KCK power outages stretch into day 3 as community hubs expand to help thousands without electricity

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.

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Mutual aid from surrounding cities is helping BPU restore power, but significant damage means thousands of Kansas City, Kansas, residents are still waiting.

Downed power lines remain across KCK and it is not just BPU working to restore power.

Chris Morrison/KSHB 41

Surrounding cities have sent crews to help, and that teamwork has been crucial in the aftermath of the storm — especially with Friday marking day three without power for thousands of residents.

Utility response

The KCK Board of Public Utilities started Friday with over 7,000 power outages, hitting parts of KCK's northeast neighborhood particularly hard.

A BPU spokesperson confirmed multiple mutual-aid partners are helping restore power, including about 30 crews from Capital Electric.

Mutual-aid crews include:

• City of Augusta Utilities
• City of Ottawa Utilities
• City of Pratt Utilities
• City of Winfield Utilities
• City of Coffeyville Utilities
• McPherson Board of Public Utilities

As of Friday evening at 5 p.m., the BPU's outage map showed approximately 5,500 outages.

Several downed power lines remain in the area, meaning street crews can't go anywhere until BPU fixes them first.

KCK resident Rodney Washington described the moment the storm hit.

He lives near N 29th and Longwood Avenue.

"It sounded like a big machine overhead,” Washington said.

Washington said a branch landed on his house and damaged his railing.

Chris Morrison/KSHB 41

He wasted no time clearing his yard, and he expects public works and the power company to move just as fast.

"Get on the job. Do the job and finish it, don't milk it,” Washington said.

Unified Government's response

The Unified Government said its Street Division crews have been working 12-hour shifts since Wednesday to clean up the mess.

The division has 46 employees, and their priority has been opening streets so emergency services and BPU can reach residents without power.

Dewayne Smith, street division manager for the Unified Government, described the scene after the storm.

Chris Morrison/KSHB 41

"Pretty chaotic,” Smith said. “We had a lot of vegetation down, a lot of streets were blocked. A lot of power lines down, so it's pretty stressful."

Smith said staffing remains a challenge.

"We're still heavily understaffed, severely understaffed, but like I said, we're trying to do the best we can," Smith said.

He explained why it has taken days to clear streets.

"When vegetation falls and power lines are involved, we have to assess the situation first,” Smith said. “We have to make sure that what we're going into is not going to be harmful to us, as well trying to provide the level of service. So, it takes time for us to get around to these different areas, documenting where the areas are, then deploying staff out there to attack."

Street crews must wait for BPU to move downed power lines before they can clear the streets.

BPU said there is significant damage, and crews are assessing and restoring multiple areas at the same time.

Smith said the work pulls his team away from their core responsibilities.

"Right now, it's just pretty much all on us,” Smith said. “It takes us away from a lot of the core responsibilities when things like this happen, but when we have to respond as first responders, we're responding."

Smith had a message for residents still struggling.

"We know they're struggling out there, just communicate to us the best you can,” Smith said. “We know that they're struggling out there, we want to help."

Storm waste removal plan

The Unified Government has enacted a storm waste removal plan.

Curbside collection of vegetative debris — including tree branches, limbs, leaves and other organic yard debris — is scheduled for Sept. 8.

Residents must have vegetative debris compiled and moved to the curb by that day.

Nonvegetative debris, such as construction materials, roofing, lumber, fencing, masonry and metals, must be kept separate from vegetative debris.

The UG is unable to collect debris from for-hire businesses such as tree trimming companies.

Community resources

Many residents without power stopped by the Village Initiative's resource hub at North 27th Street and Quindaro Boulevard for food and housing assistance Friday.

The hub has been available since Wednesday. The building itself had power restored Friday morning.

KCK resident Gretta Franklin came to the hub to charge devices and get food for her family.

Chris Morrison/KSHB 41

She described the damage at her home — roof damage, a cracked windshield and fallen trees.

"The next day we woke up like, 'Wow, like everything's tore up.' It looked like a little tornado hit,” Franklin said.

Franklin said the lack of power has made daily life difficult.

"Horrible, it's horrible, ” Franklin said. “And our hot water tank is electric, so we don't get hot water either. It's just like taking forever and it's no air. It's just horrible and we gotta sit in our car to stay cool."

She said the resource hub was a welcome relief.

"This is wonderful,” Franklin said. “Cause it's a lot of kids in the neighborhood, and we don't have electricity, so we can't cook, so that's nice."

KCK resident Maria Castillo found out about the hub through Facebook.

Chris Morrison/KSHB 41

A downed power line is blocking her front door, and the Village Initiative helped her secure a hotel for the weekend.

"The people's light cable is blocking my front door, so I'm glad they helped me with a weekend hotel,” Castillo said.

Castillo described what she recalled from the storm.

"The big ole hail, like golf-sized hail falling down, and the trees falling, it was crazy,” Castillo said.

She said she understands the scale of the challenge facing BPU.

"If we could get our power back on, BPU could hurry up, but I understand there's so many people without power,” Castillo said.

Castillo said she is taking the situation one day at a time.

"Just one step at a time,” Castillo said.

Answering the call

Randy George, co-founder and executive director of the Village Initiative, said the organization's food pantry serves 150 to 200 people every other Wednesday.

He said the storm response is an extension of that mission.

"For the community to come together, that's powerful,” George said. “We're in a food desert. So, to help the community, children, school has been out for three days, without those meals, it's valuable for us to help."

George said the need in the community existed long before the storm.

"We have a great desire to serve this community,” George said. “We feel even before the storm, it's an underserved community, and our mission is focused on serving those that have so many barriers."

Chris Morrison/KSHB 41

Kiddy Hiruy, program director for the Village Initiative, said the outages have taken a significant toll on families.

"With the power out, the food in the refrigerator is no longer good for the families, their children, so it really is a blessing for the community to come together,” Hiruy said.

Hiruy said the hub's expansion during the storm is a natural fit.

"We're already the hub for food for our community, so this is just an extension,” Hiruy said.

Weekend outreach efforts

The UG, in partnership with Justice for Wyandotte, the Village Initiative, Avenue of Life, the American Red Cross and other community agencies, is seeking volunteers to support storm response and cleanup efforts.

Individuals or groups of 15 or fewer can show up at the Village Initiative, located at 3004 N. 27th St. in KCK, or sign up online. Volunteer hours are from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Skilled laborers and groups of 15 or more should check in at the Volunteer Reception Center at the Kensington Community Center, located at 2900 State Ave. in KCK, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Volunteers may be needed for debris clearing, food and supply distribution, cleanup and recovery activities, supporting shelters and assistance centers, checking on vulnerable residents, and sorting donated supplies.

Donations of the below items can be dropped off at the Village Initiative.:

• Bottled water
• Ready-to-eat and nonperishable food
• Heavy-duty work gloves and safety glasses
• Contractor trash and debris bags
• Tarps
• Flashlights
• Batteries
• Phone power banks and charging stations
• First-aid kits
• Coolers and ice

Additional resources

As of Friday, Northeast KCK residents have another option for resources at Strangers Rest Baptist Church at 2052 N. Fifth St.

The American Red Cross shelter has been offering meals, snacks and places to sleep for displaced residents.

It has been operating out of the Earl Watson Community Center, located at 2210 Central Ave.

Ways to report and remove debris

The UG's Street Division is asking residents to keep reporting downed lines and debris to 311 — that is how crews know where to go.

Residents should not touch or go near downed power lines.

Residents can also take debris to the Recycling & Yard Waste Center at 3241 Park Drive. Hours have been extended for three months.:

• 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday through Friday
• 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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