MUNFORDVILLE — By Burton Speakman and Amber Dilley
The number of people without services continues to decrease with about 1,200 without power. A larger number remains under a boil water notice.
There are less than one percent of homes remaining that do not have power in Metcalfe County, said Emory Kidd, emergency management director.
The boil water notice has also been lifted for the county, he said.
Metcalfe County has been able to have services restored quicker than some of the surrounding counties and is prepared to help other counties, Kidd said.
As of 6 a.m. today, there were approximately 1,200 Farmer’s Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation customers still without power in the northern and western parts of Hart County, according to Jerry Carter, vice president of member and corporate services.
“This ice storm has caused significant damage to FRECC’s facilities including over 220 broken poles,” Carter said. “Crews from Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia have been working diligently since last Tuesday to restore power and this morning, an additional 21 linemen and equipment are arriving to assist. All electric utilities across the state are experiencing emergency conditions.”
The company is making service restoration progress in a very difficult climate and environmental conditions, he said.
Anyone who discovers a downed power line or pole can contact Farmer’s RECC at 651-2191.
Hart County still has approximately 1,000 residents with Kentucky Utilities and Farmer’s RECC without power, according to Kerry McDaniel, Hart County emergency management director.
The county is also distributing meals and water with the help of the National Guard station in Greenville.
“All Green River Valley Water District customers have water back on, except for people in the city limits of Bonnieville,” McDaniel said. “They haven’t gotten their water samples back yet. All Hart County residents served by Edmonson County Water are under a boil water advisory until further notice.”
McDaniel said 100 cases of water will be delivered to Cub Run School this morning for school tomorrow in case the advisory is still in effect at that time.
“We have distributed somewhere in the neighborhood of about 140,000 bottles of water,” he said. “That’s a combination of Nestle water, what we’ve been given from Metcalfe County and from the National Guard. We’re delivering 200 boxed meals to Horse Cave this morning and 200 more are on the way, from the Greenville National Guard.”
“We also still have a shelter out of Hart County Rescue and that’s on County Barn Road in Munfordville,” McDaniel said.
The Kentucky Depart-ment of Public Health (DPH) has released information about what people who have been without power should do with refrigerated food.
Food should be safe if power is out no longer than four hours or if the temperature in the refrigerator is 41 degrees or cooler, according to the DPH.
The DPH is also warning people not to use portable generators, propane gas stoves or ovens heated with gasoline indoors because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Those without power should also dress in layers, not consume alcohol and stay as dry as possible in an attempt to avoid hypothermia, according to the DPH.
The recent efforts show the level of cooperation between emergency management in the 10-county Barren River Area Development District, Kidd said.
“The emergency management directors and the county judges in the 10 counties get together and meet at least once a month,” he said.
Warren and Monroe counties have already been able to send help to other counties within the area, Kidd said.
Cooperation like this is what’s needed in these situations, he said.
Mammoth Cave National Park continues to operate in emergency status. The visitor center, hotel and limited tours are being offered, according to Vickie Carson, spokeswoman for the park.
Mammoth Cave Parkway, Ky. 70, Ky. 422, and Park Ridge Road have been reopened. All other park roads remain closed. Damage from the storm was much more severe north of the Green River at the park.
