Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 19, 1994 TAG: 9402190120
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MELISSA DEVAUGHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: INDIAN VALLEY LENGTH: Medium
The 85-year-old great-grandmother of eight suffered from pneumonia this winter and has fought since Christmas to recover. She also has a blood clot in one lung, spinal osteoporosis and severe arthritis. She uses a walker to get around in the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Vasie and Victor Simpkins, where she lives.
Because she is completely dependent on an electric oxygen tank to help her breathe, Appalachian Power Co. lists the Simpkinses as "critical customers," meaning if there is ever a power outage, the family's home would be at the top of the list for repairs, regardless of how many or how few people are served by the downed line.
"We've got the priority status," 64-year old Vasie Simpkins said. "We got it, but it ain't worth two cents, not here in the country."
Since last week's devastating ice storm, the Simpkinses have had no power or running water. Every day, they hear about neighbor after neighbor receiving power, while they are left huddling by a wood stove in their small family room.
"We attempt to get to [critical customers] first, but when we have massive problems, sometimes that's not possible," said Bob Kilgore, manager of Apco's Pulaski division, which serves eight counties.
Kilgore said the Floyd station-Willis circuit, where the main electrical transformers are housed for that part of the county, sustained major damage in the storm, and that there was nothing Apco could do until that transformer was repaired.
Other than that, he had no explanation for why some healthy neighbors have power and the Simpkinses remain powerless.
The Simpkinses feel twice as powerless when trying to get answers from Apco.
"When we do get through, they tell us they'll take care of it, but they never do," Vasie Simpkins said.
Vasie Simpkins said she has tried everything. She drove to the Hillsville Apco office; no luck. She called Apco in Christiansburg; no luck there, either. She called the Pulaski, Roanoke and Floyd offices, and her sister even tried calling the office of Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, to get some results. Even the office of U.S. Sen. Charles Robb, D-Va., is aware of the problem.
No luck.
Fred Myers, customer services supervisor for Apco, acknowledged that four calls were recorded regarding the Simpkinses' electrical service and that at least one "trouble ticket" was sent to the Floyd servicing center responsible for the Indian Valley community.
According to George Via, line crew supervisor for the Floyd area, workers tried to restore service to the Simpkinses early Friday, but it went out again.
"This tells us there is trouble somewhere else in the line," said Glenda Wohlford, administrative assistant for the Pulaski division. "We know there are at least three broken poles. Right now, we have a backhoe and bulldozers down there trying to haul in the poles. We have six crews now in Indian Valley and two crews on the way."
In the meantime, the Simpkinses have struggled to live "normally" while caring for their ill mother. Lettie Sutphin is currently breathing with the assistance of a battery-powered, temporary oxygen tank. Victor Simpkins, who also is disabled, must carry in heavy buckets of water to heat on the wood stove to keep the air moist. Vasie Simpkins cannot wash her mother's clothes or do any of the dishes.
Lettie Sutphin is used to eggs for breakfast and meat and potatoes for dinner. Now she gets dry toast in the morning and boiled green beans at night.
"I have to use a flashlight to walk her into the bathroom, and sometimes she doesn't make it. And the bedroom is just so cold at night."
Because of her osteoporosis, she can't sleep in the family room, the only heated room in the house, said Sutphin's home health aide, Bonnie Hill.
"She would fall right off the couch," Hill said. "And her feet are swelling, because she can't keep them elevated with the electric chair."
"[Apco has] been very nice, but it's getting nowhere," said an exasperated - and tired - Vasie Simpkins. "They tell me they'll `give them the message.' Well, I don't want no message, I want my power back on."
by CNB