A new report said more needs to be done to prepare for storm damage in the Pittsburgh area. Last spring, people lost their power for up to 10 days after trees and power lines were knocked down.

The idea of this Public Utility Commission report was to examine why the lights were off for as long as they were across the Pittsburgh region, and what can be done to see if they can be back on a little quicker next time.

Almost 680,000 customers were without power after the winds ripped through our area last April. Its 170-page-plus report had 25 findings and 10 recommendations, including thinking bigger for storm readiness.

"Not only what you need for the storms we can imagine but also for the storms we haven't yet imagined," Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission press secretary Nils Hagen-Frederiksen said.

According to the PUC, it took up to 10 days to get everything restored. That's on par with restoration efforts associated with Hurricane Sandy. 

State Rep. Abigail Salisbury said in her district, which includes parts of the Mon Valley, there were people without food and ways to power medical devices. She had been critical of the response by utility companies.

"We really are not prepared for these large-scale storm events," Rep. Salisbury (D) said.

The state lawmaker saw the report and feels it understates some of the issues. Findings from the PUC include 10% of calls to Duquesne Light going unanswered or having inaccurate estimated restoration times, something the PUC says should be addressed.

"That was a point of concern for the residents. Certainly, that was a point of concern for the utilities," Hagen-Frederiksen said.

Rep. Salsibury said there needs to be better communication between first responders, along with power restoration. According to her, this report points out the needs, but companies need better logistics and resources because not everyone has the means to be prepared for emergencies.

"There are some people for whom it is just not possible, and that doesn't even begin to touch on the people who have very serious medical conditions," Rep. Salisbury said at her Braddock office.

In statements, both West Penn Power and Duquesne Light say they are working to improve storm preparedness techniques. Duquesne Light added that much of the report aligned with their review back in September. They are upgrading technology and investing in training.

The full report can be found here.