# I'm going to keep a log/record of Sandy



## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

I'm going to try and keep a record/log of Sandy's arrival and effects from about 6PM Monday ( the expected 1st winds, etc.) to when things are back to normal. After I'll share any information, observations, or whatever that may be of value to all of you out there. As I do some part time writing and my situations is fairly safe, I hope to be able to keep the record of this storm.


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## preparing (Aug 4, 2011)

Where abouts are you?


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

I'm at the foot of the mountain, part of the Appalahians, at the edge of a small town about 125 miles east of NYC and north east of Philly. I am sufficently above the Susquehanna River, which is about 5 miles away. We are right in the expected path for the winds and rain, plus the rains in upstate NY will sent the water down the Susquehanna and probably flood out some of the low lying areas. If it gets really bad, some of the dikes may not hold. They barely held last year with Irene and Lee.
My greatest threat is limbs and trees, but the expected wind direction ( NE) works in my favor. I'm all set for power loss. I'll have the alternate lighting and refrigeration standing by. We are about 25 miles SW of Scranton, Pa.


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

I'd love to read your log, but be safe and keep your powder dry!


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

Thanks Mom. I'll be keeping it in a log book then post the interesting points here after things settle down. We got through Irene and Lee with minimal effects, but ithink this are awill ge a really good curbstomping this time.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

* UPDATE* 
As long as there is power and net, I will update the situation here. after that it will be pen and paper.
SUNDAY 10/28/2012 1030 HRS
This morning we went into READY LEVEL 2. 
My den is now a situation room with radio, maps, notes, markers, and a small storage battery/air pump/spotlight that is charging off the grid, which will power through one of the inverters a 60w bulb in a desk lamp. I have a small windowless room off the den up here. 
Tomorrow morning I will move the car battery/inverter in place in the main downstairs room where we will take primary shelter. It has one window which will be blocked. The final safe room is the windowless pantry room under the stairs, the most secure area of the house.
*Water* 30 days drinking in house, 60 in storage. 3 "kitty litter" 32 lb. buckets of water for sanitation on hand, up to 90 days total in storage. Rainbarrel secured to steel rebar in positition outside to get rainwater.
* Food* No less than 2 wks non persihable in pantry. In the freezer ice cubes in zip locked bags, a milk jug of frozen water and a small milk jug with milk packed around the perishables. Tomorrow a foam cooler with ice packs will go into the refigerator and any cold meats, etc will go into that, doubling their refigeration time, The 12v cooler will be standing by if needed. The stove is on bottled gas, so the burners should work, but the oven won't. I also have the grill with 2 20lb. tanks, and a camping stove with 1 lb cans, which can be refilled from the 20 lb tanks if necessary.
* Sanitation* Water , soaps , etc ready. Paper platers, cups, etc ready. All dishes will be washed and put away by tomorrow night. Plenty of trash bags available.
* Power* Crank, solar, battery powered lights ready. Outside pathway solar lights will come in when the sun sets tomorrow. *Battery/inverter systems will be ready. Refigeration ready. Heat if neeeded will come from a small 1 lb propane tank fueled heater.*
*Finance* Cash on hand if needed.
*Security* Will be locked and loaded , but threat level very small.
*First aid* All main and secondary kits ready.
If anyone has any questions, or sees something I've missed, do NOT hesitate to bring it up. Together we are strong.


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Good luck barefootboy...sounds like you around my neck of the woods (relatively).
And good luck to us all.

Matt


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## Honduras Trish (Nov 30, 2007)

I'll be following your updates with interest! My dh is in Maryland right now, near Thurmont. He always gets to have the big adventures!

Stay safe!


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

Roadking I think you are about 50 miles more or less NE of our position. We are at the foot of the mountains on the west side of the river from Wilkes-Barre.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

*UPDATE* SUNDAY 10/28/12 1225HRS
The NWS is predicting wind to start to pick up around noon tomorrow. I have sped up the final steps and have brought in the solar pathway lights and have them in a window to continue charging. (All of them have been switched to white.) I have set up and tested the inverter/battery/lamp in the inner "den". I am leaving the car battery in the garage to charge / maintain charge until tomorrow morning. The inverter and box to hold the battery is in place with the lamp ready to be connected. 
Time to relax, watch some NFL, monitor conditions, and check in here for any ideas or suggestions.


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## wormlady (Oct 8, 2004)

You mentioned washing all the dishes - you have probably already thought of this - but be sure you are all caught up on your laundry.

Sounds like you have quite a bit of water, but you may also want to fill all empty canning jars with water. Can't hurt.

Prayers for all. We have relatives in Sullivan County NY and they are prepared and hunkering down.


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## wormlady (Oct 8, 2004)

Oh, and this is probably a bit OCD on my part, but I would vacuum/wash floors and clean bathrooms too while I had power.

