Price of heating oil hits record high in NC

www.heraldtribune.com The Associated Press

When weather forecasters call for ice and snow, Randy Hayes knows he will be busy. Hayes, a delivery driver for Quality Oil Co., Hayes crisscrossed southern Winston-Salem on Wednesday, topping off tanks with home heating oil. "We're just like the grocery store," he said. "Whenever there's going to be bad weather, we get a lot of business." As with other petroleum products, the price of heating oil has risen dramatically in recent months. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average price in North Carolina was $1.52 a gallon, a 49 percent jump from a year ago and a new high for the state. The increased cost for oil has strained household budgets, especially for those living on fixed incomes. "I just get Social Security," said Betty Robbins, who had her tank filled by Hayes. "I've spent a lot more on oil this winter because of the storms, and the price just keeps going up." Officials said that the increase is the result of higher demand for fuel oil during the unusually harsh winter, a prolonged strike in Venezuela and uncertainty about war in Iraq. The high cost of oil has drained the resources of agencies that help those who can't pay their heating bills. "We're helping as many people as we can," said Jim Campbell, the emergency-assistance coordinator for the Forsyth County Department of Social Services. "We're getting about twice as many calls as last year." Campbell said that during a cold week, his office has processed about 120 applications for heating assistance each day. Because of increased fuel costs, the department can only afford to pay for about 100 gallons of heating oil or kerosene for each family, roughly a one-month supply. Information from: Winston-Salem Journal