Westport waits for power to be restored

Westport, Conn. (WTNH) - Westport was hit very hard by the devastating weekend weather and is still feeling the impact, Tuesday.

Authorities there wrapped up a press conference this afternoon.

"There is a big price tag but it comes down to what price tag do you put on a life? We are in the mode of saving lives. We just don't want to lose another life needlessly because we are watching dollars or are just not being careful. In this town, we are going to be overcautious protecting our resident," said Westport First Selectman [D] Gordon Joseloff.

"People are very patient. Getting tired, feeling closed in. Just be a little patient for a little longer I think within the next 24 hours you'll see a huge difference in the number of structures, residences without power," said Westport Fire Chief Chris Ackley.

So residents wait patiently, hoping to have their power restored as they go on almost five days without it.

"At first it was a little bit fun, but now we are going on day four and a half or something like that, we're ready," said Kim Manning of Westport.

The work is almost non-stop whether you are with a tree removal service or power crew. Almost four days after the wicked weather, thousands remained without power. And for some, it was more than just getting the lights turned back on; it was re-gaining your freedom.

"And so we were stuck here. Around the corner there was a tree that was down, and a power line that was down, so we couldn't drive out of the neighborhood. We had no way of knowing what else is going on," said David Press of Westport.

Westport will close school again Wednesday. And it may not be until Thursday night or early Friday morning until power is restored and all roads cleared.

"The problem is, this storm is like an onion. Once we open roads and peel a layer back, we get in and find out it's bigger than we anticipated. More trees are down, more wires are down, that we were not aware of because we couldn't get to them," said First Selectman Joseloff.

"This is storm is not the likes of something we've seen in 25-years. As Gordon said, it's like peeling an onion. It's not as simple as removing a tree off a wire; it's not a simple as removing a power line," said Chief Ackley.