Irene's Wake: Updates From Around Darien (Aug. 29-30)

Editor's note: Live updates on Irene's aftermath . For updates from Aug. 24-28, . 

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TUESDAY, AUG. 30

• 11:47 p.m.: Power back soon at DHS?

From reader Katharine Calderwood:

Power is back on Middlesex opposite High School Lane, DHS is most likely up, too, or very soon!

• 11:19 p.m.: Evening roundup

Here's a look at where things stand tonight:

• 3,651 customers are without power in Darien (46 percent of town) at last count, says CL&P.
• Six of seven schools in town have been restored; only  is still in the dark. Schools are closed on Wednesday, however.
• First Selectman Dave Campbell says that utility crews will target Nearwater Lane overnight and Archer Lane, Hecker Ave, and Holmes Ave. come Wednesday morning.
• The  has power again and will be open for normal hours Wednesday.
• Fall/winter registration for the  has been pushed back to Thursday, Sept. 1 at 8:30 a.m. due to a lack of power at .
• We're told that Cablevision service is down across much of town, though the exact extent of the outage isn't known.
• Keep those status updates and photo submissions coming (johnd@patch.com). We'll keep spreading the word.

• 10:43 p.m.: "Tree halfway down Harbor Road"

From Patch contributor Ken Allen:

In case it hasn't already been reported, there is a tree halfway down Harbor Road, resting on wires. Don't know if the wires are damaged. My house is on Harbor. We've been without power since 4 a.m. Sunday.

• 10:28 p.m.: "Something does not add up"

From reader Alison Pollard Kreuch:

Can someone help me with this math? If there are 900 CL&P crews in CT and we have 1% off all outages in the state (by CL&P's own account), why don't we have at least 9 crews here? I know school hasn't started and my math is rusty but something does not add up!

• 10:12 p.m.: Leroy cleared; DHS is lone school without power

Utility crews successfully removed a tree blocking Leroy Avenue on Tuesday, First Selectman Dave Campbell said, and will focus their efforts overnight on damaged lines along Nearwater Lane.

Campbell said that downed lines along Archer Lane, Hecker Ave, and Holmes Ave. will be top priorities come Wednesday morning.

"I think tomorrow we'll see a lot of power coming on," Campbell said.

Power has also been restored to Holmes, Hindley, and Ox Ridge schools, but remains without.

• 8:00 p.m.: Outage check

3,690 customers are without power in Darien (46 percent of town) at last count, says CL&P. That number may be slightly inflated by a deliberate cutting of power around Leroy Avenue and Mystic Lane to complete repairs.

• 7:49 p.m.: "Easy fix, but understand why this may not be a priority"

From reader Richard Hill:

Wakeman Road is out of power as well because a small branch fell on the line causing the fuse to blow. No lines are down, just a blown fuse. Easy fix, but understand why this may not be a priority.

• 7:36 p.m.: Parks & Rec registration pushed back again

From the Parks & Recreation Department:

As Town Hall still does not have power, fall/winter registration is now scheduled to begin on Thursday, September 1st at 8:30 a.m. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please check herefor updates.

• 7:25 p.m.: "No sign of CL&P at corner of Echo Drive and Alpine Lane"

From reader Amy Kiser:

No sign of CL&P at corner of Echo Drive and Alpine Lane and we have been out of power since 1:30 a.m. Sunday as storm was just beginning!

• 7:11 p.m.: "Power to town hall could easily be turned back on"

From reader Rich Conway:

The power to town hall could easily be turned back on. Fuse popped on . All that needs to be done is put the fuse back in. Problem is with only two trucks no one is looking for the easy fixes! There have to be quite of few of these where branches on the line caused the fuses to go.

• 5:37 p.m.: "Still no CLP trucks anywhere in the neighborhood"

From commenter Ksmithee:

Large tree blocking interesection is still down at Fitch Avenue & Archer Lane; a car went thru the taped off area earlier oblivious to the wires in tree branches, so more cars are following suit.... This tree and another down just inside Archer are affecting 25+ homes in area many that have elderly residents and others with infants. After 4 days there is still no CLP trucks anywhere in the neighborhood and when called they have no idea of when we will get restoration.

• 4:47 p.m.: Outage check

3,605 customers are without power in Darien (45 percent of town) at last count, says CL&P.

• 4:15 p.m.: Damage update from police

In a statement issued Tuesday afternoon, the  said the town "has made an urgent request to CL&P for additional crews:"

Darien continues to operate under emergency conditions with public safety as a top priority. At the present time there remain numerous power lines down throughout Town, although CL&P continues to make forward progress. There are currently three utility crews, seven tree crews and six support crews working with a fully mobilized Department of Public Works to clear roadways and restore power. The Town has made an urgent request to CL&P for additional crews. Restoration priorities are as follows: making roads safe and passable for emergency vehicles restoring power and access to our schools, opening all main and secondary roads, and finally, clearing roadways and sidewalks of remaining debris.

