Hey Obama! Where’s My Electricity?

Categorized | Opinion

Hey Obama! Where’s My Electricity?

Posted on August 31, 2011. Tags: Aftermath Of Hurricane Isabel, Aftermath Of Isabel, Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers, Central Virginians, Dominion Power, Dominion Virginia Power, Food Handouts, Food Stamps, Hurricane Floyd, Hurricane Irene, International Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers, Isabel Hurricane, Nanny State, Political Clout, Power Vehicles, President George W Bush, Senator Obama, Slow Response, Virtual Tourist, White Trucks

It’s been 5 days! I have been looking for the little white trucks with the Obama logo in my ‘hood ever since Hurricane Irene hit last Saturday. I lost my lights in the afternoon and my water soon after.

Then Senator Obama was quick to criticize President George W. Bush for his slow response after Katrina devastated New Orleans and much of the region. I think it only fair to level the same criticism at this president, who promised hope and change and a wonderful life.

FEMA was not there passing out water.

Nobody showed up at my door with a generator and gas. There have been no food handouts, Food Stamps or even temporary assistance of any kind.

What kind of a Nanny State are you running, Barack?

What good is ObamaCare if we don’t even have the basic necessities? You put far more effort out on Haiti than on Virginia.

You know, something else I have not seen are the Dominion Power vehicles. You know, those folks that told us crews were working around the clock in the aftermath of Isabel, only to be found out they were only working 12 hour days to avoid paying overtime.

Virtual Tourist said of the Dominion Power efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Isabel:

It was the leadership of Dominion Virginia Power who failed to adequately prepare for the storm. We had a hurricane of slightly less magnitude than Isabel (Hurricane Floyd) in 1999. During those 4 years, they could have removed weakened trees from near the lines, increased the tensile strength of the existing lines, and buried the lines to newer subdivisions. The thing that really got central Virginians angry was the power company gave Northern Virginia (a region with less damage but more political clout) priority. Furthermore, on Thursday 25 September, it was revealed by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers that the power company was LYING to us about how hard they were working to get our power back. Their paid advertisements and voice messages claimed they were working around the clock to serve us. Most reasonable folks would interpret around the clock to mean 24 hours. They only allowed the power crews from all over to work 12 hours. The power crews were willing to work more hours, but the parsimonious power company refused to pay overtime. Incompetence is one thing, but being lied to is something altogether worse. The power company (which by then had the credibility index of an average winter night temperature in Antarctica) promised 90% of the customers would have their power back by the end of Sunday, 28 September and virtually everybody else no later than Friday, 3 October.

And Dominion Power is still dragging their feet and there are no crews working “around the clock” to restore power. It is now just a 9 to 5 job. Business as usual.

I know several people that are lucky enough to live in neighborhoods along with Dominion Power executives. I say “lucky” because they always have their power back on in minutes.

My Dad retired from what was then called VEPCO. He came up from the ground department, the line department and finally into the Service Department. Back in the day, the power company actually trimmed the trees and when a bad storm hit, these guys actually worked around the clock. In rain (but not lightning), ice, snow and all kinds of crummy conditions. And they had one thing that is missing from Dominion Power: Pride.

When someone’s lights were out, everyone received the same service as the executives. My Dad often worked 2 and 3 days straight, catching a cat nap in the truck before going back out and working to get folks lights back on. He ttok it personal when people were without power. They all did.

I had hoped that the people that run Dominion Power would have learned some lessons from Isabel. Unfortunately, it seems that the only lesson learned is that they no longer claim to work around the clock. They took some heat for that lie.

There are far too many Virginian’s still without power. The ones fortunate enough to have their work placed on a schedule – according to the recordings – have been disappointed when the deadlines are missed. I have talked to at least a dozen individuals who were promised lights by 11 PM only to remain in the dark. And since Dominion knocks off at 6 PM, an 11 PM deadline is a bit absurd.

This was a messy event, but a continued failure to take preventative measures – like trimming trees – coupled with a money grubbing management style earn Dominion Power an epic fail once again for thir efforts.

More specifically, their lack of effort.

But it is good to know that Dominion came back to normal quickly as the rest of us wait in the darkness. I was finally able to check my email and found Dominion managed to get my e-bill out on time.

Press 1 if you expect me to pay this bill on time.

About Tom White

Tom is a US Navy Veteran, owns an Insurance Agency and is currently an IT Manager for a Virginia Distributor. He has been published in American Thinker, currently writes for the Richmond Examiner as well as Virginia Right! Blog.Tom lives in Hanover County, Va and is involved in politics at every level and is a Recovering Republican who has finally had enough of the War on Conservatives in progress with the Leadership of the GOP on a National Level.

Categorized | Opinion