For tens of thousands without electricity, the wait is stifling and boring. Work crews hope to have service restored countywide by midnight Thursday.
By AARON SHAROCKMAN
Published September 8, 2004
DUNEDIN - The days stretch together. The nights are idle, stuffy and stale.
And with no word when air conditioners might hum again, life has been a bear for thousands of residents across north Pinellas without power since Frances bore through Sunday afternoon.
Jay Shields was fed up with the heat that filled every corner of his house since his electricity cut out more than two days ago. Tuesday, he canvassed the county for a generator and gasoline to power a small window air conditioning unit for his one-story ranch.
By 3 p.m. Tuesday, Shields, 31, had the generator running. The television kicked on and so did the cool air, a reprieve for Shields, his wife and their four small children.
"I haven't had any sleep," said Shields, shirtless. "Everyone's frustrated. The kids want television. We're all hot."
Still, Shields smiled at the thought of his generator lighting his Amberlea Drive home Tuesday night.
Then, his wife walked out the door. Two of his children ran from the garage.
"The power's back on!"
"Sure," Shields said at 3:30 p.m. "Once I drove all over the place, went to the Home Depot, bought 15 gallons of gasoline. I had a feeling once I got everything lined up, the power would come back."
Progress Energy officials said 94,171 customers in Pinellas County remained without power Tuesday afternoon. Officials could not break down that number by location, but said some areas in Largo and Clearwater suffered particularly heavy damage.
Work crews said they hope to have all power restored in the county by midnight Thursday.
Mary Schwippert of Palm Harbor got her good news early.
"It just came on, after two days," said Schwippert, 89, of Westlake Village. "We had candles all over the place. I couldn't eat toast or make any coffee."
To celebrate, Schwippert's daughter, Cyndy Wilson, made a pot of Maxwell House and Schwippert made her own toast.
"I have a fan on now," Schwippert said. "Feels good."
Jim Blair, 65, was looking for things to occupy himself while he waited for his power to come back. The Dunedin man tossed out the meat that had thawed from his freezer. Then he sat in a broken-in green armchair and closed his eyes.
"There's nothing to do," said Blair, surrounded by candles, including one that claims to smell like apple pie.
He showed a reporter a flashlight he was given for Christmas. It doesn't need batteries, just a shake to get it started. He rattled the clear stick around.
He pushed a button, and out shot a light blue glow.
"Pretty neat, huh?" Blair said. "That's my excitement for the day."
Reporters Theresa Blackwell and Louis Hau contributed to this report. Aaron Sharockman can be reached at 727 445-4160 or asharockman@sptimes.com