The department also asks residents to check in on friends, family, and neighbors who might be in need of assistance:

CL&P remains unable to give an accurate forecast regarding complete restoration of power throughout Town. We anticipate that all main roads in Town will be open by this evening. Please continue to check on friends and family and offer help to your neighbors if you can. You may call Darien Social Services during normal business hours at 203-656-7373 to receive information regarding assistance with basic necessities. The Darien Senior Center will be open on its regular schedule on Wednesday. Please call 911 only for true emergencies. For non-emergencies, call the Police Department’s main number at 203-662-5300. While the Town of Darien has sustained serious damage, some of our neighboring communities suffered extraordinarily. We ask for your patience as we work hard to restore normal conditions.

• 4:06 p.m.: Senior Center operating on regular hours Wednesday

The  has power again and will be open for normal hours Wednesday, selectman Jayme Stevenson said.

• 3:56 p.m.: Crew at scene of downed Leroy Ave. tree

A utility crew  on Leroy Avenue, Patch's Kara Billhardt reports, where they're about to switch off power before proceeding with cleanup.

Charlie Brooks, a CL&P representative on the scene, says turning off power is a three step process coordinated from Stamford and Berlin.

Members of the crew at Leroy hail from Kentucky and Michigan, Brooks said, and are on a 16-hour shift that started this morning at 7 a.m.

After clearing Leroy, the crew will move onto Stony Brook Road, he said.

• 3:09 p.m.: New gallery added

Just posted:  as Darien continues to recover from Irene.

• 2:37 p.m.: Outage check

3,600 customers without power in Darien (45 percent of town) at last count, says CL&P.

• 2:29 p.m.: North end of Hollow Tree Ridge Road clear

Patch's Kara Billhardt reports that the north end of Hollow Tree Ridge Road has been cleared, and that the crew working there has now moved on to Cherry Lane.

• 2:21 p.m.: Metro-North service to resume on New Canaan branch

For Talmadge Hill commuters out there: Metro-North says it will resume regular service on the New Canaan branch with the 3:57 train from Stamford to New Canaan.

• 2:04 p.m.: Man electrocuted on Country Club Road

Just over the scanner: Darien police report that a man was electrocuted at 38 Country Club Rd. He is said to be conscious. [Correction: it was a man, not a woman.]

• 1:55 p.m.: A few updates

• Jim Cameron reports that  will remain off the air until power is restored at , which is running off of a generator.
• A reader writes: "Do you think the Darien police could post a sign 'road closed' on either end [of Leroy Avenue] to help out the many, many motorists who drive up or down only to find the road blocked?" [We've passed on the message to the DPD.]
• A reader writes: "Many wondering: do you think the Board of Education is in position to put a longer view on school closing rather than day to day?" [The Darien Times reports that administrators are considering it.]
• Commenter Darien Resident writes: "Wilson Ridge East still has power lines down in the street with only yellow cones blocking it off. No cars/emergency services can drive through, thus cutting off approx 8 houses."

• 1:31 p.m.: Power to be shut off near Leroy & Mystic

Power will be shut off in the area of Leroy Avenue and Mystic Lane from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. to complete repairs, says First Selectman Dave Campbell.

• 1:18 p.m.: Schools closed again Wednesday

Darien Public Schools will be closed again Wednesday, according to the district's website.

At last report, four schools — Hindley School, Holmes School, Ox Ridge School, and Darien High School — were still without power.

• 12:45 p.m.: Outages drop slightly

At last count, 3,603 CL&P customers (45 percent) were still without power in Darien. That's down slightly from the 3,904 customers without power 90 minutes ago.

• 12:16 p.m.: Lightouse dark

Darien's Joe Pankowski writes:

While out kayaking last night, I noted that the rotating white & red lights from the Greens Ledge Lighthouse were not to be seen. The lighthouse appears to have joined a lot of other buildings in Fairfield County without power

• 11:44 a.m.: Two crews working to repair power lines

There are currently two crews moving through town to repair downed and damaged power lines, First Selectman Dave Campbell said Tuesday.

One is working on Middlesex Road and will head south down Hollow Tree Ridge Road shortly, Campbell said, while the other is currently working on the lower part of Hollow Tree Ridge Road and Gardiner Street. 

An additional crew is working to restore power to a pump station on Nearwater Lane near Weed Beach, he said, which has been running on generator power.

