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Wednesday, January 09, 2019

Gracedale Finally Has Generators!

Remember Superstorm Sandy? from 2012 I do. Most of the Lehigh Valley was without power for several days or longer as utility workers tangled with downed wires and trees. Gracedale nursing home was without power for six days. To make matters worse, the permanent backup generator failed. Thanks to the National Guard, partial power was restored. The county decided, then and there, that it needed new generators. Believe it or not, it has taken until now to get the job done. That's six years, folks.

Everyone agreed on the importance of generators. Executive John Stoffa appropriated the money in 2013. Executive John Brown pushed for them, too. But when Executive Lamont McClure took office in 2018, there still were no generators, and guess what happened? That's right. Winter storm Riley knocked the power out for 27 hours. 

This was unacceptable to McClure, who led the fight to save Gracedale. It was also unacceptable to former Council member Scott Parsons, who now works in Pubic Works. From the moment he began to work for the county, that was his top priority.

Parsons had an ace up his sleeve, too.

Gracedale's generators
During one of many meetings with engineers who would complain this can't be done or that can't be done, Parsons brought with him a seemingly unassuming fellow saying "Good Day!" to everyone and wearing a bowtie. When the engineers began yet another snow job about ohms and ground fault circuits, this person understood and countered them. That's because this person, despite the bowtie, is himself an electrician who managed projects like Madison Square Garden. This proper bastard is none other than Charles Dertinger.

Dertinger was astonished that, in all the years this project has been underway, no one bothered to get the necessary PPL approvals and right-of-way agreements.

As the contractors from Wind Gap Electric looked on and smiles, Charles inspired the engineers. Parsons made sure they stayed inspired.

Gracedale now has three generators. Any one of them can power all of Gracedale, just by itself, for eight days before running out of diesel fuel. The three combined can keep the home going a month.

Dertinger said that if a storm knocks power out now, residents will not even notice because the switch will be automatic.

Now I know where to go next time the power company screws me just because I've neglected my bill for six months.
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14 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 9, 2019 at 12:11 AM

    You don't want to leave a diesel run dry. Good luck if you do.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJanuary 9, 2019 at 8:17 AM

    Total Fake News... who sold you this BS Bernie? The generators were well along the way before McClure got elected. Your really loosing credibility with this fake fluff piece.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousJanuary 9, 2019 at 9:04 AM

      They were appropriated but the 2 sets of executives and councils and administrations never started the process of having them set up and working that happened under McClure he didnt leave them sit there like previous executives

      Delete
  3. Bernie O'HareJanuary 9, 2019 at 9:02 AM

    As I indicated, the generators had been ordered, but the project was not “well along the way.” I do not hold Brown or the former council responsible. I hold the engineers, who really managed to create all kinds of delay, responsible. Also, when you have a major electrical project like this, one of the first things you do is work out permits and rights of way with the electruc utility. This did not happen until last year.. then the engineer who was checking everyone, and who no one had heard from, decided to throw in a few obstacles. So my story is accurate, like it or not.

    ReplyDelete
  4. E MestJanuary 9, 2019 at 9:57 AM

    It’s about time someone followed thru with this. I do believe McClure got the ball rolling again, Thank you Mr McClure !

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousJanuary 9, 2019 at 10:07 AM

    Good to see Mr. Parsons sitting in a chair and not the bar stool at Deitzi's....

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousJanuary 9, 2019 at 12:50 PM

    Barney Rubble gets things done!

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousJanuary 9, 2019 at 12:51 PM

    10:07 Low Blow, Funny, but LOW

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousJanuary 9, 2019 at 4:02 PM

    It is good that the generators are up and capable if needed.
    The math needs work as if one generator can run for eight days and there are three of them then there must be 24 days in a month.
    it is only a minor quibble.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousJanuary 9, 2019 at 4:17 PM

    Too bad you don't credit John Brown and Bob Werner for much of this. McClure and Dertinger are taking the bows.

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousJanuary 9, 2019 at 9:47 PM

    Brown had nothing to do with this..if anyone..Allen deserves some credit.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Bernie O'HareJanuary 9, 2019 at 10:30 PM

    4:02, The reason I said they would last a month is that Gracedale would not power everything in that kind of situation.

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousJanuary 10, 2019 at 1:30 AM

    Well, this should generate some excitement.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Chris AmatoJanuary 17, 2019 at 8:36 AM

    Good job Scott. Can't keep a good man down.

    ReplyDelete

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