BELLBROOK -- It was not a fun seven to 12 days, unless you really like camping.

The last Bellbrook residents without power came back on line Friday, Sept. 26 -- a whopping 12 days after the windstorm connected to Hurricane Ike ravaged the Miami Valley.

Bellbrook Fire Chief Scott Hall said the last large section of homes to regain power was on Tareyton, Kensington and Fowler drives in the northwest part of the city.

Those homes got power last Wednesday night, and a handful of homes with individual problems came on in the following two days.

"Most people handled it well," Hall said. "Some people realized that preparing for an emergency in your home might be a good idea. The folks at www.ready.gov know what they're talking about."

Acting City Manager Mike Puckett said the total number of customers without power dropped from roughly 80 last Wednesday, to 40 on Thursday before the final homes were lit.

Bellbrook was buzzing with activity in those days, as trucks from Dayton Power and Light, Asplundh, Time Warner Cable, Connecticut Light and Power, AT&T and others clogged Franklin Street as they fanned out into the city.

Hall said his fire crews were settling back into their routines.

"I think they're all happy to be back to normal, although we don't get much of a break," he said. "(This) week we're in the schools, talking to all the kids, and then it rolls into fire prevention week Oct. 5-11."

City service crews continued to pick up curbside brush less than 10 feet in length and 10 inches in diameter.

The Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Park District also suffered damage. Downed trees were cleaned up immediately at Bellbrock Park, which Director Jeff Stewart said looked like a war zone after the storm.

Stewart said Petrikis Park lost six Bradford Pear trees, and Magee Park was closed for several days due to heavy tree loss and power line problems. The parks don't own a chipper, so Stewart was trying to work channels last week to get one.

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