Fire and Ice Fireplace:

It’s been a year, but memories of last December’s ice storm and its aftermath are as vivid to the locals as if it happened yesterday.

Residents of Lunenburg and Fitchburg are still talking about what happened to them after losing power for up to two weeks; area artists have created paintings and other objets d’art at the Rollstone Studios; the Fitchburg Senior Center held an Icebreaker Party; and yesterday, protesters picketed Unitil headquarters; and the Lunenburg Firefighters Association held a community event at the fire station, giving away free emergency starter kits.

Jay Rinaldi of Lunenburg and his son, Dontano, came early to the fire station, which was bustling with activity as residents streamed in.
“I think it’s wonderful what the firefighters are doing. I came to get a kit, but more, I came to share stories. You know, as bad as the storm was, it brought people together,” he said.

“I was friendly with my neighbors before, but now we are friends,” Mr. Rinaldi added.
He was without power for 11 days and had to cancel classes he taught in Boston. And he not only used his fireplace to keep his house warm, but also cooked pizza over that fire.
He went to a friend’s home to send in his grades.

“You know, people who did not live in this area had no clue what we all went through, but we’re a little town and it brought us together rather than ripped us apart,” Mr. Rinaldi said.
Lunenburg Firefighter and EMT Richard R. Howard worked 16-hour days for two weeks last December clearing trees and branches off roads and driveways, going out on calls and rescues.
“People in Lunenburg were great, some even tried to help us move trees; everyone helped, the DPW, the Water District, there was no separation of units,” he said.

Representatives of Unitil were at the fire station yesterday, answering questions from residents, listening to their problems, taking down information.
“We have a better system in place; roles are clearer, said Carol Valianti, Unitil’s vice president for communications and public affairs.

“I think we have eliminated the confusion that happened last year,” she said. “We will have accurate information to residents, the media, public safety and municipal governments sooner. It takes time to build trust back with communities and the proof will be in the pudding.”

She said Unitil purchased service from WSI Corp., a weather-watching, information-gathering company that updates conditions twice a day, forecasting bad weather of all kinds days in advance, which will allow the company to make advance preparations and activate its emergency center procedures.

Two-dozen protesters braved yesterday’s wind and cold to voice their dissatisfaction with the company, in front of Unitil’s Fitchburg headquarters. Drivers and their passengers waved and tooted their horns in support.
Fitchburg City Councilor Marcus L. DiNatale held a sign — “Massachusetts Residents Want Unitil Gone” — and said he thought the state Department of Public Utilities decision on Unitil “was pathetic.”
State Rep. Stephen L. DiNatale, D-Fitchburg, said he and his legislative colleagues will “be watching the company” in the coming year.

“The storm recovery damage costs should not be placed on the ratepayers; and if they have to do it, it should be amortized over 15, 20 years, so that it will not hurt our residents. The bottom line, they were not prepared, which they have admitted,” he said.

Lunenburg Senior Center’s outreach worker Faith A. Anderson of Leominster went to the fire station to advocate for her elderly clients with the Unitil representatives.
She worked for 13 days at the emergency shelter at the Turkey Hill Middle School with school nurse Sue Glenny, dispatcher/EMT Erin Howard and many other volunteers, visiting the elderly at their homes, bringing them meals when they could not be coaxed into coming to the shelter.

“That storm scared the elderly. Even to this day, they are still afraid and ask me if I think it will happen again. The community is healing, but not healed,” Ms. Anderson said.