Town hall and four schools — Hindley School, Holmes School, Ox Ridge School, and Darien High School — are still without power at this point, Campbell said.

• 11:17 a.m.: Not budging for now

3,904 CL&P customers without power in Darien at last count.

• 11:01 a.m.: "A tangle of downed trees and unattended wires"

From reader Jill Walker:

Deepwood Road is a tangle of downed trees and many unattended wires over driveways and the road. Since it can be cut through to [Darien High School], drivers coming around the curve have been in for a large and potentially dangerous surprise.

• 10:45 a.m.: "Looks like it's going to be several more days"

From reader Gene Massamillo:

We live on Stephen Mather, on the Norwalk side of Brookside (New Canaan is directly across from us). There’s a huge tree down on Stephen Mather on the Darien side just west of Brookside. It took down all of the wires with it. They were working on it yesterday, but it looks like it’s going to be several more days before they get it cleared and the wires re-strung. Presumably, those wires run power for the grid that covers the entire area. All of the houses that are in the Stephen Mather/Brookside area are without power. We’ve now been out since 12 Midnight on Saturday/Sunday. As a result of the Nor’easter in March 2010, we were out 3-1/2 days. This is fast approaching that.

• 10:14 a.m.: "Fewer crews than what they told us"

At a press conference on Tuesday, CL&P President Jeff Butler detailed some of the challenges he says his company is facing in the storm's aftermath, including shortfalls in the amount of out-of-town support.

“First of all, they [the crews] didn’t necessarily arrive when they told us they would arrive," Butler said. "And when they got here, there were quite a few changes with fewer crews than what they told us they were going to send, and in a couple of cases, significantly fewer crews.” .

• 9:42 a.m.: "Still struggling on Stanton Road"

Reader Kathy Alpeter writes:

We are still struggling on Stanton Road. Two separate areas with lines tangled in trees across the road. We have not seen anyone from CL&P. We have a lot of elderly on our street and hope we get relief soon.

• 9:36 a.m.: Power outages steady

At last check, 3,895 customers (49 percent) in Darien were without power, according to CL&P.

• 8:38 a.m.: Darien Library open late

The Darien Library — which has power, internet, and (most importantly) coffee — is once again open until 10:30 p.m. today and has decided to suspend late fees through Tuesday.

• 7:42 a.m.: Parks & Rec registration delayed

Due to power and server issues, the start of the Parks and Recreation Department's fall/winter registration has been pushed back to Wednesday at 8:30 a.m.

• 7:08 a.m.: Downed trees

Already a few tips have come in about downed trees: 

• One on Fitch Avenue and Archer Lane and a second nearby on Archer, "both impacting wires/cable."
• A "mountain of trees tangled up" on Sunswyck Road (Delafield Island) "leaving all of Delafield and a good handful of homes on Goodwives River Road dark."
• A tree down across Leroy Ave. between Highfield Ln. and Mystic Ln.

A reminder that town officials have asked residents to formally report downed trees and power lines one of two ways:

• If you have internet access, file a citizen service request using this link.
• If you don't, call the 's non-emergency number: 203-662-5300.

Meanwhile, routine calls about power issues should be directed to CL&P (1-800-286-2000).

• 6:10 a.m.: Morning status check

Good morning! Here's where things stand across Darien:

• Some 3,800 customers (49 percent) are without power across town, according to CL&P. That tally has moved down substantially from the 70 percent peak seen after the storm, but it continues to fluctuate.
• CL&P and DPW crews will be back out on Tuesday to clear debris and untangle trees from wires.
• Darien Public Schools are closed Tuesday, and the Board of Education meeting scheduled for this evening has been canceled. We'll let you know as soon as possible if there are any announcements about Wednesday.
• Metro-North has resumed regular service along the New Haven Line.
• Scout, the black lab who went missing from the Noroton Fire Department during the storm, .

How are things in your neighborhood? Have you come across hazards that you don't think the town is aware of? Have you made progress cleaning up your own property? Email johnd@patch.com and we'll get the word out (and keep sending us your photos, too).

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MONDAY, AUG. 29

• 10:05 p.m.: Evening round-up

A few final items before clocking out for the night:

• CL&P reports that 3,414 customers (43 percent) are currently without power in Darien.
• Darien Public Schools are closed Tuesday. As of earlier this evening, four schools — Hindley School, Holmes School, Ox Ridge School, and Darien High School — were still without power.
• Metro-North expects to resume regular weekday service on the New Haven Line Tuesday.
• First Selectman Dave Campbell says that most streets in Darien have reopened, but a number of trees remain tangled in power lines.

