I live outside of Buffalo NY and last week Thursday we lost power due to a freak snow storm. The snow was so heavy on trees that hadn’t lost their leaves yet that all the tree limbs broke, lines came down roofs caved in, it looks like a war zone. We are still without power, all the trees on my property are gone, no cable, no phone. This is the first time I have had internet access in a week! (talk about withdrawls) They are slowly restoring electricity, but our area was hardest hit and last to come on line. I was very excited to see power at work! I have learned alot. First thing I have learned is to be grateful for what I had in my preps, a propane stove, lots of flashlights, fresh water (there was a ban on drinking water, because the water treatment plants lost electricity) but I hadn’t addressed my electrical needs and there were no generators to be had for a 500 mile radius! My chief concern wasn’t the computer or refrigerator but our sump pump. With the snow melting and the rain that has followed, our basement was in danger of flooding, luckily my friend had an inverter that he lent us and we have remained dry, but the majority of folks in western NY have flooded basements. And D cell batteries…there were NOT enough of those around here! What I miss the most is the ability to bake something and the news, not local news from the radio but national news, I didn’t know there was an earthquake in Hawaii! I feel very secluded and now that I am back online at work I have been devouring news and information that I have missed in the past week. The people here for the most part have been generous and kind. My level of frustration is growing, but only because it seems that everyone else has power except us. The boys are now at their grandmothers, who has power and heat and cartoon network, but before they left, we had played Uno, eaten ice cream for dinner , grilled up meat on the grill and talked a whole lot. My 11 year old said “Mom, you always say that things happen for a reason, why did this happen?” He made me think, I think that it brought us closer, made us grateful for what we did have and made us aware of what we needed to prep for any future disasters be it snow storms or bird flu. So I am still waiting for those power crews to come by, but with this board and all I learned from it, my has been made just a little bit easier.
MissBliss:
You’ve got friends from the hurricane zone! Except we sweat while you’re shivering. The way the power comes back on—well—it tests you. Stay calm, thank the power crews, offer them anything you have access to hot chocolate etc it will make you feel better. I came back after seven days without power amazed the world went on without us. Being prepared, gives you a comfort zone. Glad you’re able to visit for a while and share your observations, hope tonight’s the night you get the electricity back in your life!
THANK YOU!!!!!!! This is the kind of commenting I Love. As a Mom of a 12,7,5 year olds I tend to think preps are food and crayons I have to get after my husband about the generator and stock up on Batteries and garage stuff. Thank you for your post.
Fema is already getting critiqued. Even the usual efficient removal of snow has been hampered. They say it won’t be better until next week.Hopefully they won’t get clobbered again.
Miss Bliss, every message that we get like this. that shows the usefullness of preps in “real” life, helps persuade those who are hesitating about beginning to prepare to get busy. Thanks!
Now picture the same scenario during a pandemic with no power crews or materials available for a fix.
Your kids are right.
It did happen for a reason.
You just had a “real life test” and now know where the holes are in your preparations.
Thanks for your kind words…power is back up and running. It was over a week without power. What surprised me most was the temperments of folks this weekend. Now that the power hase been restored, people were in a hurry to restock friges, catch up on halloween preparations, clean up their yards and get back to life as “normal”. But it was every “man” for himself, tempers were short, everyone had had just about enough. It isn’t normal, and it won’t be normal for awhile. It will be weeks or months before all the clean up has happened (just hope they can clean it up before any more snow flies) I think that it is something that we need to be aware of when bird flu has finally run it’s course, as much as we want it, life will not be the same.
Cortosil or Cortisol or whatever it is….you know the ad about weight loss and stress? That ad that’s a stress-maker all on it’s own? It’s the flight or fight trigger.
I remember reading a report about the people in Red Cross shelters after the big east coast snow storm in the 90′s that paralyzed the entire east coast of the USA and Canada, and it said that everyone’s cortisol levels were elevated, but the longer they stayed in shelters or housed with family they weren’t used to being around, the higher the levels rose, meaning the more stressed they were (well, duh…).
But what struck me the most was that the people had extremely high levels even 6 months later!!! So just ‘cause the emergency is over, in no way means people get back to normal anytime soon. And the high levels mean they’re not as afraid to pick fights—Cortisol IS the flight or FIGHT trigger.
