On Sunday, September 14, the remnants of Hurricane Ike swept through Kentuckiana and teamed up with a cold front crossing the Mississippi Valley region to create a phenomenon of air pressure that brought up to 90-mph winds through parts of Kentucky.
One of the hardest hit was the St. Matthews area of Louisville, where Louisville Seminary is located. The air mass left in its wake more than half of a million people without power. Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear declared a state of emergency, saying it was the worse power outage on record in the Commonwealth.
By midweek, more than 200,000 LG&E customers and businesses were still without power. Reports from city officials confirmed that more than 400 power poles were damaged and more than 6,000 lines were down. On the Seminary campus, 30 trees were damaged or felled by the strong winds. Two thirds of the public schools did not have power, and schools were closed for the entire week. Likewise, President Dean Thompson and Seminary Dean David Hester closed the Seminary campus for the rest of the week, which enabled students who could to wait out the blackout in more comfortable accommodations.
Some students and their families, about 60 people, remained on the campus. With the aid of generators, the campus Facilities Department provided an ability to keep some food cold, a place where showers were possible, and an opportunity to recharge medical equipment and mobile phones. The President, Dean, and other members of the faculty and administration brought evening meals and remained in contact with campus residents.
Later reports from city officials predicted that some customers’ electricity would not be restored for 10 to 14 days. In light of the report, Thompson and Hester announced a contingency plan that would enable students to return to their classes the following week, with or without power on the campus. On Monday, September 22, classes were held at Fourth Avenue United Methodist Church, located in downtown Louisville. Shortly after 10 p.m. on Monday evening, campus residents streamed out of their apartments in celebration as electricity was restored.
President Thompson expressed gratitude for the Facilities Department and their diligence in removing extensive debris on the campus and for providing residents with safe and comfortable spaces during the aftermath of the storm. Thompson also spoke about numerous calls he received from Seminary constituents who offered assistance, support, and their prayers for the Seminary during this time.
Communications note: The nine-day blackout shut down all electrical systems housed on the Seminary’s campus, impacting the main switchboard and e-mail server. E-mails sent to Louisville Seminary addresses September 14 – 23 may not have reached their destination, and individuals may want to send them again. The Seminary’s Web site, which is hosted off campus, was in continual service. Updates posted during the blackout are available at www.lpts.edu.
