Roughly 4,500 people that live in New Freedom Borough, York County are without power. The borough’s mayor Jeff Halapin said people can come to the New Freedom administrative building on 49 East High Street to get warm and use their outlets to charge cell phones and other electronics.
With no power, many folks are already using alternate sources to power their electronics. “Their iPads and iPhones and everything else they’re charging from cars. They’re going to places that do have power because there are places surrounding New Freedom in Shrewsbury, most of Shrewsbury is back now so they’re going to restaurants and charging and doing whatever they have to to stay engaged and stay communicating” said Halapin.
Christine Hochberg is one of the New Freedom residents without power. She said her husband left early Thursday morning to drive to Maryland for a generator. Meanwhile her family spent the night together in the family room near the fire to stay warm. Her biggest concern with no power is her job. She transcribes legal documents. “I work from home, I’m self employed and I cannot work while I have no power because everything is on the internet and so every minute that I do not have power costs me money and yet I had to go spend seven hundred dollars on a generator” said Hochberg.
Another family that is trying to stay warm are the Farbers, who also live in New Freedom. They have been using a generator as well as a wood burning fire place. Their generator is also powering refrigerators, coffee makers, cell phones and space heaters for 3 of their neighbors homes.
Danielle Farber said that it’s all about coming together when it comes to helping out her neighbors. “I did not grow up in the area and my husband and I don’t have any family around here so all these neighbors have really become our family so when we’re in trouble they’re in trouble. Everybody pulls together” said Farber.
Mayor Halapin said the power in New Freedom will be restored no later then Sunday.