POULSBO — An estimated 33,000 Puget Sound Energy customers were still without power at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 12, after an overnight wind storm downed trees and power lines in the region.
“Crews have been making steady progress with damage assessment and restoration,” PSE reported on its website. “However, damage was widespread across the service territory. Hardest hit areas include Kingston/Hansville, South Whidbey Island, Lacey/Yelm/south Thurston County, and Woodinville/Bothell.”
See PSE’s outage map for outages and estimated restoration times.
In North Kitsap, more than 6,100 customers were still affected by outages at 3:45 p.m.
All told, an estimated 237,000 PSE customers were impacted by outages throughout PUget Sound, PSE reported earlier in the day. “The peak number of outages happened around 1 a.m. with nearly 105,000 customers without power [systemwide],” PSE reported at 6 a.m. Dec. 12.
In North Kitsap, schools and ferries operated on regular schedule.
One casualty of the wind storm: The Poulsbo Fire Department’s Santa run was cancelled on Dec. 11. “We are sorry again to have to do this but Rudolph and Santa do not want to endanger anyone nor take the chance of being hurt for the Christmas eve trek they must make,” Poulsbo Fire Department spokeswoman Jody Matson reported. “Please try to see Santa on one of the other runs or on [Dec.] 18th at Central Market.”
TREES STRIKE TWO HOMES, TROOPER’S VEHICLE
Shortly before 11 p.m. Dec. 11, North Kitsap Fire & Rescue officials decided to establish an area command center in the headquarters station to better manage an increasing stream of weather-related calls in the approximately 50-square-mile district, which runs from Suquamish to Hansville, department spokeswoman Michele Laboda reported.
“By midnight, trees and downed wires blocked portions of nearly every major thoroughfare in NKF&R’s service area,” Laboda reported. “On several occasions, the district’s crews found themselves temporarily trapped in by fallen vegetation. Responses to a handful of high-priority incidents were slowed as a result.”
Trees fell over into at least two homes; damage was limited and there were no associated injuries, Laboda reported. And a Washington State Patrol trooper’s vehicle was struck by a falling tree on Highway 104 near Kingston. “The car sustained serious damage but, fortunately, the trooper was not injured,” Laboda reported. In addition, “Firefighters were dispatched to two chimney fires that were contained prior to crews’ arrival on scene. The remainder of incidents involved downed trees and power lines across roadways.”
Officials urge the public to remain inside, where it’s generally safest, during windstorms, and to wait for Puget Sound Energy to verify safety before attempting to remove downed trees involved in power lines.
In one incident, firefighters saw a resident of the Hansville area come close to contacting a live power line. A gust of wind picked up the energized line and flung it toward him, narrowly missing him, Laboda reported.
Winds abated by 2 a.m. Dec. 12.
“NKF&R officials extend their thanks to the many civilians that heeded warnings to stay safe,” Laboda reported. “They also note the importance of partners in law enforcement — Suquamish Police, Port Gamble S’Klallam Police, WSP and Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office — as well as at Kitsap County Public Works and PSE for working so diligently always, but especially during last night’s storm.”
