This affects almost everybody around me. I am fortunate in that I am at my boyfriend’s house and not affected. My fish froze to death, though. There are shelters up everywhere and the entire city and county is dark. Looters are breaking in to stores and homes everywhere and there is general chaos. One estimate from the utilities company said two weeks or more until power is restored, and unknown numbers of people have died.
I thought you guys might want to know what is happening. Even the mail is not running and there are no more groceries because the few stores that now have power had to throw away what they had when the electricity went out.`
Yep. I’m fine. There are people dying from the below freezing cold, but not as many as there could be because the newer buildings and parts of the county have power. Even the Dollar General was broken in to and now has particle board all over its windows because the looters broke out the windows. When I am able to return to my apartment I will post pictures of the destruction.
I went through a five day blackout a few years back in the Montreal ice storm. Luckily, my apartment at the time was old and still had a gas stove and a gas heater, both elderly enough to have pilot lights rather than electric ignition systems. I ended up with 20 of my closest friends crashing on my floor for a few nights.
It’s tough to be without power for an extended period in sub-freezing weather. Unless you drain the toilets and water pipes in the house, the pipes will burst, that is unless you can get some heat into the house. Most modern homes require electricity for nearly everything. A few years ago we had a similar ice storm that affected a large part of the state where my father was living. I had to drive across the state to rescue him in the middle of the night. It was scary driving into the woods with all of the ice in the trees overhead. My dad, who was in his late 80’s at the time, was glad to see me coming up the drive. He stayed with me for the next two weeks while the power was slowly restored over the grid.
With regard to the looting that occurs when an event like an ice storm disrupts the normal flow of everyday living, I am concerned that we may see more of this when millions of people are without work and there are no good prospects of finding a new job. In our society you need an income or some savings in order to survive. I hate to hear reports like the one I heard last week where an elderly Michigan man froze to death in his home because the power company disconnected his power when he couldn’t pay the bill. Without a reasonable safety net otherwise upright citizens might be tempted to steal in order to keep the heat on in their homes or some food on the table to feed their families.They don’t want to wait weeks or months for federal assistance; they need help tonight.
Last year my in-laws decided they were too old to hassle with a gasoline powered generator every time the electricity went out during the winter at their up state NY house
so they invested in a natural gas powered generator. That’s an option for folks who live in town.
I guess its times like this that solar and geothermal power starts to appear more a necessity to the multitudes.
Out in the country, far away from city water, people are dependent on their own water wells, pumped by an electrical pump. Without electricity the water in the house will not trickle very long.
I have a sad tale to tell of the house where I grew up as a kid. My parents bought in new in 1955, and for the next 50 years it was well-maintained by my parents. When my father passed away a few years ago, I finally sold the house to a middle-aged man and his mother. Evidently it was one of those sub-prime loans, and just this year the buyers abandoned the house leaving it without care in the middle of the winter. I understand a bank in another state holds the mortgage. When I visited neighbors recently, I saw that there was water all around the house. Evidently, the propane to run the furnace had become depleated, and the pipes had frozen and burst. Without anyone to look after the house, the water pump kept running and pumping water. It wasn’t until several days later that the county Sherrif had the authority to turn off the water. Like I said before, it is a sad story to think of an abandoned house, especially one that brings back so many pleasant memories.
Yep. Six weeks is the “conservative estimate” according to the radio station. That includes my apartment. Charlene, I am unsure how my mice are – my building was evacuated and nobody is allowed back until things get better. I have a way to sneak in and feed them though. Roads are blocked off but I don’t have a car, so I walk everywhere. As long as you’re walking you can still go anywhere as long as you’re careful.
Another house was broken into last night and a bunch of stuff stolen. This is really extraordinary. It feels like Katrina, on a smaller more local scale.
You’re welcome. I have a friend whose family lives in Clarkson, KY, and she hasn’t been able to contact them since last Tuesday. Nobody knows if they’re safe, alive, dead, or what. There have been word-of-mouth reports of trees falling on trailers and killing people. In some parts of the state there is restored electricity (such as my boyfriend’s house, where I am now) but in more rural places and on older streets with older power technology (where I live) it is completely dark and indoors is the same temperature as outdoors.
A further update: I heard today from Mr. B. Smith of the Richmond Register newspaper who said re: when the power will come back “your guess is as good as anybody’s.” We’ve had a boil water advisory but we can’t boil OR get water from the pipes! Hah!
Has anybody heard from James? I know Arkansas was hit by the ice, too…
