Ernesto Churns the Sound, Tosses Trees, Takes Out Power

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by Judy Silberstein

A 36-foot sailboat, Westerleigh, was tossed onto the rocks. Photo by Elaine Profilet.

(September 7, 2006) Though Hurricane Ernesto had been downgraded to “the remnants of a tropical depression” by the time it hit the New York area on Saturday afternoon, September 2, its winds were sufficient to knock out power to large swaths of Larchmont, Mamaroneck and nearby communities. At the height of the outage Consolidated Edison reported 76,000 customers were without electricity in Westchester, most in the southern part of the county. By Monday morning, power was restored to 54,000 customers with another 20,000 more to go. And by Thursday afternoon, most customers were back online. In Larchmont 8 homes remained without power, with another 33 homes dark in the Town of Mamaroneck.

Electrical power went out in almost all neighborhoods in Larchmont Village on Saturday. “We were in the alarm room in the fire house when the primary electric wire exploded,” reported Larchmont Mayor Liz Feld. “You could see the sparks.” The wire snapped at around 7 pm Saturday evening trapping a car left by Larchmont firefighter Brian Payne who was off responding to an emergency. The Larchmont Fire Department answered over 80 calls in a two-hour stretch on Saturday when most of the trees were coming down and the lights were going out.

Utility workers with Allegheny Power fromf Lawrence, PA lend a hand replacing the “T” on the pole in front of the Murray Avenue School playground. Photo by Eleanor Sherman

Mayor Feld said the biggest problem was the trees on the wires, which could not be removed by the Village without Con-Edison’s intervention. The storm also impacted some Cablevision subscribers, cutting off cable television, Internet and phone service. Verizon phones were out in some spots as well. Cell phone users could be seen roaming the Village looking for a place to charge up.

Over near Vanderburgh Park, there was a huge tree down on the wires and a large transformer deposited into the middle of the street. It took Con-Ed workers until Wednesday morning to remove the tree and return power to the surrounding streets, including parts of the Palmer Avenue business district. “ "We lost a great deal of business," reported Mario Fava from Lusardi's.Restaurant on Palmer Avenue.

One home that remained without power belongs to the Jacobsons on Flint Avenue. The storm snapped a nearby wire, which then hit the home’s service line, blew out the main breaker boxes, and went on to set the neighbors lawn on fire. “I was the only person in Larchmont on Tuesday asking Con-Edison to turn-off the power, so an electrician could get started,” said Michael Jacobson. Without electricity it’s impossible to know the extent of the damage to the wires in the walls and to all the electronic appliances. “I’m afraid it’s not good,” said Mr. Jacobson. “I’m going to be buying a generator for sure.” Meanwhile, the family has taken refuge with relatives.

One post-storm drama focused on Larchmont’s Manor Park, where a 36-foot bright yellow sailboat, Westerleigh, was beached on the rocks, its two mooring ropes snapped by the wind and waves. Owners Bob and Lorelei Diamond of Rye Brook had sailed the boat as far north as Newfoundland and as far south as Virginia in the past 16 years. “We loved the boat” said Mr. Diamond.

So many sightseers gathered near the Westerleigh that two neighborhood children set up a juice stand. Residents who had lost home phone service were in the park using their cell phones to call anxious relatives. The neighborliness “was a touch of something very special,” said Mary Lee Berridge, who lives nearby.

Over in the Town of Mamaroneck, there were no grounded boats, but lots of downed trees, many blocking major thoroughfares. Mamaroneck Town Fire Chief Matthew Peloso said his department had responded to 90 storm-related calls as of Wednesday morning, with around 30 volunteers working “hours and hours” alongside the career firefighters.

Saturday from about 1 pm until 8 pm was the most intense period. However, hazardous conditions remained on Sunday as a sunny Labor Day weekend brought out residents eager to survey the storm damage.

“Power lines and trees were strewn throughout the neighborhood. People were not as careful as we could have liked to see them,” said the chief. People were moving barricades and barrier tapes trying to get access to areas cordoned off by police.

“I was amazed to see cars and trucks driving through the yellow police tape,” said Eleanor Sherman, a Murray Avenue resident. Two huge trees had come down on the power lines, blocking traffic and knocking out power on Murray and Forest Avenues, major through streets. By Tuesday morning power was back on at Murray Avenue School, a priority given the next day’s start of school. But cars were still being rerouted as Con-Edison crews worked to untangle the wires and cut up the giant trees.

The impact of the storm was still being felt late into the week. Chief Peloso and the volunteers had been up at 3:50 am Wednesday morning responding to one of the most serious calls: a fire in a storm-darkened house on Dudley Lane where a candle had been left burning to light the bathroom. “We stopped it – the guys showed up and contained the fire to the one room, but there was smoke damage throughout the house,” said Chief Peloso.

“Fortunately no one was injured,” said Chief Peloso, but he had three recommendations to prepare residents for the next storm:

1. Consider buying a generator
2. Have enough food, water and medical essentials on hand to last 3 days to a week
3. If you have to use a candle, exercise caution; a battery-operated light is preferred.

A Con Ed truck on its way to replace a telephone pole. Photo by Eleanor Sherman

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