City crews, sign shops busy fixing damage

[Erik Sine]

City crews, sign shops busy fixing damage

Posted: January 23, 2012 - 4:31pm

By Joe Gamm

joe.gamm@amarillo.com

In all, 35,608 Xcel Energy customers in Texas and New Mexico lost power during Sunday’s windstorm, company spokesman Wes Reeves said.

Power to most customers was restored by Sunday evening, except for a few customers near Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, Reeves said.

The windstorm also kept city crews and sign repair shops busy.

The Amarillo Fire Department responded to 78 calls Sunday, a 56 percent increase over an average day of 50 calls, Capt. Wes Hall said.

The Amarillo Police Department responded to 209 calls from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, a bump of 76 calls over the same time period the week before.

The department responds to a high number of security alarms set off during strong winds, Sgt. Brent Barbee said.

Amarillo Street Superintendent Chris Mitchell said the department called in personnel to help clear trees, branches and debris from city streets.

“The police department called about stuff that needed to be picked up in the street,” Mitchell said. “There were a couple of the larger tree limbs that we had to move to the side of the road, then cut up Monday.”

Replacing temporary road signs at construction sites kept street crews busiest Sunday, Mitchell said.

Hoarel Sign Co. manager Linda Cox said she was aware of a number of signs and awnings her company installed that would need to be repaired or replaced. The company has to provide estimates for insurance companies before any work is done.

“I haven’t had too many calls because the awnings are either beyond repair or completely gone,” Cox said.