Power back on after 5 days!

[Rock_Hudstone]

Finally got our electricity restored early tonight after 5 days! The temps in the house hovered around 52 degrees but it felt colder. We've been in N.J. since 1969 and we never lost power for more than 10 hrs, and that was years ago.

Really caught us and many others, off guard because the media and government have cried wolf so many times before about storms that fizzled out in the end.

I did stockpile a lot of water and put the settings on the fridge extra cold so most of the food stayed edible for days. I'd advised others who've never had an extended power outage to think about their contingency plans.

Don't count on neighbors too much, they may be in the same boat as you and government help could take days.

 

[mrsilv04]

Good to hear it!

 

[stephen9666]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Good to hear it!


+1

Any major damage in your area? Any water/wind damage to your property?

 

[Dakota1820]

above all else i am glad you are ok as well as your family. i think that is very true. everyone should have plans for things like that. Missouri where i live is long over due for an earth quake. its in the back of my mind and i actually do need to get some safety net kind of stuff together. just in case. everyone needs to be more self reliant and have a plan me included.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Many out of area utility workers were station nearby for several days, ready to repair the damages caused by Sandy. They did what they could, the damage was widespread to very large area that why it took so long to restore power to all effected.

You should thanks to those workers. But there was report that they were pelted with egg and other object while working in some area of Connecticut.

 

[Rock_Hudstone]

Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Any major damage in your area? Any water/wind damage to your property?

In my area, North Central N.J. it was primarly a wind event, many toppled trees and telephone poles but no damage on our street. The wind sounded like an airplane was landing in the backyard while the house shook. However, it looked like we might make through unscathed, until the lights went off at 8PM.

The weather then turned unusually cold as the days went on, people began, (and still are) searching for gasoline to power generators, if lucky enough to have one. A northeast power outage in November is whole other ballgame compared to the Gulf coast in August, as with Katrina.

 

[exranger06]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Many out of area utility workers were station nearby for several days, ready to repair the damages caused by Sandy. They did what they could, the damage was widespread to very large area that why it took so long to restore power to all effected.

You should thanks to those workers. But there was report that they were pelted with egg and other object while working in some area of Connecticut.

I am a utility worker in CT. I'm not a lineman in the field, I'm an engineer who works in the office. When we get major storms like this, EVERYONE gets pulled away from their regular jobs and works overtime to get everyone their power back. I put in over 82 hours this week, and I was back in the office 6 AM this Sunday morning. I haven't seen daylight in over a week, I've had to sleep on a cot in the office, I've been living off of cold pizza and warm soda. We are all working so hard to get everyone their power back, and it's frustrating and maddening that people can be so ungrateful. I wish we could just not give those people their power back. The ones who understand and are grateful are the ones who make me feel good and make me feel like I'm making a difference. The fact of the matter is this: there was a LOT of damage and it's simply going to take a long time to fix.

 

[Papa Bear]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Many out of area utility workers were station nearby for several days, ready to repair the damages caused by Sandy. They did what they could, the damage was widespread to very large area that why it took so long to restore power to all effected.

You should thanks to those workers. But there was report that they were pelted with egg and other object while working in some area of Connecticut.

I am a utility worker in CT. I'm not a lineman in the field, I'm an engineer who works in the office. When we get major storms like this, EVERYONE gets pulled away from their regular jobs and works overtime to get everyone their power back. I put in over 82 hours this week, and I was back in the office 6 AM this Sunday morning. I haven't seen daylight in over a week, I've had to sleep on a cot in the office, I've been living off of cold pizza and warm soda. We are all working so hard to get everyone their power back, and it's frustrating and maddening that people can be so ungrateful. I wish we could just not give those people their power back. The ones who understand and are grateful are the ones who make me feel good and make me feel like I'm making a difference. The fact of the matter is this: there was a LOT of damage and it's simply going to take a long time to fix.


Thank you for the reality check ranger. Take care.

Bob

 

[Rock_Hudstone]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
it's frustrating and maddening that people can be so ungrateful. I wish we could just not give those people their power back. The ones who understand and are grateful are the ones who make me feel good and make me feel like I'm making a difference. The fact of the matter is this: there was a LOT of damage and it's simply going to take a long time to fix.

I for am grateful to the lineworkers and others, without them we'd be up s---t's creek without a paddle for sure. When the electricity goes out it's game over and things can get ugly quick.

However, going foward I think it would be healthy to allow more competition and decentralization in public untilties.

 

[morepwr]

Rock - Glad to hear you got threw the storm without major damage to your home and that the power is back on.

Ranger - I can appreciate the hard work you all are doing as I worked for an electrical contractor and have been on crews where we had to start over after major brush fires in California. Its not easy and even harder when you really get no time to rest. I would like to think that the idiots hassling the crews are the extreme minority and dont deserve a news story.

 

[frank2009]

Heard stories of people throwing eggs at linemen. Whats up with that?

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

Glad to hear things are better for you now. You are 100% correct about contingency plans...food, water, fuel, heat. All are important.

