Before he or she died, the squirrel had curtailed water service, shut off electricity, and forced the closing of schools in two area districts.
In all, more than a thousand utility customers were affected. The squirrel, sorry to say, got into a power substation in Big Sandy, about 100 miles east of Dallas, and did what rodents do: gnawed on the lines, a fatal mistake.
KLTV in Tyler, KWTX in Waco, KRIS in Corpus Christi and KXXV in Waco all told this story.
The media carries these items regularly, only the datelines change. In November of last year, the story played out in Ashland, Wisconsin, where two squirrels were killed along with the power. And Christmas morning was darkened in Chico, Calif., by yet another squirrel. Last month, it was Kennebunk, Maine.
One would think the utility companies might have caught on by now. If they don't care to avoid squirrel electrocutions (and presumably they don't) they might want to consider squirrel-proofing their facilities and even some of their power lines anyway. I am told there are actually such devices as "squirrel guards." Yes, it's a humane gesture and probably an expensive one at that, at least to outfit a good chunk of a power system, but on the up side of the equation, it would certainly help keep the lights on more often, thus bring a steadier and happier glow to their customers.
Yes and to us squirrel-lovers too.
7 comments:
Orson Swells!! Oh that is too perfect! (And yes, a large squirrel hiney is surely a sight to behold, as well as to be-HIND!)
I wonder if Orson Swells likes a little Paul Masson with his walnuts. As the commercial used to say: "We will crack no nuts before their time."
"Squirrel Proofing"? A great idea but is it really possible. Can anything really keep the intelligent rodent out?
I am reminded about this saying, "Nothing is fool-proof cause it turns out the fools can be quite ingenious."
Ooops. Meant to comment on the Orson Swells squirrel. I had a fat young squirrel in my backyard circus once who actually sits on his bum instead of his haunches. My wife said he looked like a statue of a prosperous Buddha. I wanter to say that he looked like a Ball of Fur but it came out of my mouth as Bur. He was thus named, "Buddha-Bur".
You got me there, LGS. I'm remembering that I myself once described "squirrel proof" as a contradiction in terms.
It's hard to squirrel-proof anything for the long run. Those wily fuzzytails are ingenious.
Why fret because a system (i.e., squirrel proofing) won't be 100% effective?
Consider traffic lights and how many people run them and the accidents caused. Think how worse it would be without a traffic light system.
If squirrel proofing helps, then it's a blessing.
--Chet
Right you are on that, Chet. I think I am still somehow seeking perfection in an imperfect world and well, that just isn't going to happen in my lifetime. So let's go for the best life-saving percentages we can.
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