With some notable exceptions (City Council comes to mind), a large number of Oneida County residents spent last Wednesday evening at the Event Center, which happened to be one of the only places in town with electricity.  A power outage, reportedly the result of a power line downed by a vehicle, lasted several hours starting the early afternoon until power was restored around 8:00 p.m.

The “Thank a Farmer” event, put on by the Farm Bureau, was intended as an event to thank the community for its support and to support the community with its thanks, but turned into the place to be as everywhere else was out of ways to cook dinner.  The Event Center is a designated emergency shelter for the county, and had already demonstrated its effectiveness to that end when a sustained power outage affected the valley during a much colder night several months ago.  At that time, the Event Center was opened for those who needed it, most of whom availed themselves of outlets to charge communication devices.

This time, hundreds of people filled the tables around the event center as members of the Farm Bureau grilled up food as long as supplies lasted, which carried through until the power came back on.  

Food was prepared by the Farm Bureau members, and managed to feed a large number of county residents who were unsure how long the power would be affected.  The outage was briefer than the winter event, with response teams on the way very quickly after the outage began.  No injuries or other incidents were reported as a result of the lack of power, which thankfully returned before dark.

The City Council meeting that is regularly scheduled from the second Wednesday of the month proceeded apace, with some of the meeting conducted with the aid of a portable lantern, indicating the emergency preparedness of the city administration itself, which is rumored to include several Boy Scouts. 

Over the last several years, emergency preparedness funds dispersed during the COVID era, as well as other grants and funding sources, have been utilized to add to the Event Center’s ability to function as a community gathering place and emergency shelter.  The generator setup that allows power for light, heat, and electrical devices is one of the results of those funds, and was in full use during the event, which had been originally planned as an outdoor event at the City Park.  The Park is a hub for construction related to the Bannock Street project at the moment.  

While the confluence of events was a surprising coincidence, it certainly made the case that a strong community is ready to take on emergencies together, and that when things get a bit more difficult it’s always good to know that you can count on your friends and neighbors to have your back.