CHARLEROI -- The power flickered on in Michelle Brumley's trailer Tuesday for the first time in days, bringing with it a question: How long will it last?

Persistent power outages were a top concern for many in this hilly, snowbound borough, one of the hardest hit in Washington County, as they prepared for another powerful storm that officials worried could deliver as much as 10 inches by tonight.

"I'm scared to death," said Ms. Brumley, 37, who rushed to the laundromat with piles of clothes, fearing it might be her last chance for a while. "It has been a nightmare."

As many as 18,000 people remained without power throughout the county Tuesday morning, a number that fell as Allegheny Power crews labored to mend downed lines as a second vexing storm joined by gusts of wind threatened to undo their work.

As the first flakes fell, police and firefighters braced themselves for an onslaught of calls.

"If you're facing a once-in-a-century storm, why are you going out in it if you don't need to be?" asked Cpl. Chris Robbins of the state police barracks in Washington.

Piles of snow and chunks of ice still lined the streets, and officials wondered where they would shovel fresh powder.

"Whether it's 4 to 8 inches or 11 to 12, there's no place to put it," said Washington County Commissioner Larry Maggi. A representative from the Pennsylvania Army National Guard was helping community leaders craft a plan to reach out to residents stranded in the county's more remote stretches, he said.

The county opened more than a dozen warming shelters in fire halls and community centers, but most had only a few cots and little food to offer.

"We have a lot of people who are out in areas where people might not have access to them," Washington County Public Safety Director Jeff Yates said. "We want people to check on their neighbors."

Justine Kuhel had already taken in two couples and their dogs, who fled to her home in Charleroi when their power went out.

"We've still got it, I don't know how," said Ms. Kuhel, 54, watching as her husband, Roy, and a team of men used a Bobcat to drag a pickup truck out of a snow drift. "We might not have it by tonight."

Though powerless and without running water since Friday night, Sue Latour, of Fallowfield, helped her neighbors, too.

"One of my neighbors gives me water so I can flush the toilet, and in return I give her kerosene heaters to keep her warm," he said.

Allegheny Power expected total restoration by Thursday, according to its website.

The back-to-back storms posed a number of other health and safety risks.

Water disruptions due to the heavy snow persisted for customers of several public water suppliers, especially in Washington and Greene counties, the state Department of Environmental Protection said. Customers should boil water for at least a minute before drinking or using it for cooking once water service is restored, the DEP said.

Outside the Charleroi Fire Department, a firefighter and a paramedic swapped stories of daring rescues. They said they used a quad to pull people from their homes more than once in recent days, and found a woman suffering from hypothermia after refusing to leave her subfreezing home.

Residents of a care home on Crane Avenue had been relying on heat from a generator since the weekend. If used improperly, officials warned, generators can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.

"No one would go down to the heating shelters," said Savannah Chamberlain, 23, who lives across the street. "They wouldn't budge."

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