FOX POINT — A Fox Point family spent a harrowing weekend battling a power outage that lasted more than 30 hours, a flooded basement and a carbon monoxide scare after a storm brought rain and snow to the area.
The Schiff family lost power around 2 a.m. Sunday as rain moved through the area and later turned to snow. With no heat, the family slept next to their fireplace to stay warm.
"Am I going to wake up with water everywhere in the morning? Are the pipes going to freeze? What's going to happen?" Sari Schiff said.
Even with the fireplace, the family struggled to stay comfortable.
"It's keeping the house a little warm and other places warm enough to go to the bathroom and other places. But it's cold in here," Schiff said.
Watch: Fox Point family endures flooded basement, carbon monoxide scare and 30-hour power outage
Schiff and her daughter Charlotte bundled up to get through the night.
"Charlotte and I both slept in our winter jackets and multiple blankets. My husband just slept in a blanket," Schiff said.
We Energies said the outage was caused by trees falling on wires. Crews were working near Dean Road and Allen Lane. Power was restored Monday afternoon.
The outage prompted Schiff to call on the utility to take a more proactive approach to infrastructure.
"At some point, bury the lines. Clean up the trees. We pay money in our electric bill and our gas bill so that they maintain stuff," Schiff said.
The power outage also knocked out the family's sump pump just as heavy rain was moving through the area, leaving their basement with standing water.
"There was two inches. Like my dad got his feet soaked, his shoes soaked," Charlotte Schiff said.
The family now faces a significant cleanup.
"We're going to sanitize the whole place, make sure there is no mold, we're gonna clean it up, and we're going to have to throw stuff out, sadly," Charlotte said.
The trouble did not stop there. The family's generator released carbon monoxide into their home due to high winds, triggering a response from emergency crews.
"So now I have the alarm company calling us, Fox Point police person knocking on my door making sure we're alive, and a fire truck sitting in my driveway with four firemen telling me I have to leave my house," Sari Schiff said.
Despite the ordeal, the family said the experience offered a moment of perspective.
"It's kind of like a small little nightmare, but it's also a remembrance of the little things are the big things," Schiff said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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