At least you didn't find the need to find a generator to keep your pet Koi fish alive once your power came back on.

 

[rjundi]

Those 5 days one are rough. On the good side the temps were okay not dead of winter. Sure is miserable throwing out all your food.

I have been through 2 storms with 3-5 day outages and yuck. I broke down and purchased a gasoline portable generator.

 

[LeakySeals]

Went through that last October up here. 5 days after a freak mid October ice storm with leaves still on the trees. That storm knocked down all the trees that Sandy would have got. Was nowhere near as bad as you but bad all the same. One short outage. Glad its over for you.

 

[Rock_Hudstone]

Originally Posted By: rjundi
Those 5 days one are rough. On the good side the temps were okay not dead of winter. Sure is miserable throwing out all your food.

I have been through 2 storms with 3-5 day outages and yuck. I broke down and purchased a gasoline portable generator.
Didn't have to throw out too much, temps of course were chilly but you'd be surprized how long things can stay edible if you only open the fridge when necessary. I also had big frozen turkey in the freezer that acted like a block of ice, although he had to be tossed out unfortunately.

Here are some photos of my summer beach hangout: http://photos.nj.com/4504/gallery/devast...andy/index.html

 

[VNTS]

Yes ditto here, work in Stations as Engineer, we go on rotation working 17 hr on 7 off until everything is repaired.

What I hate is the big mouth politicians, they chastise the utilities but on the other hand have forced the Utilities to outsource eveything so they dont have the resources anymore to handle these big sotrms. We have about half the lineman we used to.

Originally Posted By: exranger06
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Many out of area utility workers were station nearby for several days, ready to repair the damages caused by Sandy. They did what they could, the damage was widespread to very large area that why it took so long to restore power to all effected.

You should thanks to those workers. But there was report that they were pelted with egg and other object while working in some area of Connecticut.

I am a utility worker in CT. I'm not a lineman in the field, I'm an engineer who works in the office. When we get major storms like this, EVERYONE gets pulled away from their regular jobs and works overtime to get everyone their power back. I put in over 82 hours this week, and I was back in the office 6 AM this Sunday morning. I haven't seen daylight in over a week, I've had to sleep on a cot in the office, I've been living off of cold pizza and warm soda. We are all working so hard to get everyone their power back, and it's frustrating and maddening that people can be so ungrateful. I wish we could just not give those people their power back. The ones who understand and are grateful are the ones who make me feel good and make me feel like I'm making a difference. The fact of the matter is this: there was a LOT of damage and it's simply going to take a long time to fix.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
The weather then turned unusually cold as the days went on, people began, (and still are) searching for gasoline to power generators, if lucky enough to have one. A northeast power outage in November is whole other ballgame compared to the Gulf coast in August, as with Katrina.


Yes, and many of the southerners, and mid-westerners (who usually do not have to contend with Tornadoes in these ambient temps) on here just cannot seem to comprehend that fact.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Many out of area utility workers were station nearby for several days, ready to repair the damages caused by Sandy. They did what they could, the damage was widespread to very large area that why it took so long to restore power to all effected.

You should thanks to those workers. But there was report that they were pelted with egg and other object while working in some area of Connecticut.

I am a utility worker in CT. I'm not a lineman in the field, I'm an engineer who works in the office. When we get major storms like this, EVERYONE gets pulled away from their regular jobs and works overtime to get everyone their power back. I put in over 82 hours this week, and I was back in the office 6 AM this Sunday morning. I haven't seen daylight in over a week, I've had to sleep on a cot in the office, I've been living off of cold pizza and warm soda. We are all working so hard to get everyone their power back, and it's frustrating and maddening that people can be so ungrateful. I wish we could just not give those people their power back. The ones who understand and are grateful are the ones who make me feel good and make me feel like I'm making a difference. The fact of the matter is this: there was a LOT of damage and it's simply going to take a long time to fix.


I, for one, DO understand this, and am quite thankful, and grateful to ALL involved in these efforts!!

 

[bigmike]

Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
The weather then turned unusually cold as the days went on, people began, (and still are) searching for gasoline to power generators, if lucky enough to have one. A northeast power outage in November is whole other ballgame compared to the Gulf coast in August, as with Katrina.


Yes, and many of the southerners, and mid-westerners (who usually do not have to contend with Tornadoes in these ambient temps) on here just cannot seem to comprehend that fact.


Do many people have kerosene or propane heaters? I just don't get it, seriously. I have both, including a fireplace, and I live in one of the hottest states in the country. BTW, power outage for a week with 95 degree and hotter weather isn't very tolerable either.

 

[VNTS]

BigMike

I have oil furnace which wont work with no power but I do have Propane Fireplace and cook top. So my back up is 100 gallon propane for heat and cooking should power go out.

I am going to invest in a small 5 kw Generator and a manual transfer switch. I wasnt here in Maine in 1998 during a Icestorm but guys I work with now, worked 17/7 for about 28 striaght days restoring power, and they werent allow to go deal with problems at their own homes, so I think I will set something up so the wife and family will be OK if something like that should occur.