MONTICELLO, FL (WTXL) -- Floridians, including those in the Big Bend, expected to lose power Because of Hurricane Irma, and they did, although it's not always easy living without it.
"But they're just things you learn to do," says Jack Carswell, a resident of Monticello. "Like I said, I had coffee. I made coffee prior to and heated it up."
Many businesses and residents within small rural communities much like Monticello are still without power. However, that will hopefully be changing soon.
"We were advising our members to prepare for that, for seven to ten days," explains Kaitlynn Culpepper the Community Relations Specialist at Tri-County Electric Co-op. "We are inline with that. restoration progress. Right now, we're hoping to be significantly complete by Sunday evening.
Although Tri-County Electric Cooperative serves Madison, Taylor, and Jefferson counties, those in Monticello receive their electricity from another company. It's estimated that power there should be fully restored by the end of the weekend. Until then, Monticello residents will continue helping each other through these times.
"One the benefits of a small town is how many people call and check on you and see if you're ok, if you need anything," says Carswell. "There's a real sense of community in Monticello."
And it's that sense of community that is helping the residents cope with the clean up from Irma, and living without power.
The Tri-County Electric Cooperative estimates that there was nearly 16,000 customers without power immediately after Hurricane Irma. As of Wednesday Afternoon, it's estimated that about 6,000 customers were still without power.
