Imagine being without electricity...

Susan Louise · ‎03-14-2010

and having no clue as to when it will be turned on...will it be in just a few days? weeks? or months? What would you do if you have no clue and nobody could give you a rough timeline?

I mean, it's not like you can just get a deli number...

I'm just thinking of all the folks that left to be safe (I praise them). But then I think of all the things they will face when going home. Even for those with not much damage, 'roughing it' without the basic comforts is a shock to the system for more than just a few days.

Everything in the fridge/freezer needs to be thrown out, no air conditioning, and in most cases no water.

Well, if 70-75% of the entire state is in the same boat, finding the 25-30% of anything that has electricity is surely a major stress factor to just get the basics.

I know for me, I would keep busy cleaning up debris and would be grateful for the books we have for at least a way to keep busy without tv/entertained.

Then I think of those who go from being at a place with all the comforts of being able to take a hot shower, food electricity several miles away then to go home and you can't do anything. Would you try and go back to where you were or just say at home in the dark unknown situation?

So, what would be your plan of action?

brandiwine · ‎03-11-2010

Being without power is inconveient, but nothing like being flooded or losing everything. May all those affected by recent hurricanes and earthquakes feel the support of those who can only send donations and prayers.

SahmIam · ‎04-16-2010

Been through that. It was on the 8th day that the power went on. Even the power company had no idea when power would be restored.

Not fun.

SeaMaiden · ‎03-10-2010

We were out for 4 days after a winter storm about 15 years ago......IT WAS AWFUL.

We were so cold and just sat there in the dark each night with lousy flash lights.....I was ready to do something desperate by the fourth day of no electricity. Can not even imagine 2 weeks. The only MAYBE positive thing was that I was able to put my milk and refrigerator foods out side in the snow to keep them fresh.

At least the Floridian's will not be cold....but being hot is no better when you have no fans etc.... I feel so bad for them all and hope the juice comes back on soon for them.

Venezia · ‎03-09-2010

I live in New England and we have hard winters. The first thing I did, when we built this house, was to buy a portable generator and have a dedicated electrical panel put in, just for that.

We've lost power so many times, I've lost count. The worst was for about 10 days - and in sub-zero temperatures, you need to be able to keep your house warm and your water and fridge/freezer running.

You plan ahead. You make sure you have enough gas to run the generator and you run it just long enough to keep things going, then switch it off. It's a continual cycle until power is restored.

During some storms around here, people have been without power for three weeks at a time. It's no good waiting till something like that happens to try to do something, because everyone else is out trying to buy a generator and gas, etc.. Plan ahead!

(ETA: And being without power in a NE winter isn't just inconvenient. If your home freezes, your pipes burst, flooding your home and that's just the start of your problems.)

"" A little learning is a dangerous thing."-Alexander Pope

Othereeeen · ‎03-13-2010

If it's City water, they will have water and toilet use..

Now if it's a well with a pump, you're out of luck on both counts.

Gas stove will probably work, electric one won't.

AC and fridge...nope....

Know what I couldn't stand? The thought ( and use) of the rest rooms in those "Shelters"......and no hot shower for days on end....

Would rather ride out the storm. I know it's silly, but EWWWWWWW.......

I was thinking today that if I had a "go bag" to grab in case I DID have to use a shelter, it would include spray Lysol, my own TP, and maybe even toilet seat liners which you can buy on Amazon.

More important than batteries in my opinion!!!!

They show a lot of the downtown cities on TeeVee...they seem to have come thru OK...it's the homes and residential areas that are hardest hit....No underground wires, trees down all over, damage to homes and flooding.....Terrible mess....

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

I'm not imagining. I have none.

santorini · ‎03-09-2010

It just happened to me for a few days (Harvey) and 11 days after Ike. I was miserable but we survived. We literally clapped and cheered when we finally saw the electric company repair truck rolling down our streets. A lot of us happened to be out in the streets talking to each other when we saw the truck. They laughed at us but maybe it made them feel good.