Published: June 22, 2008 09:02 pm      

Free fans can help Southwest Virginia seniors beat the heat

RICHLANDS, Va. — Help is now available to senior citizens and other residents across Southwest Virginia hoping to beat the heat.

Dominion Virginia Power is expanding its long-running fan care program to Southwest Virginia. The program is designed to help eligible residents combat the heat of summer by providing free fans, according to a company press release.

The program, which is entering its 18th year, is a part of the company’s overall EnergyShare program funded by Dominion. It is administered through the Virginia Department for the Aging, and fans are supplied at a discount by Wal-Mart. The Fan Care program distributes more than 1,400 fans each year.

Locally, the screening and distribution of fans will be conducted by the Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens in Cedar Bluff. The agency serves Tazewell, Buchanan, Dickenson and Russell counties. The District Three Senior Services program in Marion will serve Bland and Wythe counties.

Southwest Virginia was added to the program because Dominion is planning to build and operate a 585-megawatt clean-coal power station in Wise County.

The Tazewell County Department of Social Services also is now accepting applications through its cooling assistance program. As part of the Energy Assistance Program, assistance is available to households that include children under the age of 6, a disabled individual or an adult age 60 or over who meet income and eligibility requirements, according to a DSS press release.

The cooling assistance program can be used to assist families and individuals with:

• The payment of electric bills up to $150 to operate cooling equipment.

• The payment of security deposits for electricity to operate cooling equipment.

• The repair of a central air-conditioning system or heat pump.

• The purchase of a whole-house fan, including ceiling or attic fans.

• The purchase or installation of a one window unit air conditioner for households without one or those with one that needs to be replaced.