Storm blows in work for Glendale city crews
It could take until Sunday for Glendale Water & Power to restore power to all 300 customers who lost it during Wednesday’s wind storm, city officials warned Friday.
Crews worked around the clock to repair utility poles damaged in the storm, city spokesman Tom Lorenz said, adding that it could take all weekend to restore power lines due to the extent of the repairs.
“It’s just going to take time,” Lorenz said.
Some damage was temporarily fixed so power could be restored, but Lorenz said crews must return to make permanent repairs. That work will require additional outages, he said. They city has also hired three additional contract crews to assist in the effort, city officials said.
As of Friday, crews had yet to determine when repairs to broken pole parts and downed wires would be completed in four neighborhoods, mostly along Graceland Way, Mesa Lila Road and Urquidez Avenue, and near Val Verde Place and Sycamore and La Crescenta avenues.
Caregiver Jesse Lewis, who tends to a bed-ridden Glendale woman at a home on Graceland Way, said the home had been without power since Thursday and, given the cold weather, she couldn’t imagine another few days without it.
“We are just working to get through this as it comes,” she said.
City crews were able to restore power just before 11 a.m. Friday to six La Crescenta schools, which held classes on Thursday without electricity, said Glendale Unified spokesman Steven Frasher.
As utility crews worked to restore power, residents and city crews began the arduous task of clearing damage caused by the brutal Santa Ana winds.
Public Works officials received more than 350 work orders for damage repair, including injured trees and broken limbs and traffic lights.
“The calls are still coming in,” Lorenz said on Friday.
City officials closed Verdugo Skate Park, the Glendale Sports Complex, Casa Adobe and Scholl Canyon Fields because it could take up to three weeks to clean up fallen trees, broken tree limbs and other debris at those locations.
Public Works Director Steve Zurn said that in his 25 years at the city, “I’ve never seen a wind storm with that much damage in Glendale.”
Lorenz advised residents who are looking to hire workers for wind-related clean up or repairs to be aware of potential scams, especially when workers ask for cash deposits.
Some buildings in Glendale sustained wind-related damage, but none were red tagged, Lorenz said.
Weather forecasters had warned of a possible return of the powerful winds Thursday night, but they failed to materialize. In their absence, Glendale and Los Angeles County firefighters were able to keep a kitchen fire at the Knights of Columbus in Montrose from spreading and engulfing the building, Glendale Fire Battalion Chief Greg Godfrey said.
The building sustained $80,000 in smoke and fire damage and the loss of contents valued at $20,000.
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FYI
Residents who need to get rid of debris caused by the windstorm can drop off green waste and palm fronds at the city’s roll-off boxes at:
— Dunsmore Park, 4700 Dunsmore Ave.
— Montrose Park, 3529 Clifton Place
— Babe Herman Park, 1727 Canada Blvd.
— Manor Park, 1551 Flower St.
— Mount Carmel Dr./Carmel Street at Holly Drive
— Integrated Waste Management Yard, 548 W. Chevy Chase Drive
And for unincorporated La Crescenta:
— Crescenta Valley Park, 3901 Dunsmore Ave., 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday
The city’s Neighborhood Services Department’s Property Clean Up Pros program also is available for residents looking for additional help. The program’s staff can remove vegetation, haul waste and perform shrub and minor tree trimming at a reduced cost.
For details, call (818) 548-3700 or visit www.ci.glendale.ca.us/planning/ns/documents/ccbg/property_clean_up.pdf.
Seniors whose homes remain without power and need assistance with food supplies can call the Adult Recreation Center (818) 548-3775 for assistance.