Ice Storm 2025 Update #2

A storm like several days of hurricanes....

Saturday marks a week into the storm and the aftermath. The City of Habor Springs is regaining power and internet. The restaurants, grocery, hardware, etc are opening up.

It will be freezing again starting this weekend and into early next week. Some people have been stuck in their homes with limited food, no power and no heat for almost a week, cautious about asking for help. Please reach out to people you know and be sure they have the food and help they need before things get cold again.

Water is available in the artisian wells near Bar Harbor, Weque, and Conway/31.

It would be best to avoid travel into the area. Road crews from around the state are working through all the areas of Emmet county clearing trees and hanging branches.

The Brief

• Full or part-time residents should sign up for www.smart911.com to help emergency services in the future. This provides Emmet county with key information about you for notification, evacuation and other emergencies. It is designed to help 911 wherever you live.

• Emmet county is coordianting emergency services across the region. They have better access to the state emergency resources and run an emergency operations center to stay on top of coordination.

• The City Facebook page, HS Police Facebook page, Petoskey Facebook Page, and the City website provide updates when they can.

• A more detailed outage Map (Link)

• If you see opportunities to do better, keep those thoughts for later when we all can reflect after the emergency settles down.

• Signup for the City Emails to stay up to date

• Text: "HARBORSPRINGS" to 91896 to receive updates on your phone. Remeber to confirm Yes when asked.

Help Needed

Several people and businesses need help. Please send additions to our list so we can distribute the information to subscribers.

• If you cannot find help (non-emergency) feel free to reach out to weloveharborsprings@gmail.com, and we will try to track down some answers.

• Nate Graham is coordinating extra help for people cleaning up yards, who need extra food, or need small repairs. Please text him on his mobile, and he will coordinate help: (231) 838-6254. There are many able-bodied young people willing to help.

• Many of our small businesses are reaching out for resources, just trying to make ends meet for the next two to three weeks. This disruption is difficult on the thin margins of the winter.

• Bear Creek Organic has set up a Go Fund me page that has raised more than 70K. If other businesses feel the need to raise money, please share the links with us, and we will post them.

• Petoskey Cheese is asking people to buy gift certificates to use next summer so they can have money today to restock all the food that has spoiled.

• Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation has launched an Emergency Response Fund to support local recovery efforts. Their intention is to keep this open for future emergencies.

Related Posts

EMMET COUNTY STORM DAMAGE UPDATE 4-4-2025

Update from Emmet County Office of Emergency Management (EOC)

• Power Restoration Update:

  • Utility Crews in Emmet County continue to work on power restoration.

• Transportation and Assistance: Emmet County Road Commission reports access to all residences on public roads is restored. Residents in need of transportation to shelters or requiring non-emergency support can contact the following numbers:

  • Emmet County Sheriff’s Office: (231) 348-1782

  • Petoskey Department of Public Safety: (231) 347-2500

  • Non-Emergency Citizen Requests: (231) 348-1704

Shelters Offering Vital Support: Warming shelters remain operational and are ready to assist with food, water, and medical care. Location status and hours will change and be updated daily.

For April 4, 2025:

• Odawa Casino: 24 hours

• Pellston High School: Open 24 hours

• Resort Township Hall: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Bear Creek Township Hall: 24 hours

• Petoskey City Hall: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closing after 4-4-25

• Petoskey Genesis Church: 9am to 5pm on 4-4-25

• Holy Childhood of Jesus Catholic Church: 24 hours

• Church of the Straits: CLOSED, contact Bill Doest 269-650-1642 for assistance

• Springvale Twp. Hall: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Cross Village Community Center: 24 hours

• Bliss Township Hall: 24 hours

• Center Township Hall: 12pm to 8pm

Debris Management: On 4-3-25, Emmet County Emergency Management opened tree debris drop locations for Emmet County residents. For more information: Tree Debris Drop-Off Locations, EOC reminds citizens these sites are only for tree debris.

EOC is currently researching options to assist citizens with debris removal from private property, however at this point the drop-off sites are the best option. Please do not move tree debris to the road right of way.

Storm Damage Assessment – Your Help is Needed

In response to the recent storm, we are beginning the process of damage assessment. If you have experienced damage to your home or property, we kindly ask that you report it through the link below. Your input will be invaluable in ensuring that resources and assistance are directed to those who need them most.

Self-Reporting Survey: Complete Damage Report

Stay Informed: For real-time updates, residents are encouraged to monitor official Emmet County communication channels:

• BeAlert Emergency Notification System: Sign up at www.cce911.com

• Emmet County website: www.emmetcounty.org

• Facebook: Emmet County, CCE911, Emmet County Sheriff’s Office, Petoskey Department of Public Safety

• Smart 911 Sign up www.smart911.com

• Michigan 211 Find Help - Michigan 2-1-1

Harbor Springs

The Habor Springs City Manager sent the following email to those on their email list this afternoon.

Please Have Patience With Us As We Get Your Power Restored

Over the past 24 hours, we have received complaints that we are giving certain areas on the grid preferential treatment. Some are suggesting that we are turning on second homeowners and wealthy people over the year-round residences, and others believe we are prioritizing “low income” areas first. Our electric supervisor and electric engineer do not care about your income or residency status, they care only about getting everyone their power as safely and quickly as possible.

Many of our employees don’t have power, either. We understand the situation you are in. We feel it. Our lineman are working tirelessly to get you on. They have been working in cold and wet and windy conditions, only to go home at night to sleep in a cold house. They have sustained injuries on the job and they’re still plowing through. We keep on receiving mutual aid from downstate and neighboring communities, which will increase the number of lineman we have working.

Still, it takes several men several hours to just fix one outage sometimes. Some fixes and restorations are very complex and complicated while others are not. Sometimes, portions of the grid where there are not many homes need to be turned on first before other portions of the grid can be worked on.

Electric distribution system outage restoration efforts are initially focused on the main three-

phase distribution circuits originating at Clayton Road Substation. Priority is to energize the most critical loads including medical, utility, and governmental facilities first. Taps off of the main line that have damage requiring additional work have been disconnected to keep the main lines energized. Additionally, distribution transformers with downed secondary and service lines have also been disconnected. Crews are continuing to work on areas that will allow the City to energize the most customers in the least amount of time.

On Tuesday, we posted that it would take 1 to 5 days for most residents to get their power back. Most people should expect their power to return by sometime Sunday, but there will still be some people without power beyond that. Unless we have posted specific time estimates for your area, it would be really hard for us to get much more specific than that at this moment. Each day we are trying to bring you what we’re working on and what has been accomplished.

You all are important. But we all are in this together. Celebrate the fact that your neighbors are coming online, help each other out, be patient, and you will be on soon, too.

Sincerely,

Victor Sinadinoski

City Manager