No longer strung out over loose utility pole

Chris Lister hopes he doesn't have to live through another power outage like the one after superstorm Sandy: His home in Amityville was without electricity for two months.

But as the first hurricane of the season was heading up the coast, his optimism waned. A support rod securing guy wires from a utility pole in front of his house had pulled loose, and the pole was leaning.

"I'm afraid the pole is going to fall down and we'll lose our power again," he said.

One crew had responded to Lister's calls and left a note, on LIPA letterhead, advising they would return to make repairs but added: "You need to call Verizon and Cablevision too!" Lister began making calls and, as he waited for responses, called us, too.

Verizon spokesman John Bonomo said a crew would be dispatched. Soon, the guy wires were secured to a new anchor sunk deep into the ground, Lister said. And a PSEG Long Island crew told Lister a new pole was on the way.

It was installed Monday. On Wednesday Cablevision, which owns Newsday, reported a crew had transferred its equipment to the new pole.

Earlier in the month Lister was relieved when Hurricane Arthur didn't target Long Island. Now, with the new pole secure, the street is ready.