Storm Updates: Ice, power, water challenges linger after a week, as deaths climb and frustrations rise

Blake Farmer

A transformer on the ground in the Forest Hills neighborhood south of Nashville

Winter Storm Fern created lingering, and in some cases increasing, challenges for residents, city leaders and emergency workers in Tennessee.

Power outages have reached historic levels, especially in Nashville, and the death toll has climbed as dangerous cold and ice continue. Here’s the latest from WPLN at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday.

By the numbers

More than 30,000 outages in Nashville as of Sunday at 6:00 p.m.
More than 50,000 customers across Tennessee without power on Saturday, according to TEMA
27 water utilities in the state report issues related to weather; 18 have boil water advisories (according to TDEC’s Water System Emergency Dashboard)
About a dozen active and possible water main breaks in Nashville
21 winter storm-related deaths confirmed statewide by Tennessee Department of Health
Four confirmed deaths in Nashville and a fifth believed linked to the cold weather
One additional death is related to a separate weather event this weekend in East Tennessee
Most schools remain closed in Middle Tennessee, including MNPS

NES takes heat from public and city officials

There is increasing scrutiny of Nashville Electric Service, even as the utility tries to improve progress in restoring power to customers and improve communications. On Saturday night, President & CEO Teresa Broyles Aplin posted a video statement on Facebook, providing an update of power restoration progress. She says 90% of outages will be restored by Tuesday and 99% by Sunday, February 8th.

Broyles touts NES’ new website tool that lets customers track the status of outages, where work is happening, and when power will be restored. She also addresses the delays.

“First we had to rebuild some key infrastructure which had been severely damaged across the entire service area,” Broyles says in the video. “We cannot provide any specific projections before these repairs were made. Secondly, we had to do a street by street review to understand the impact of downed lines and poles and what it would take to bring each area back.”

The video was released shortly after Mayor Freddie O’Connell issued a statement saying the “…proposed pace of restoration is unacceptable..” and summoning NES leaders to meet with him today for a briefing.

Several members of Metro Council signed a letter criticizing the utility and calling for a revision to its new zip-code based power restoration plan, which they say is misleading. Council member Joy Styles, a mayoral candidate, also criticized NES during a news conference on Sunday morning.

“People must be held accountable for these mishaps and mistakes,” Styles said. “We are losing lives: 21 deaths yesterday we have had so far; families that are grieving, that shouldn’t have to be right now. And to those families, I say ‘we are sorry. We dropped the ball.’

A special called meeting between Metro Council and NES is scheduled for Sunday night.

Relief fund and emergency housing sees high demand

City leaders set up the “Winter Storm Relief Fund” on January 29th for people to apply by calling 211 for needs ranging from food, supplies, temporary housing and debris cleanup. The fund is a partnership between United Way, the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster and had more than $570,000 in donations as of Sunday.

However, a separate program offering discounted or free lodging deals from hotels and short-term rental websites is at capacity and is no longer being offered, according to a spokesperson at United Way of Greater Nashville.

Additional aid includes four city-run overnight shelters — where roughly 400 people have been sleeping each night in the last week.

Schools in Middle Tennessee remain closed

Most mid-state schools will remain closed on Monday, including Metro Nashville Public Schools, where some buildings still don’t have power.

The district used its remaining inclement weather days last week, and is converting a professional development day, normally reserved for teachers in mid-February, to give workers extra time to restore heat and water to buildings.

Six schools are still without power as of Sunday, down from 71 last week, according to MNPS spokesperson Sean Braisted.

“Right now we’re just continuing to work with them to make sure power is restored and once that is we’ll work to make sure that the buildings are warm and safe for students to return to school,” said Braisted.

He adds that part of the delay in reopening schools is having to re-acclimate large buildings after going so long without heat. He said repairs must be completed in all 160 schools before kids return to class.

The district hopes classes will resume on Tuesday.

Tennessee Emergency Management Update and Increased Scams

TEMA is asking anyone whose home has been impacted by Winter Storm Fern to complete a survey to report any damages. The survey helps the state better understand the types and extent of damage Tennesseans are experiencing so assistance can be directed where it is needed most.

The agency issued an alert about an uptick in scams. Residents report receiving text messages, phone calls, and emails falsely claiming to be from TBI and 1-800-TBI-FIND in relationship to the winter storm. They warn that TBI will never ask for money or financial account information at the hotline.

A real-time map and dashboard of impacted water systems in the state has been created by The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

Lives lost in Nashville and statewide

Four deaths have been confirmed in Nashville related to winter storm impacts. A fifth fatality is believed to be linked to weather and being investigated by the Medical Examiner.

These are the people who have died in Davidson County:

Francis Pilkington, 93, who fell inside an assisted living facility
Sharon Conyers, 46, who fell down a hill near Lindell and Wedgewood avenues
Almaquio Martinez Olivera, 39, who is suspected to have suffered carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator
James Mitchell, 92, who was near a generator
Betty Doss, 79, died in her Madison home, which had no power or heat (pending Medical Examiner report)

There have been at least 21 deaths across the state related to Winter Storm Fern, according to the Tennessee Department of Health. And another death is confirmed to be related to a separate winter weather event on Friday in East Tennessee.

Several are related to carbon monoxide from portable backup generators used to provide power. Health officials issued warnings, including:

Never use a generator inside your home or garage even with the windows and doors are open.
Only use generators outside, more than 20 feet away from your home, doors, and windows.

Carbon monoxide poisoning hospitalizes dozens in Tennessee winter storm

Seeking federal help

Governor Bill Lee has requested that President Donald Trump grant an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration for 23 Tennessee counties recovering from the winter storm. Lee says he’s hopeful Trump will issue the declaration quickly.

Lee asked for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide both Public Assistance and Individual Assistance. The former would reimburse state and local governments and some nonprofits for their recovery work and infrastructure repairs. The latter would go directly to Tennesseans to help with the costs of temporary housing, home repairs and other expenses not covered by insurance.