In a press conference Tuesday morning, Nashville leaders said it’s possible two people have died as a result of a winter ice storm that has blanketed Davidson County.
Metro Nashville Police Department Chief John Drake told reporters an elderly woman died in her apartment, which was without power, after a fall. Another woman was found at the bottom of a hill in the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood and reported dead at the scene. Drake said he was waiting to hear from the Davidson County medical examiner’s office as far as a cause of death.
Thousands are still without power in Nashville, and the city’s emergency declaration is expected to last a full seven days. Mayor Freddie O’Connell said on Tuesday it’s possible that the declaration could extend depending on how much recovery has happened.
Reporting more than 215,000 power outages, city officials provide updates on temporary warming centers, primary snow routes
Nashville Electric Service is still restoring power in large swaths of the city. While 103,000 homes and businesses have had their power restored, an additional 135,000 are still without electricity. City leaders emphasized that this is the worst ice storm Nashville has weathered since 1994. It’s also the biggest electric outage in NES history.
“We understand how disruptive this outage is to customers,” said NES chief operations and innovation officer Brent Baker. “The amount of ice challenged our system like nothing we’ve had before.”
While 25 percent of the city’s powerlines are underground, the majority still hang above ground. O’Connell mentioned plans to continue placing utilities below ground.
NES officials said they had prepared for this storm for weeks prior to it hitting Davidson County, but previous weather reports led them to believe the worst ice accumulation would land in Memphis. When the weather reports changed, Baker said NES shifted to ensuring it had its mutual aid agreements ready.
Baker said that by Tuesday night, more than 900 linemen will be working to restore power. He warned, however, that sometimes a customer’s power may flicker on and off before it's fully functional. The utility is currently working in North Nashville, Bellevue, Hendersonville, Elysian Fields, Madison, East Nashville, Goodlettsville, Forest Hills and Brentwood.
“That’s one of the biggest challenges,” Baker said. “We will make progress. There may be some times we have to switch the power off in another area before we can restore it fully. And then, sometimes the line doesn’t hold. There is a chance to see the numbers bounce up and down [on outage maps].”
Officials say 'several days' until power restored everywhere, encourage use of warming shelters
Nashville Department of Transportation officials said both the sun and the weather conditions Tuesday will help them clear secondary routes. Right now, NDOT is working with vegetation crews to clear the roads before they remove snow and ice.
Metro Water Services also provided a warning that water service could be disrupted, and that the city should expect line breaks to happen as the ground thaws.
“As we thaw, we will see more main break activity,” said Metro Water Services director Scott Potter. “We have numerous crews ready to go.”
If You Need Help
Officials noted that emergency shelters for unhoused Nashvillians are available. The winter shelter at Brick Church Pike has been assisting 200 people every night for nearly three weeks, and another shelter has opened at 611 Stockell St.
Nashvillians needing transportation to a warming center can call 615-401-1712.
Warming centers are also available at Nashville fire stations, Metro police precincts and The Fairgrounds Nashville.
For those who have had damage, officials urge Nashvillians to document everything they can to prepare for help.
“It’s important to remember that when we get a national disaster declaration, that releases a number of resources for both business owners and homeowners,” said Nashville Fire Department spokesperson Joseph Pleasant. ”At this time, we are still assessing damages and associated financial costs to the community. When and if we are able to provide more definitive information about the status of funding, we will make it known immediately.”
If You Want to Help
O’Connell said for those looking to help, there’s nothing better than the Nashville way: inviting neighbors into your home.
The mayor also said Hands On Nashville and the United Way will be organizing more concentrated volunteer opportunities soon.
