to donate money for relief efforts. Dare to Care estimates that it will distribute up to $150,000 worth of emergency food to storm victims in the coming days and weeks.

The following are updates on storm-related efforts:

Restoring Electricity
LG&E has 1,200 people working to repair downed lines, snapped poles and blown circuits - with another 100 arriving Wednesday from Nashville. Completed power restoration could take 10 to 14 days, LG&E officials said.
Note: Learn about Portable Generator Hazards

Traffic Management
This morning, 70 additional National Guard troops arrived in Louisville to help with traffic management. The city now has 180 police officers, guardsmen and corrections officers directing traffic at major intersections without working traffic signals due to power outages.

Traffic control crews are working 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Motorists should treat all other intersections without signals as four-way stops.

Some heavily traveled roads are still blocked by downed trees entangled with power lines. Numerous secondary roads still have trees down. The trees cannot be moved until power lines are removed from them.

Fans attending the University of Louisville football game tonight should leave early, be cautious and courteous. Metro Police will provide additional traffic personnel to handle major intersections near or on routes to the stadium.

For those traveling home after work today, be aware of the slow traffic around the Fairgrounds, due to Ryder Cup parking area, and U of L, due to the game.

Storm Debris Disposal
Thousands of citizens are taking advantage of the 10 regional sites designated for dropping off storm debris. Approximately 11,000 vehicles visited the sites by 4 p.m. today. Sites will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. (See locations on a map).

Homeowners with debris such as downed trees, limbs, shingles and siding can drop off the debris free of charge. People should separate yard waste from building materials because they require different disposal methods. The service does not apply to businesses.

The locations:

Hubbards Lane Public Works Facility, 595 Hubbards Lane (Corner of Brownsboro Road and Hubbards Lane)
Meriwether Public Works Facility, 600 Meriwether Ave. (Map it)
Southwest Government Center, 7219 Dixie Highway
Newburg Public Works Facility, 3528 Newburg Road
Shawnee Park, 4501 W. Broadway (Back side of driving loop)
Highview Park, 7201 Outer Loop (Use Briscoe Lane entrance on back side of park.)
Vettiner Park, 5550 Charlie Vettiner Park Road (From Mary Dell Lane, turn right after entering the park.)
McNeeley Park, 6900 Cooper Chapel Road (Near the Korean War Memorial)
Cox Park, 3730 River Road (Boat ramp parking lot)
Sun Valley Park, 6616 Ashby Lane (Near the soccer fields)

Urban Services District (map it) residents can put yard waste out on the curb, but it may take more than two weeks before crews can collect it. The priority is on garbage collection, which is a greater health concern.

The quickest way to dispose of yard waste is drop-off sites. However, if you do place yard waste curbside, tree limbs should be cut to no more than 3 feet long and light enough to be moved by one person.

Fire officials remind citizens: Do not burn storm debris. It's against the law, creates fire hazards and requires unnecessary fire runs when firefighters are needed elsewhere.

Housing and Human Services
The Community Action Partnership, working with Dare to Care food bank, began distributing food packets to residents this morning at 13^th and Broadway. About 700 families, representing 2,000 individuals, were served cans of beef stew, peanut butter and fresh produce.

On Thursday, the mobile food pantry will visit South Louisville - 3220 Crums Lane. The pantry will open at 9 a.m. The pantry will move to other parts of the city later this week - times and locations to be announced.

Also, families who need food but cannot drive or walk to the mobile food pantry should call MetroCall 311 to learn about Dare to Care distribution centers nearest them.

Red Cross Blood Drive
The Red Cross is down to a day's supply of blood and needs donations. People may donate at the Red Cross buildings -- 510 E. Chestnut or 291 N. Hubbards Lane -- between noon and 7 p.m. Thursday.

A special blood drive will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at Executive East, 978 Phillips Lane.

Food Stamps
See information on food services available to Louisville residents during the storm recovery.

Current month food stamp recipients can request replacement stamps due to food lost during the power outage, according to officials with the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Clients have until Tuesday, Sept. 23 to request replacement stamps.

Clients can go to the L&N Building at 908 West Broadway or to any Neighborhood Place office from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Clients must sign a statement that they lost food during a power outage and are requesting replacement funds, state officials said.

Elderly and handicapped clients may contact their food stamp worker by phone to have the affidavit sent to them to sign and return.

The requests will be processed as they are received. Once approved, replacement benefits will be added to the client's EBT card.

Garbage Collection
Garbage collection is running as scheduled, according to Louisville Solid Waste Services and major suburban haulers. Crews anticipate larger volumes of food waste and other garbage, but residents are advised to set out garbage on designated pick-up days.

Jefferson County Schools Closed for the Rest of the Week
Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) will be closed the remainder of this week, Thursday, September 18, and Friday, September 19. Only 260-day employees are to report to work. All JCPS athletic competitions are cancelled for the remainder of the week.

The YMCA Childcare Enrichment Program will be open at the following sites:

Brown School
Bowen Elementary
Coleridge-Taylor Elementary
Farmer Elementary
Fern Creek Elementary
Goldsmith Elementary
Greathouse/Shyrock Traditional Elementary
Lowe Elementary
McFerran Elementary
Olmsted South Middle
Stuart Middle
Northeast YMCA Branch

At this time, Louisville Metro officials and LG&E officials anticipate that schools will reopen on Monday.

Libraries
All Louisville libraries are open. Only Shawnee remains without electricity and will close at 7 p.m. All other branches have power and will be open regular hours.

Metro Parks
Visit the Metro Parks storm update page for the very latest information on golf courses, community centers, attractions, programs, and damage to parks.

Safety Tips