LIers report sightings of LIPA repair crews

Walter Freifeld watched quietly from his yard Tuesday as LIPA trucks moved down his street. Out of power since Sunday morning, he and his family have been charging their phones at the library and packing their food in four coolers of ice.

"We keep packing ice," he said. "But everybody's out of ice.

"This is the first day I've seen trucks. I guess I should be grateful."

Down the street, Tuesday Tortora spotted the LIPA crew, pumped her fist and cheered, "Wooo!"

"You get them periodically," deadpanned one worker, who didn't want to be identified. "The line groupies are out there."

Along Melville Road in Huntington Station, people came out of their houses Tuesday to watch the LIPA trucks with a mixture of weariness and bonhomie. Over and over, they asked the same question: When am I getting power back?

With the skill of a practiced politician, the foreman, who didn't want to be identified, answered politely without providing specifics: "You may be one of the fortunate ones," or, "We're not sure, maybe tomorrow."

Repair work is done in several steps, with crews surveying the damage first and then repairing the poles. After they're sure the poles are safe, power can be turned on. Seeing a crew in the area does not mean power will be restored immediately, workers said.

Elaine Jablon was "ecstatic" to see the crew. Though not concerned about losing the food in her refrigerator, Jablon was worried about an old oak tree that had crashed down onto the road in front of her house. Police taped off the road; but drivers still drove around it, despite the electrical wires dangling overhead.

"I was so anxious, I couldn't stay here," she said.

Her neighbors have coped in various ways. Ted and Nancy Skir have been using a gas grill to heat up food and are relying on candles at night. Rich Voss tossed out the food in his freezer. Erik Honaski has been taking cold showers.

LIPA workers said residents were mostly happy to see them, but conceded that a few were angry.

"I usually handle the irates," the power worker said. "I do my best to defuse, but if they get really irate . . . "

" . . . he shuffles them over to me," said the foreman.

In a nearby cul-de-sac, Anthony Costantino, 9, said the power outage hasn't bothered him. "I've been outside a lot, playing hockey with my friends," he said.

At night, he and his sister, Catherine, 12, and their friends climbed into their parents' car and watched a movie on the DVD player.

As their mother, Giovanna, and neighbor, Dolores LaMagna, watched the LIPA crews, they discussed their dinner plans. "We've been having hurricane barbecues," LaMagna said. "It's been a little stressful, but we're getting by."

With Chau Lam