More Than 1,000 Still Powerless in Deer Park, N. Babylon

It has been 12 days since Hurricane Sandy hit, and more than 1,000 homes in Deer Park and North Babylon are still without power.

In Deer Park, 913 homes are in the dark. North Babylon is almost fully restored, but 241 homes are also without power.

For those without electricity, it is not just the lack of lighting that is frustrating, but the loss of heat, which makes it difficult for those residents to be in their homes, especially as snow storm brought freezing temperatures to the area this week.

The slow power restoration is frustrating Long Island Power Authority customers all over the island.

“Got the LIPA bill in the mail this morning… I burned it to keep warm,” Ashley Sannito said on Twitter. 

Government officials are also putting the heat on LIPA. 

“Turn the power back on now,” Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said Thursday at a press conference at Babylon Town Hall.

Bellone said the main concern is the cold temperatures now impacting Long Island. He noted that some residents without power are using barbecues, kerosene heaters or other unsafe methods to warm their homes, further increasing the danger of fires or carbon monoxide poisoning.

“We understand the safety risks, but I’m not going to have an elderly person die in their home (because of the cold) on my watch,” added Richard Schaffer, Babylon Town Supervisor.

Are you still without power? Tell us how you’re dealing with it in the comments section below.