ARIZONA CITY — More than 10,000 Pinal County residents lost power during a recent storm, prompting county leaders to declare a state of emergency.
One resident said he wishes there was more communication from officials, including the county.
“It was a breakdown in communication,” he said Harold Williams, an Army veteran and Arizona City resident.
According to Williams, this was the worst storm he’s seen since moving to Arizona City.
“There have been a few windstorms since being here in the last five years but the storm we felt this past weekend, we’ve never experienced anything like that,” he said.
After losing power, Williams and his wife had to find somewhere else to stay.
Other residents had to bear the heat.
Williams said the numbers he called offered little information. He said he hopes moving forward the county will send out information in advance and not rely on the internet especially when power is out.
Pinal County Board of Supervisor Chairman Jeff McClure said volunteers and nonprofits have done a great job stepping up. He also said there’s room for improvement.
“Communication is difficult when power is down,” he said. “I mean the internet service in Arizona City was down — the county says you can go and get it on our information online…but you can’t get to it if you don’t have power so that’s a difficult situation."
He told ABC15 they’re looking for ways to improve their response.
He also said by declaring a state of emergency he hopes to get more help for those still struggling and especially those that are replacing food that may have spoiled during the power outage.
