25 September 2006

Preparing for Disasters

Our power has been down for 36 hours, with a forecast 36 hours still to go. Yesterday our area experienced really savage winds. Combined with fires all over the State, powerlines were destroyed, burnt or disrupted by fallen branches or trees. To make things even more of an adventure, today the phones went down around the middle of the day.
As our water supply is all locally stored in our own water tanks, we use an electric pump to get water into the house. So - no power AND no running water.
But we had thought of these things. When we left the house for Mass, the winds were very strong. I made sure that all the computers were properly shutdown and removed from the power sockets. (This is to ensure no lightning strikes would affect the compuers and they won't be damaged by sudden power failures.)
Knowing that the first thing to go in a fire is the power, we have back up plans in place. Our stove has a gas cooktop, and we have a gas barbeque as an additional option. We can get water in buckets from the water tanks which we use to drink, hand wash and flush the toilets.
The freezer is not to be opened and should keep everything frozen until late tomorrow before some slight thawing of the upper levels may be noticable.
Last night we had a candlelit dinner and yesterday we did a lot of non-electronic entertainment. I'll have a photo once we get power back at home.
This morning I awoke on time using my "guardian angel" alarm clock (*), and left with a washed face but no shower or shave.
I am away with work at a hotel tonight so am in communication with the outside world (and can have a shower tomorrow).

(*) As I settle into bed I ask my Guardian Angel to awaken me at whatever time. It works! Even without electricity.

3 comments:

patternnuts said...

*ugh, I hope your power is up and running soon. We have the same situation- no power= no heat, water or all the the little extras we have become so accustomed to.
>>trivia for you- in New England, 1998, "The" ice storm hit leaving some without power for up to 2 weeks in bitter cold. We were lucky (my husband and I) as anywhere away from where we were,in a one mile radius was devastation with trees down and ice so think it made walking outdoors, never mind driving treacherous.

Anonymous said...

This is one reason I adore living on my sailboat. We carry our own water, we have a wind generator... being Self-Sufficient is lovely, isn't it?

Anonymous said...

I just found your blog today, and I am really enjoying it.

At yesterday's mass for the Feast of the Guardian Angels, our priest was late. He said that he guessed one thing guardian angels don't do is set alarm clocks. I guess I'll have to let him know your technique!