By JULIE CUNNINGHAM
(Bernardston, MA) Bernardston Fire Chief Peter Shedd said Wednesday night’s storm was a “nightmare” for his fire crew. With I91 completely shut down and traffic being diverted to 5&10, Shedd said the bumper-to-bumper conditions made it difficult for his team to get to the multiple emergencies in the area. If that wasn’t enough, there was no mutual aid to be had in the surrounding Franklin County towns.
“Everyone needed help,” said Shedd. Shedd said that the fast moving, powerful storm hit the area towns and cities at the same time. He had to turn to Hinsdale New Hampshire and Guilford Vermont for mutual aid.
“Once they were done here they went on to Greenfield,” said Shedd.
Some of the emergencies in Bernardston included a tree that hit a house on Turners Falls Road had to be extracted with a crane, a barn roof on Huckle Hill Road that was completely taken off by the wind, and another tree hit a house on Dewey Street. Now, residents are still dealing with downed trees and power lines and some still do not have power restored.