• 8:05 p.m.: Outage update

CL&P reports that 3,420 customers (43 percent) are without power in Darien at the moment.

• 6:25 p.m.: Town 'making good progress,' says Campbell

First Selectman Dave Campbell said that all but two roads in town are open to traffic at this hour after extensive work by DPW and CL&P crews.

"We're making good progress," Campbell said.

Stony Brook Road South and Woods End Road are still closed, Campbell said, though the latter is expected to reopen soon.

At the same time, substantial work remains, with some 22 fallen or damaged trees still tangled in power lines across town.

Hindley School, Holmes School, Ox Ridge School, and Darien High School are among the locations still without power, Campbell said. Town Hall is still running on generator power, but phones have been restored there and limited internet access is available.

According to CL&P, 3,359 customers — or 42 percent — are still without power in Darien at this hour.

• 5:43 p.m.: Submit your photos

We have nearly 200 photos and videos up — many of them from readers — across three galleries, but we know there are hundreds more images out there itching for an audience. If you have shots you'd like to share, email them to johnd@patch.com or upload them directly here.

• 4:53 p.m.: Outage update

At last check, 3,077 CL&P customers — or 39 percent of the town — were reportedly without power.

• 4:02 p.m.: No 'definitive timeframe' for power restoration

The Darien Police Department released the following statement Monday afternoon:

Though we are thankfully experiencing nice weather, dangerous conditions still exist throughout the community. Downed wires and trees are still making some streets impassable. Town officials met today with a representative from CL&P. They are not able to give a definitive timeframe for any power restoration, but stated that crews have been dispatched to Darien. The direct number for CL&P is 800-286-2000. Routine calls or concerns regarding power issues should be directed to them. We ask that you not call the police department to inquire about time frames for power restoration. We also ask that you use 911 for true emergencies only.

• Stay clear of downed wires and trees. Treat all wires as though they are energized. Cable lines and telephone lines can be energized if they are in contact with power lines, and you may not realize that they are in contact with one another. 
• Do not move barricades or barricade tape that has been put out for the public’s safety. It has been put in place so that pedestrians or vehicles can avoid a hazardous situation.
• Many traffic signals in town are not functioning due to the lack of power. It is your responsibility to stop at a non-functioning traffic signal and ensure that there is no oncoming traffic before proceeding.

The department also advises residents to report any uninsured structural damage:

President Obama and Governor Malloy have declared a state of emergency. We fully expect that they will also request a disaster declaration. Therefore, please report any uninsured structural damage (buildings, homes, vehicles) to the Town’s Emergency Management Director at 203-656-7345 or by email at darienoem@gmail.com as well to the state of CT at CTDOCDA@CTREDCROSS.ORG.

• 3:45 p.m.: Metro-North service to resume within the hour

Metro-North service on the New Haven line will resume shortly on a Sunday schedule, beginning with the 3:54 p.m. from New Haven (4:45 p.m. from Darien, 4:48 p.m. from Noroton Heights) and the 4:07 p.m. from Grand Central (4:46 p.m. Noroton Heights, 4:49 p.m. Darien).

• 2:52 p.m.: Power slowly returning

CL&P just reported a big drop in outages across Darien. About 37 percent of town is now without power — down moments ago from 48 — though that still represents 2,967 customers.

• 2:32 p.m.: Outage tally backslides

Despite reports that power has been restored along much of Hoyt Street, the latest numbers from CL&P show a slight uptick in the outage tally for Darien, which now stands at 3,805 (48 percent of town).

• 2:30 p.m.: Darien on the mend

We've got some new shots and video from across town, including a message from selectman Jayme Stevnson.

• 1:50 p.m.: Outage update

At last count, 3,759 CL&P customers (47 percent) were without power in Darien.

• 1:42 p.m.: New Metro-North hitches

Despite an earlier statement from Gov. Malloy that service would resume at 2 p.m., it now looks as though Metro-North will continue its New Haven line suspension indefinitely due to "downed transmission poles, trees continuing to fall and water-damaged substations."

• 12:39 p.m.: Storm debris disposal through 6 p.m.; free until Sept. 3

The Darien refuse disposal area will be open until 6 p.m. Monday to receive brush and debris left behind by Irene, according to the Department of Public Works.

"Residential and commercial users will be allowed to dispose of storm debris free of charge until 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3," DPW reports. "Extended delivery hours and waiving of commercial fees applies only to storm debris originating in Darien. Only storm debris will be accepted during the extended hours."

• 12:32 p.m.: About 52 roads blocked; 25 DPW workers, two CL&P crews out

First Selectman Dave Campbell said that about 52 roads are closed across Darien at this hour but that the town expects to clear another 30 of those by the end of the day.

