On this one I think the grumblers (me firsters)need to cut the power companies a break. Imagine the staggering number of people affected by this storm. In little WV alone there were over 700,000 people without power. The state only has about one and a half million people. Ohio was hit hard with millions in the dark, KY, VA, IND, part of IL, N.C. S.C. MD, N.J. and the D.C. area, all the same. That was a massive land hurricane. The wind just took out rows of trees. At one of my churches, it lifted a row of pines and the whole bank on which they grew to leave a gaping trench. It took roofs off and a lot of small buildings. We were without power for almost five days, with no phone service and threats of water being turned off.
You couldn’t go out and eat because all the restaurants were without power too. Same with gas stations. If a station had power, they had lines of cars for hours; people trying to get gas for generators. New generators not to be found for any price.
The whole experience was educational. We learned that we were not as prepared as we thought we were, and what we need to do for the next disaster. With communications down and people with no TV or computer, they came out and formed a neighborhood. We actually talked with one another. In the lines waiting for a seat in any restaurant who happened to have power, people were laughing and having a great time with each other. Perfect strangers exchanging pleasantries. Communitos. My efforts to get hubby to purchase a Generator will now come to fruition. Sleeping with the doors open was not so bad. In all, it has been something that may alert people to what can happen if the SHTF. That’s a good thing. I sure did miss FR though.
“We learned we were not prepared as we thought we were...”
Yes, you are exactly right. Our generator worked fine but I did find that most of the grocery stores did not have generators. You should smell the stink from the rotting produce/meat/etc... behind the shopping centers. I did learn a few things: our generator works approximately 12 hours per tank, you can make do with a window unit provided the doorways are blocked off with thick plastic and small/light meals did fine. I will say this though... I did become concerned for many folks without a generator. One afternoon, the ambulance took residents from neighborhood houses at least four times (that was just on our street). Not for infants or the sick/elderly... but for middle age people. Power outages, IMHO, are a bit easier during the Winter.
Thank you for that!! Tough times actually CAN bring out the best in people.
(And I just put “generator” at the top of my priority purchases.)
Anyone recommend a particular model?
Oil lamps w/oil supply and Coleman lantern w/plenty of cylinders provided light. Loaned out my generator to a couple of neighbors for 2hr stretches each in both the mornings and evenings to keep refrigeration and anything else they wanted it for. I ALWAYS have gasoline on hand. Now that our power is back, my generator is with a friend who has local damage and is waaaay down the list.
Though never a fan of MonPower, formerly Alegheny, IMO they are doing a pretty good job with this one.
SHTF isn’t anywhere close to as likely as more prosaic storm events, yet a lot of people don’t plan for storm events.
It’s still likely that you will have internet after a storm that kills the power. Power for the modem (broadband or otherwise) and computer is usually the only problem. Phone companies have their own power backups. A little car-type inverter can feed a modem and computer unless your computer is a humongous kilowatt gaming unit.