PG&E restores power to more than 600 in Kern County

PG&E restores power to more than 600 in Kern County

ALL PG&E CUSTOMERS... INCLUDINGOUT HERE IN LEBEC..A LOT OF CUSTOMERS OUT HERE TELLME THEY HAVE ASENSE OF REPRIEVE NOW... BUTSOME OF THEM HADDIFFICULTY MANAGING NEARLY 20HOURS OF NO POWER..."NO INTERNET, NO TELEPHONE, NOTV."NO A-C AND NO LIGHTS... HOLLYENGELS AND HER HUSBAND DENNISWERE ONE OF HUNDREDS THAT WEREAFFECTED BYE THE PUBLIC SAFETYPOWER SHUTOFFS ISSUED FROMPACIFIC-GAS AND ELECTRICDUE TO RED FLAG WARNINGS IN KERNCOUNTY MOUNTAINCOMMUNITIES."WE'RE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TOMANEUVER THROUGH ALL OFTHIS."LIGHTS OUT WENT OUT LAST NIGHTAROUND 7 P.M.

IN LEBEC AND WERETURNED BACK ON THIS AFTERNOON...THE ENGELS HAD BACK-UPGENERATORS..

BUT EVEN SO...THEY HAD TO BE TACTFUL OF WHATTHEY CHOSE TO POWER-UP."THIS IS THE OXYGENCONCENTRATOR...THIS IS WHATMAKES OXYGEN FOR HIM TO BREATHEON A REGULAR BASIS.""IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE DOTHE OXYGEN THANLIGHTS, OR THINGS LIKE THAT INTHE HOUSE."WITH NO LIGHTS... FLASHLIGHTSHAD TO DO... BUT THEY WEREN'TENOUGHFOR MR. ENGELS WHO HAD TRIPPEDIN THE LIVING ROOM... WHEREWIRES FROM THE GENERATOR COVEREDTHE FLOOR." (SHOWING WIRES) THIS MORNINGTHIS WAS OUTSIDE ... ITWAS KIND OF CURLED UP LIKE THAT... HE WALKED ALONGAND CAUGHT HIS FOOT."OTHERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD LIKEDEANNA BANKS HAD TOKEEP A CLOSE EYE ON HER ELDERLYROOMATE WHO DEPENDS ON HEROXYGEN TANK..."ITS BEEN AN ISSUE BECAUSE WEHAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TURN THEOXYGEN ON FOR THE EVENING AND SOWE'VE HAD TO USE INHALORSAND OTHER STUFF LIKE THAT FOR ANEMERGENCY..

SO IF WE HAVE 9-1-1WE HAVE TO DRIVE OUTSOMEWHERE... NO LIGHTS, WE HADTO USE CANDLES ALL NIGHT LONG."FOR MR. ENGLES... THE ONLY THINGTHAT THERE WASN'T ASHORTAGE OF..

WAS HUMOR..."(CRACKING UP) TO PUT IT IN ASIMPLE WAY..

IT SUCKS....PG&E SAYS FOR THE NEXT SEVENDAYS... THEY DO NOT ANTICIAPTEANY ADDITIONAL SHUTOFFS... BUTIF THERE IS ANY RED FLAGWARNING OR SEVERE WEATHERCONDITIONS... THEY'LL SHUTOFFPOWER AGAIN.IN LEBEC BAYAN WANG 23ABCCONNECTING YOUMEANWHILE -- WILDFIRES CONTINUETO RAGE UP ANDDOWN THE WEST COAST.THOUSANDS OF FIREFIGHTERS ARE ONTHE FRONTLINESWORKING AROUND THE CLOCK..TRYINGTO GET THINGSUNDER CONTROL INWASHINGTON..OREGON AND HERE INCALIFORNIA.ABC'S REENA ROY HAS THE LATESTFROM SAN FRANCISCO...POWER AGAIN.