In these trying times, I want to say thank you to our first responders and utility employees for a quick response to an unexpected, non-pandemic problem. On April 30, at 10:36 p.m., we heard an odd sound outside and discovered the power pole at the corner was lit up like a Roman candle. The pole did not have a transformer, but apparently one of the fuses on the pole failed and arced.
I called 911. Within a couple of minutes, two police cars arrived. The nice officer who talked to us took a look, said, “Good thing it’s raining a little; your trees are okay. Stay away, those things can blow shrapnel like a grenade.” He indicated that the fire department and PUD were on their way, and he and his fellow officers left to respond to a traffic accident. The fire truck arrived, the firefighters examined the Roman candle, reassured the concerned citizens and said the PUD would arrive shortly.
And the PUD arrived. After a discussion at the pole, they departed, then returned at about 1:30 a.m. with the supplies and equipment to replace whatever needed fixing.
I believe any of these first responders would have tackled any fuse-related risk if more technically qualified and outfitted personnel (the PUD) weren’t on the way. Instead, they knew the linemen would arrive quickly and fix the problem so they moved to their next calls. The citizens were evaluated for safety and reassured, but these professionals let the folks with the right tools for the job do the job. While city hall and the county courthouse are closed to public access, the peoples’ business is still conducted. It is reassuring to know that all of our essential workers are on the job keeping us safe.
Deborah Jahnke
Port Townsend
