We note that it is public streets, sidewalks, and utilities that operate so that
overgreen trees knock down power lines almost annually during storms, leaving
many neighborhoods, from Cleveland Park and Foxhall Village to Palisades without
power, for days.
Couldn’t one plan for this in advance?
If this was being provided by private competitive firms wouldn’t one lose market share?
Wouldn’t one have liability for the service interruption?
The government says:
GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Executive Office of the Mayor
Office of Communications
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Saturday, June 30, 2012
District Government Declares State of Emergency
(WASHINGTON, D.C.)– In response to yesterday’s devastating storm and searing
temperatures, the Government of the District of Columbia has declared a state of
emergency.
“The severity of the storm damage necessitates the declaration of a public emergency
to enable District government to respond to emerging issues as expeditiously as
possible,” said City Administrator Allen Y. Lew. “I have surveyed several areas where
trees have fallen and where crews are cleaning up and want to commend the dedicated
workers who have been on the job since the storm ended and who will stay until all
areas are cleaned and secured. I’d also like to commend the staff of our cooling facilities
and other places of refuge, for keeping district residents safe and cool.”
The declaration is effective June 30, 2012, and shall stay in effect for 15 days until and
unless provided for by further Mayoral Order.
The order applies to all departments, agencies and instrumentalities of the District government
as provided in the District’s Response Plan (DRP) overseen by the Director of DC Homeland
Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA).
The Chief Financial Officer of the District is authorized to approve the disbursement of all
appropriations necessary to carry out the order.
The state of emergency authorizes the City Administrator, in coordination with the Deputy
Mayor for Public Safety and Justice, the Director of the DC Homeland Security and
Emergency Management Agency and the Chief Financial Officer to apply for financial
assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other
federal, private or non-profit disaster relief and recovery organizations to recoup expenditures
incurred, or obtain funding needed, under this order.
# # #
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Tom Smith
EOM/ONE
Meanwhile on any neighborhood list serve you read things like:
I had to go to my office, cannot handle the heat, so in checking the latest
information on power outage, News 4 reports that there are 66,000 or more
outages in D.C. When trying to talk to Pepco, which is futile, they are
still accessing storm damage. How long does it take to access damage? I have
been driving around the Palisades and see no evidence of any Pepco truck
whatsoever. I have lived here since 83, and frankly it is always the Palisades
that gets restored last, that is my distinct impression. I don’t
understand why.
Let’s hope for a breakthrough. And, unfortunately, there is another storm
coming today from 6 to 8. Thought folks would want to know.
C—- on Eskridge
The Insomniac Libertarian 