Many Lincoln County volunteers, emergency responders, firefighters and law enforcement personnel haven’t stopped working since the winter storm passed through the area Friday, leaving more than 12,000 county residents without power.
As of 2 p.m. Sunday, Central Maine Power determined that there were less than 300 roads without power in Lincoln County.
The hardest hit areas continue to be Wiscasset, Westport, Alna, Jefferson, Nobleboro, Bristol, South Bristol and Bremen. Assisting C.M.P., crews have come from Pennsylvania, New York and Quebec to help restore power.
As of 5:45 a.m. Friday, Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency (LCEMA) Director Tim Pellerin declared Lincoln County in a state of emergency. Central Maine Power determined that 592 roads in the county were without power at that time on Dec. 12.
Since early Friday morning, Lincoln County LCEMA has fielded thousands of calls for assistance. Warming shelters and overnight shelters have been in operation since that time.
The Wiscasset Community Center will stay open throughout Sunday night for Lincoln County, according to according to LCEMA Deputy Director Kimberley Kaiser. The Center has been open as a shelter since Saturday morning.
The Boothbay Fire Dept., which has had a warming shelter open since Friday was expected to close as of 5 p.m. Sunday Kaiser said. She added the Bremen Fire Dept. station was expected to remain open until 10 p.m. Sunday as a warming shelter.
The Lincoln County Animal Shelter has been open since the disaster declaration Friday and is expected to remain open, Kaiser said.
Kaiser said that road crews were working in the Bristol area early Sunday afternoon to restore power. Bristol Fire Chief Ron Pendleton and the Bristol Fire Dept. have been assisting crews in locating houses and checking on the welfare of area citizens, she said.
Hospitals and water districts have been on the L.C.E.M.A. priority list for power restoration. According to Kaiser, both Miles Memorial and St. Andrews hospitals were under generator power for a four-hour period on Friday and then had power restored.
The Great Salt Bay Sanitary District was also on generator power for roughly 36 hours. Power to the water district was restored at 7:30 Saturday night.
Governor John Baldacci and Maine Emergency Management Agency Director Rob McAleer were expected to visit the Wiscasset Community Center at 5 p.m. Sunday to assess the situation in Lincoln County. They were then expected to travel to the Portland area to survey the power situation in that region.
The Lincoln County News will continue this story as the situation develops and additional information becomes available.
