Ice storm brings down limbs in local county
PARIS, Tenn. — The ice storms are impacting West Tennessee and more are on the way.
According to the Paris Board of Public Utilities, Tuesday around 7:30 a.m. a tree fell on a powerline on North College Street in Paris due to ice.
The fallen tree took out four utility poles. Crews arrived on the scene by 8 a.m. and quickly began going to work. Citizens on North College and Depot Street were without power until the issue was resolved.
The crews had power restore by noon.
“I mean it was just, it was just kind of crazy. In a matter of a couple minutes, you know, we got four down poles and a tree and a couple others, bent, ready to go with it,” said Paris resident Martin Moreno.
The scene on North College Street was one that could happen again.
With WBBJ Storm Team Weather predicting the most significant of three ice storms arriving Tuesday evening through Wednesday, more powerline issues could arise and power outages could occur.
“You can’t predict everything that’s going to happen. Obviously, you know, wires get older, telephone poles get older, trees, dead weight, you know. You can’t predict the future,” Moreno said.
While Moreno says you can’t predict the future, he does agree you can prepare for it. Moreno and Paris BPU President and CEO Terry Wimberley offered some helpful tips if you are without power after the ice storms come through.
Some of these include having a surplus of warm blankets, fully charged phones, alternate light sources, like candles or battery powered lanterns.
“The basics, you know, water, snacks, blankets, tea light candles, you know. Those are just a couple things you want. A good book, and maybe some company if you’re going to get snowed in,” Moreno said.
“Folks out in the county who are on a well, you might get some water up in the bathtub to use to flush toilets, those kind of things. Because when electricities off, your wells not going to work and so you don’t have water out there,” Wimberley said.
Paris BPU will have linemen and staff on standby ready for inclement weather damage.
Find live radar, hour-by-hour forecasts and more in the WBBJ Weather app.