Around 25 DPW workers and independent contractors are out with chainsaws and other equipment removing debris, Campbell said, and two to three CL&P crews are working to restore power in town.

The priority at this point is to get power back up at the town's schools and to clear streets with no access, he said.

"We'll get through a lot of the easy stuff quickly," Campbell added, though major incidents involving power poles may take longer.

• 12:24 p.m.: Metro-North to resume service at 2 p.m.

Metro-North will resume service along the New Haven line at 2 p.m. operating on a Sunday schedule, Gov. Malloy announced moments ago at a press conference.

• 12:08 p.m.: Ospreys return to nest

Remarkably — despite all of the damage around it — an osprey nest near Noroton Yacht Clubmanaged to survive the storm. Now Patch's Kara Billhardt reports that the birds have returned to the nest and can be heard from the shore.

• 11:51 a.m.: Darien schools closed Tuesday

Darien Public Schools will also be closed Tuesday, according to the district's website.

The Board of Education meeting scheduled for Tuesday evening has been canceled.

• 11:38 a.m.: Flood/outage food safety tips

With many houses having lost power for over a day now, it's worth reviewing these water and food safety tips from the Food and Drug Administration for floods and prolonged outages. Key takeaways: you may have to toss your fridge, and you definitely shouldn't eat food that has been touched by floodwaters. (Hat tip to Darien Director of Health David Knauf.)

• 10:44 a.m.: Flood watch canceled

The flood watch previously in effect for Fairfield County has been canceled.

"Rivers and small streams across the area will continue to recede through the afternoon," says the National Weather Service.

• 10:23 a.m.: Waiting to hear from CL&P

First Selectman Dave Campbell said he's expecting to hear from CL&P shortly about restoration efforts. We'll pass along the latest as it become available.

Meanwhile, the number of customers without power has climbed back to 4,070 (51 percent of town).

• 10:08 a.m.: Who to contact if there's a downed tree or power line

If you come across a downed tree or downed power line and aren't sure whether authorities are aware of it, you can do one of two things:

• If you have internet access, file a citizen service request using this link.
• Call the 's non-emergency number: 203-662-5300

• 9:59 a.m.: Fire dispatch running out of DFD

Asst. Chief Shane Smith of the  reports that fire dispatch is being run out of the DFD for the time being due to a radio outage at the .

Note: this has no effect on the number to call in the event of an emergency — it's still 911.

• 9:44 a.m.: CL&P at work; phones & internet down at Town Hall

"CL&P has begun working in town with limited resources," Darien's Office of Emergency Management reports. Crews are said to be prioritizing main roads and schools, with side roads to follow.

3,864 Darien customers — or 49 percent of the town — were without power at last count, according to CL&P.

The OEM also reports that phones and internet are down at Town Hall but that the building is running off of generator power and is open for walk-ins.

• 9:37 a.m.: Correction — Town Hall is open

Darien Town Hall is open after all, we're told. We're not sure about the origin of the note that was left on the door, but apologies for the confusion.

• 9:03 a.m.: Darien Library open

The  is now open, complete with power, wireless, and coffee.

• 8:36 a.m.: Power restored to hundreds more

Outages are down to "just" 3,987 in Darien (50 percent).

• 8:27 a.m.: For more updates

As with yesterday, we're getting status updates from residents around town that are too numerous to post here easily. If you want to keep track of those, follow us at: http://twitter.com/DarienPatch 

• 8:21 a.m.: Town Hall closed

 is closed Monday, according to a note on the building's door.

• 8:01 a.m.: About 900 regain power

Outages are down to 4,543 in Darien (57 percent).

• 7:30 a.m.: Outage needle not moving yet

Or not in the right direction, anyway. 5,404 without power in Darien at last check.

• 5:30 a.m.: Morning status check

Good morning. Here's a first look at where things stand Monday in the aftermath of Irene:

• Fairfield County remains under a flood watch for small streams and urban areas through 11:15 a.m.
• 5,398 Darien customers (or 68 percent) are without power at this moment, according to CL&P. That's down slightly from last night's peak, but not by much. One bit of good news: downtown appears to be mostly (if not fully) powered.
• Darien Public Schools, Person-to-Person, and most of the YMCA's Goodwives facilities are closed Monday. (If you'd like to spread the word about a closure or scheduling change, email johnd@patch.com or post it in the comments.)
• Metro-North's supension of service .
• DPW crews continue to clear fallen trees and other hazards from Darien's roads. However, there are still many, many obstacles out there that can make traveling dangerous. If you do need to venture out, exercise caution.