Agencies in the Tri-Cities available to assist with energy bills

BY JULIE BUCHANAN
STAFF WRITER, The Progress-Index
01/22/2007

Although the cause of the fire that killed three members of the Hazer family in Petersburg is still under investigation, the tragedy raises questions about the dangers of living in a house without electricity.


Fire officials have said the rental house at 454 Harrison St. had no electric service at the time of the fire. The electric meter had been removed from the house, according to Petersburg Bureau of Fire Division Chief T.C. Hairston.

The Hazers had been lighting their home with candles and heating it with kerosene heaters, Fire Marshal Charlie Moore said.

Throughout Virginia and in the Tri-Cities, there are a number of energy-assistance programs that can help customers on a limited income pay their electric bills.

It is estimated that 30 million families across the country qualify for federal energy assistance, according to the National Fuel Funds Network. But in Fiscal Year 2006, only 5.7 million received heating assistance, and about 485,000 received cooling assistance.

The hardship of paying for electricity has worsened in recent years, said George Coling, executive director of the NFFN.

“Demand [for energy] is going up and poverty is going up, or, at best, remaining the same,” he said. “And energy prices have gone up.”

The government, the Salvation Army and Dominion Virginia Power are just a few entities that can provide aid. Local churches and nonprofit organizations also have funds to help.

“We get a lot of calls [for energy assistance],” said Kim Robertson, health and safety coordinator for the Southside Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, headquartered in Petersburg. “It’s constant. To me, it seems like a continuing thing.”

The Red Cross typically refers callers to the United Way or the 2-1-1 VIRGINIA human services hotline, Robertson said. Many are also seeking assistance with other utility bills or rent.

“We need more programs as far as community-based programs that can help these people,” she said “... Even though we wish we could help them, we just don’t have the funding.”

The Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Alliance for Social Ministry helps residents in the two localities with unexpected financial emergencies.

CCHASM receives about 300 requests each month for assistance, executive director Cathy Stevens said. Needs range from help with utility bills and rent payments to money for medication.

The alliance also operates a food pantry that can offset a client’s expenses so they can pay utilities or rent.

However, CCHASM is not designed to help people who are in chronic financial need, Stevens said. Clients must first be screened to determine if they qualify for CCHASM services.

The screening process can take up to two days.

“People will call us today with a cut-off [notice] for tomorrow,” she said. “We can’t work that fast.”

“It would be wonderful if we could work with our heart all the time, but we don’t have the resources.”

The reason why the electric meter was removed from the Hazers’ home has not been made public.

Dominion Virginia Power spokesman David Botkins refused to comment Friday on the circumstances that led to meter removal by the power company. He declined to discuss the Harrison Street fire specifically.

“Dominion has a long history of commitment in working with its customers when it comes to bill payment,” Botkins said. “Customers are provided opportunities for payment amounts of all sorts and are directed to various avenues of financial assistance when necessary.

“Disconnection of service is a complete and total last resort.”

• Julie Buchanan may be reached at 722-5155 or at jbuchanan@progress-index.com.


©The Progress-Index 2007