I think that snowstorm was the one where dh and I were trapped in our house with two toddlers for two weeks without power. I don’t think my cortisol levels ever went back down :−0
get vind-up a world radio. BBC international broadcast are the best way to feel “conected” with the globe :)
(“I don’t think my cortisol levels ever went back down” Aha! They’re supposed to go back down?)
(With my local authorities wasting the past 12 months not telling the public how to prepare their households to cope without fed/state/mutual help for a whole Pandemic Influenza Year, and only about to start telling them to Wash their Hands and Volunteer to Show Up during a Pandemic , I’m supposed to feel safe and let my cortisol levels go back down???)
=:-/
One day at a time, MissBliss, (and, I hope people will get better prepared; lotta Winter yet).
Miss B - would you say more about the water situation?
You said there was a ban on drinking water. Was it a ‘boil water for drinking’ order? Without power, many/most would be unable to boil water. What did others (the non-prepped) do?
Did you use tap water for some things, and stored water for drinking and cooking? Or stored water for everything?
(Another reason to keep stored water handy NOW instead of waiting “till it is closer.”)
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Miss Bliss — I also wanted to ask you more about the water. How long was the boil water alert for?
(crfullmoon — the stuff you put in parentheses is the best stuff of all!) (-:
for those who want to read a little more — looks like it was QUITE a storm!
http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20061017/1066405.asp
and earlier
http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20061014/1041918.asp
The second article mentiones the “boil water” alert and the fact that some local community’s water tanks hold a “3 day supply” of water. Interesting, I just find myself perking up and making note of all sorts of information these days!
Miss Bliss, Like Leo7 said you have friends down on the coast where katrina hit.Afterthe third day with no power it started to gat scary for us.all the food in the fridge had to be cooked or eaten right away.Then after day 4 all the food we had frozen in the deep freeze had to be cooked or eaten or just tossed away.Our gas grille was going 24/7 to try an extent the life of some of our meats and fish.We got Ice from the army and red cross but ice just keeps things cool.Our water was down for 10 days with an order to boil before useing.But as you might remember gasoline was in short supply so driving to the drop off points got scary too.So what we dii was get a neighbors truck went to everyones house see what they needed and made one trip for everyone and saved on the gas.I am gald to hear you guys made it ok.I leanred a major lesson we now store lots of gasoline in our back shed 100 ft from the house and will ventilated and we also now have 2 6000 watt genees among other things.I will try to never get in that bad situtation again I have 4 small children and a great wife to try and protect.We learned so much from that storm.And yes we see thing alot differently now.Life has changed for us we are better prepared.Hang tough your rough season (winter) has just started.Remember we will all be here for you.May God bless you and your family
blackbird – at 12:29 Miss B - would you say more about the water situation?
Average Concerned Mom – at 13:16 Miss Bliss — I also wanted to ask you more about the water. How long was the boil water alert for?
We had to boil water for a full 4 minutes before use. They told us not to use water to wash dishes because the bacteria could linger on the dishes. I boiled water on my propane stove for dishes and used bottled water for drinking, brushing teeth and cleaning ourselves. When I couldn’t stand sponge baths anymore, I did take a shower, but didn’t get my face wet, I know I should have been more careful, but a hot shower in the midst of things was something I really needed (no ill consequenses). As for those without power sources, I am not sure what they did to boil water, but the store shelves were void of all things water. I am very thankful that I had quite a water supply at the ready, but I did have to go to the store for my diet coke addiction, one thing I am sure I will have to lose when TSHTF! LOL! The ban lasted 4 days, but the interesting thing was that there were so many reports from different sources as to when you could start using water again that we were all confused. The county would say okay to use the water then the health department would say we never said okay, then the individual cities were posting their own bans, it was very disorganized. But we made it through! The clean up continues, my boys are enjoying watching the huge machines clear the trees and debris from the yards! And school started again (yeah says mom!) Thanks again everyone!
sorry that was me, I am at work, still no internet at home!
(if you had hot water sitting in your heater from before the ban, a little was probably ok, I’d guess?)
Thank you, Miss B. Good information to have.
I hope your internet is restored soon!
Do you have power back, yet, Miss B?