Buffalo Township community steps up, donates to charging station
BUFFALO TWP — With many Butler County homes still without power, places like the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company have opened their doors to community members.
The fire company had a charging station open Thursday, May 1, for residents who still have no power at their homes. The fire company also has food for anyone who needs it.
“We’re open, even if we only get one person,” Tabitha Lucas with the fire company said.
Lucas said she received donations from all across the community to support those in need. In addition to residents providing food, Sheetz gave 250 hot dogs and buns. Meanwhile, Lucas said the fire department received bottled water from Giant Eagle, while Starbucks donated coffee and Vocelli donated pizza.
The efforts come two days after severe thunderstorms rolled through Western Pennsylvania.
As of Thursday evening, West Penn Power said 2,153 of its customers in Butler County were still without power, while the Central Electric Cooperative said all its Butler County customers had power restored.
Duquesne Light Company’s website said Thursday evening 120,000 customers in its coverage area still had no power.
Mike Oehling, a Buffalo Township supervisor, said about 25% of the Buffalo Township population was still without power as of 3 p.m. Thursday. He said this included about 1,000 homes and business, mostly in the southern portion of the township.
“It seems like southern Butler County, southern to mid-Armstrong County and northern Westmoreland County seem to be hit particularly hard,” Oehling said.
Sylvia Maxwell, a Freeport school board member who was helping out with the fire company’s charging station, said 10% of the Freeport population had power Thursday morning. Later in the day, that number was up to 90%.
Freeport, along with other schools throughout Western Pennsylvania, were off Wednesday and Thursday due to storm damage and power outages.
“I know tomorrow (Friday) will probably be more telling for some things,” Maxwell said.
Meanwhile, workers from out of state have been traveling to Western Pennsylvania to assist with the shear amount of power that needs restored.
“We met with West Penn this morning at the township building. They’re bringing in workers from Ohio, Michigan, they have people coming in,” Oehling said.
The fire company took 42 calls Tuesday night. And heading into Thursday evening and night, the fire department was preparing for the possibility of additional storms.
“We’re just hoping for no wind, because that’s what caused this last mess. If it’s a little bit of rain that’s OK, but once the wind starts whipping up that’s when we get scared,” Oehling said.
Maxwell, who is originally from southwest Georgia, said she has seen the impact severe storms can have on communities and knows importance of communities stepping up to help one another. Factors like rain making the trees heavier and causing trees to fall, along with branches and debris, are concerns. But the community is helping.
“This was all the community, all I did was open the door,” Lucas said.
