As Brooklyn battles historically low temperatures, widespread power outages persist in neighborhoods from Boerum Hill to Crown Heights, leaving residents in a precarious chill. Reports by ABC7NY indicate that 1,750 households in Boerum Hill and Park Slope are still without stable power after issues began late Friday night. “We started getting flickering on Friday night,” Boreum Hill resident Tosca DiMatteo shared with ABC7NY, recounting the precursory signs of the blackout that besieged her home and many others.
Across parts of Brooklyn, the consequences of the outages, as echoed by similar experiences of residents, reveal disrupted lives amid extreme weather. In Bedford-Stuyvesant, nearly a week after the winter storm's initial blow, approximately 348 customers remain without heat, enduring indoor conditions akin to the frozen streets outside. In the effort to restore what power they can, as reported by Brooklyn News 12, one resident lamented the prolonged discomfort, stating, “My child is now sick from us being out in the cold — even with the space heaters plugged in,” Ryan Hamilton confided to Brooklyn News 12, desperately awaiting resolutions promised on a timeline stretching into March.
Utility company Con Edison has dispatched crews to grapple with the issues as they face an uphill battle against the elements. The intricacies of their struggle become clear when we learn from ABC7NY that snowpack is obscuring manholes critical for repair, and road salt, when mixed with melting snow, has been damaging electrical equipment. As the power company continues its restoration efforts, mobile generators have been brought in to ease the residents' plight. PS 133 on Fourth Avenue serves as a warming center for those seeking refuge from the cold.
In their respective enclaves, the residents' patience wears thin as Council Member Chi Ossé calls out for a reprieve on their behalf, asking Con Edison to waive January payments amid the barrage of outages, a gesture that holds significance as residents face the paradox of paying more for a service that is failing them when most needed. “We’ve had the power and heat out three times this month at least, and now we have to pay more for this service that keeps flying out,” Hamilton frustratedly told Brooklyn News 12. Ossé continues advocacy for his constituents, taking action by deploying warming buses and opening a response center at P.S. 309 to provide essentials as they navigate the outage still gripping parts of the city.
