It's been six months since Hurricane Sandy ravaged parts of our region, especially the Poconos. Since that time, utility companies and emergency management agencies have learned a lot. Now, those agencies are putting those lessons into action.
Crews from Asplundh are busy trimming trees away from power lines along Route 191 in Stroudsburg.
It's a common sight this time of year. But what isn't common this year is there are more limbs being trimmed.
The reason is to prevent the amount of power outages that occurred when Hurricane Sandy came roaring through Monroe County last October.
Tens of thousands of homes and businesses served by PPL or Met Ed were without power for days, mainly because the winds knocked down trees onto power lines.
Sandy left behind quite a mess.
"As we all know, this will happen again. It's not a question of if it does, it's a question of when it does," said Guy Miller, the Director of the Monroe County Emergency Management Agency.
Miller says Sandy also taught him a few lessons about how best to communicate with residents.
"We now have a Facebook page. That's a good way to get out information because you can get that through a smart phone," said Miller.
This Saturday, the Monroe County Emergency Management Agency and the 911 Center will be hosting an open house where they're located in Snydersville.
The event starts at 11 a.m. and goes until 4 p.m. It will focus on how people can prepare for an emergency, such as Hurricane Sandy and when the power goes out.
"One of the big things is being informed and having alternative ways of being informed when we can't turn on our televisions, we can't turn on the computer, what else can we use, such as our cell phones," said Mary Ellen Keegan, an emergency planner.
The open house will bring together dozens of agencies so the public can see who is available to help them in an emergency.