Findlay resident Joe Dorman can joke about not having power for nearly a week, but that's just because he's out of the heat taking refuge at the Red Cross cooling station in Hancock County.
"I was going to go down to the Amish and get a few pointers from them, but I didn't make it," said Dorman.
Dorman's power was restored just before he stopped by for lunch, but his house was still too hot to spend much time in.
"It's been ungodly unbearable-- inside, outside, try to cool off. It's impossible," said Dorman.
The Hancock County Red Cross has maintained either overnight shelters or cooling centers since last Friday's storm.
"We had over 140 overnight stays with us at the shelter, between meals at the shelter and our mobile feeding units in Hancock and Wyandot Counties we've served over 3,800 meals, and we've distributed over 6,000 bottles of water," said Todd James, Executive Director of the Hancock County Red Cross.
The cooling center will be open on Friday as well. However, officials are preparing for where the need will be once power is completely restored.
"That'll be the next phase where we meet individually with homeowners that aren't able to get back into their homes because of the storm damage," said James.
Until then residents can still get some temporary relief and a decent meal.
"You can't even make toast. We have a gas stove so we could light the fire there, but can soup is about all you can eat, and you get tired of eating that," said Joni Hobbs.
AEP officials say additional crews have been sent to Hancock and Putnam Counties now that power has been restored in other parts of the state. They say Western Ohio was hit hard because of the hundreds of transmission structures downed by Friday's high winds.
AEP officials say additional crews have been sent to Hancock and Putnam Counties now that power has been restored in other parts of the state.
