The Lights Are Back on as Tornado Recovery Picks Up Steam

Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff will announce a disaster declaration for Bexar County and suburban cities as the clean up and recovery from Sunday night's quadruple tornado flurry picks up speed, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.

As with Mayor Ivy Taylor's disaster declaration on Monday, the move will help free up state and federal funding to help rebuild damaged pubic property, from power poles to streets, as well as provide low income loans for individuals and small businesses which suffered damage.

Meanwhile, CPS Energy reports every one of the nearly 50,000 customers who were without electricity following the storm now have their lights back on. 

"Great looking outage map following all the hard work from @cpsenergy crews," CPS Energy COO Cris Eugster tweeted early today.  "COO @Cris_Eugster thanks our crews, employees and San Antonio community for coming together in this amazing recovery."

Getting the lights back on was a major undertaking by CPS Energy. which had to replace hundreds of downed power poles and power lines.

in addition, City crews have hauled away an estimated 3200 cubic yards of brush and debris from streets and front yards, an effort that will continue through March 3.

City staff has restored 162 malfunctioning traffic signals, and responded to nearly 140 downed tree calls in the City rights of way.

Since many homes in the hardest hit areas on the northeast side cannot be secured due to missing walls, Police Chief William McManus says his officers have drastically stepped up patrols on those areas.

"We knew that there would be concerns about that and we wanted to prevent it," he said.  "We wanted to make sure that people who lived in those areas could rest assured that their property was safe."

So far there have been no reports of looting, police said.

If you're out there with a chain saw, allergist Alyssa Arredondo of Texan Allergy in Stone Oak says you might be mainlining Claritin by tonight.  She says, especially this time of year, you're just asking for allergey misery.

"The falling tree does cause a lot of dust to come up into the air," she said.  "We need to protect ourselves."

She says added to that is the fact that trees are in the process of putting out spring buds and blooms, which will make an already horrible allergy season even more miserable for homeowners who venture outside to clear out downed trees.

"Maybe some protective eye goggles so it doesn't get in your eyes," she said.  "Also, be sure to have all of your skin covered, because it does have a tendency to make the skin get really itchy."

PHOTO; KELLY MORRIS


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