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An unprecedented reminder
Editorial
Ever since Thomas Edison managed to figure out how to send electricity through wires, it's been the one utility that Americans take most for granted. When power goes out even for a few minutes, we become agitated. We can't watch TV, we can't get online, and in some households, you can't even tell what time it is or answer the phone. In the last two weeks, we've taken on a new appreciation for electricity. Instead of not having it for a few minutes, we've been lucky if we didn't have it for a few days. As of Monday, there were a few people in Ashburnham that did not have power. As we celebrated the Christmas holiday yesterday and as Chanukah continues, we have learned - let us hope - to appreciate the simple things in life (like lights, running water and the ability to cook). Let us remember the good that came out of the Ice Storm of 2008. There were neighbors helping neighbors. People from out of the area (National Guard members and utility crews) saw our community spirit and our ability to grin-and-bear it. Our local power company and town officials responded as quickly and broadly as possible, but the damage to the system was bigger and more widespread than ever could have been imagined. Over the next weeks the damages will be assessed, the costs to the towns, to residents and to businesses will be known, and there will be a debriefing of all of the positive and the negatives of the response. Locally, the dedication will have to be noted. Firefighters, police officers, DPW workers and Guard members that left their own dark, cold and potentially damaged homes to help us. There were crews that worked through the continuous snow last weekend to make sure power restored and no further problems occurred. So, instead of pointing blame in the aftermath (we point to Mother Nature), officials should look at lessons learned from the storm — perhaps most notably, the need to trim tree limbs away from power lines on a more regular basis — and put procedures in place to ensure better response time - like how to communicate without technology. How did they communicate before telephones, computers and TV? |
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