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Mayor Craig Greenberg today updated the community on the ongoing efforts the city and its partners are taking in response to the historic wind storm that caused widespread damage throughout Jefferson County on Friday, March 3, 2023.
“The men and women of Metro Government, and our partners, are continuing to work around the clock to keep our community safe and recover from Friday’s storms,” said Mayor Greenberg. “We’re making tremendous progress but there is still a lot to do. As we work to clear debris, open roads, and support LG&E getting electricity restored, we need to continue to take care of each other and look out for our neighbors. As always, I thank all the hard-working men and women out there keeping us safe.”
LG&E Update
As of today’s afternoon update, LG&E reports it has made significant progress – out of 145,000 customers who have been impacted in the LG&E area, 72,000 customers have had their power restored.
Around 1,500 line technicians and support staff from utility companies in the surrounding states have arrived in Louisville and are assisting with the massive, all-hands-on-deck, multi-day restoration event. This weather event is the 3rd most significant in the past 20 years ranking behind the 2009 ice storm and the 2008 wind storm.
Safety is LG&E’s top priority and reminds residents to stay away from downed power lines and always assume downed lines are energized. Estimated restoration times are starting to become available for customers who remain without power. Access LG&E’s Outage Map at https://stormcenter.lge-ku.com/
“I want to thank our customers for their continued patience. This is the third largest storm that we’ve experienced in the last 20 years and our crews are working as safely and quickly as possible to restore service to each of our customers,” said Lonnie Bellar, LG&E and KU Chief Operating Officer. “While we have made significant progress in this restoration effort, the tedious part is still ahead of us. Please watch the outage map on our website or the mobile app for the latest updates. Most importantly, please remain safe and stay away from downed lines.”
Debris Drop-Off Sites
Louisville Metro Public Works will open seven debris drop-off sites for Jefferson County residents to drop off storm debris for free. This includes all tree debris and bulky waste from storm damage. All tree debris will be composted and must be separated from bulky waste for easy off-loading at each site. Residents will be asked to provide their name and address at the drop-off sites.
Beginning March 6, 2023, the following drop-off sites will operate Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.:
- Shawnee Park, 4501 W. Broadway
- Public Works Yard, 10500 Lower River Road (enter from Bethany Lane)
- Near Fairdale Elementary, 10618 W. Manslick Road
- Fern Creek Park, 8703 Ferndale Road
- Smith Creek Compost Facility, 13312 Aiken Road
- Public Works Yard, 595 N. Hubbards Lane
- Waste Reduction Center, 636 Meriwether Avenue
Household hazardous waste will not be accepted. Contractors and businesses who are hauling debris are invited to use the Waste Reduction Center for the usual fee. Visit Louisvilleky.gov/WRC for details.
Yard Waste
Yard waste will be collected this week in addition to recycling and garbage in the Urban Services District. All yard waste set out for curbside collection must follow the regular guidelines: limbs must be less than 4 feet long and less than 2 inches in diameter. All material must be in a container or paper bag or tied into bundles weighing less than 60 lbs. Visit Louisvilleky.gov/YardWaste for more information.
Metro311
Metro311 is open today, Sunday, March 5, 2023. Residents should call 311 with their questions about city services. As of 2 p.m. today, 311 has received more than 700 calls over the past two days.
Dare to Care
To ensure areas hit hardest by the wind storm have adequate food available, Dare to Care will disburse its mobile pantry offering fresh produce and shelf stable foods on Monday, March 6 and Tuesday, March 7 to assist areas in need.
Mobile pantries will be set up at the following locations:
- Catholic Enrichment Center, 3146 W. Broadway, 10 a.m. – noon
- Newburg Community Center, 4810 Exeter Avenue, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
- Stephen’s Baptist Church, 1015 South 18th Street, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
On Tuesday, March 7, Dare to Care will fortify its two currently scheduled mobile pantries. These are:
- Portland PACT, 2500 Portland Avenue, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
- Holy Name Catholic Church, 2933 South Fourth Street, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
“The major power outages being experienced in our community due to Friday’s wind storms have created food hardship for thousands of our neighbors and we are working to address this hardship as the situation continues to develop and we learn more about what is needed,” said Vincent James, President and CEO of Dare to Care. “We are committed to supporting our neighbors who are struggling during this difficult time. The situation is fluid and further plans will be developed. We encourage anyone in need of food to visit a site nearest them.”
Dare to Care, too, has experienced disruptions that impact response, from power outages to food supply chain issues. The team is working with its donors, vendors, nonprofit partners, and sister food banks throughout the country, to resource a proper response. Already, Dare to Care has arranged for special produce shipments this week from its Indianapolis sister food bank, Gleaners of Indiana, to support efforts. Dare to Care also has frozen meals that will go to open after school programs including Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCAs and community centers.
Follow Dare to Care on social media to stay updated on the latest developments or view its disaster response page at daretocare.org.
Louisville Fire Department
The Louisville Fire Department reminds residents to take safety precautions when power is being restored to their homes and businesses. Make sure electrical stove, stove top elements, ovens, and small appliances are turned off and unplugged to prevent fires when electric is restored. Residents without power, should use flashlights instead of candles. Remember to keep generators 20 feet away from the home with the exhaust fumes pointing away from the home. Per an Air Pollution Control District ordinance, debris burning is not allowed within the county.
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