If you are without for any length of time, things will get nasty.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

UPDATE SUNDAY 10/28/12 1400 hrs (2PM) 
Thw NWS has now changed the wind arrival time frame to 9AM for my area. I have gone ahead and moved in the car battery and any other last items. There is no need for us to step outside our door now. We are in full hunker down mode.

wormlady Yes. we also had the laundry done, but thank you for the imput. I keep going over in my mind for any last minute aspects. The wind is already doing a bit of a howl. Good thing I got the gutters cleane dout this morning. I'll keep you posted


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

Roadking said:


> Good luck barefootboy...sounds like you around my neck of the woods (relatively).
> And good luck to us all.
> 
> Matt


He is!! I met him in a local supermarket (he was in front of me, noticed my large can purchase ((sale)). then he made a post here, and I recognized him by the conversation....this was WAY beyond being outed by a prepper LOL!!
Matt and Barefoot, please stay safe....


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

Same to you and yours beaglebiz and roadking. We can only do what we can do, the rest lies in God's hands.

lol Don't worry on that, wormlady My DW may not be into inverters and batteries, but she knows how to keep the place clean and tidy.


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## Limon (Aug 25, 2010)

In the upper corner of Maryland near the Pa. and Del. borders. It's been raining lightly all day, with it just starting to get heavier. It's been windy with occasional stronger gusts, but nothing bad yet. The main part of the storm isn't supposed to hit until tomorrow morning. 

Same situation here with the Susquehanna River. All the little towns along it are preparing for flooding. Flooding will be a concern for days, as the extra water comes down river from the rain up north. Shelters will open tonight for anyone living in flood-prone areas. 

Doing the last of the laundry now. Made up some potato salad, cole slaw, macaroni salad, pulled pork and hard boiled eggs. Getting ready to bake some bread when I get off here. I've been freezing blocks of ice and filling in all the spare spaces in the freezer. I'll pick up some ice for the cooler, but I'm putting that off as long as I can. Still need to fill up some buckets of water for the toilet/cleaning.


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## meanwhile (Dec 13, 2007)

Stay safe.


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## Honduras Trish (Nov 30, 2007)

beaglebiz said:


> I met him in a local supermarket (he was in front of me, noticed my large can purchase ((sale)). then he made a post here, and I recognized him by the conversation....this was WAY beyond being outed by a prepper LOL!!


That's too cool! LOL


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

Yes it was. There is something about a prepper. Looking forward to meeting Beaglebiz and family as soon as we can. Meanwhile, nothing much new here. Wind is whispering a bit every now and then.


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Well, now there are 4 that are on here within a 100 mile radius...That is a great feeling.
Firewood stacked (our 2 boys were real workers today...the 8 yo loves using the manual splitter and stacking...LOL!), all other preps in order. My big hope (aside from making it thru) is the phone call in the AM saying school is closed and we can all sleep past 6am. I know, wishful thinking; they'll send them in tommorow, and probably early dismissal.
Time for kielbassa and potatoes florentine...
Stay safe all, and see you all soon.

Matt


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## HilltopDaisy (Feb 26, 2003)

Hey all, I'm in the same area as well, about 30 mins north of Binghamton. All three of my sisters live on the Susquehanna and were hit hard when it flooded last year.

I'm up the top of a large hill so no flood concerns here, but I'm worried about the high winds that are forecast. I'm off work Mon/Tues so that's good, no travelling. I'm all set with stored water, feed, meds, etc., Just have to top off the gas tank and put away a few lawn chairs.

Stay safe!


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

The calm before the storm...the schools will be closed here at least Mon and Tues. My cousin , however, calls me about setting up her mom's bottled oxygen in case of power failure, only to find she doesn't have the part needed. I asked her as nicely as I could "Didn't you ever check to see what you would need if there was a power failure?" That's ok though, she's going to ge her mom's Rx filled tomorrow morning at 9 and the place has the parts, we hope. I told her that the winds may be starting by 9 and when she gets back to put her car in my garage to protect it from treee limbs. What can you do with relatives who just DON'T GET IT!!!!!!!!


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

dont you love it...I spent the day doing normal housework, and making banana breads to give to the masses 
(joking...I had LOtS of old bananas  )


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## CountryCabin (Mar 8, 2007)

BULLETIN
HURRICANE SANDY ADVISORY NUMBER 27
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL182012
1100 PM EDT SUN OCT 28 2012

...SANDY ABOUT TO START ITS NORTHWARD TURN...EXPECTED TO BRING
LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGE...COASTAL HURRICANE WINDS AND HEAVY
APPALACHIAN SNOWS...

Be safe all...


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

*UPDATE* MONDAY 10/29/12 0420 HRS (4:20 AM) All is calm, almost an eerie calm. I have a minor detail to atttend to. I need to pull this a/c out of my den window. I do it every fall anyway, so it's only a 5 min. action. I am praying the winds hold off long enough for my ditzy cousin to get to the pharmacy and get her 80 ish mom's Rx and the part for her oxygen bottle, and get back and put her car in my garage. How does a person go through life and not recognize possible problems and plan for them, I will NEVER understand.
Other than that, all else is in readiness. All that we can do, all that man can do, has been done. The issue is now in God's hands. 
I will update at 9 am if the power is still on. Prayers to you all in the zone.


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## HTWannabee (Jan 19, 2007)

The wind is howling outside. I am waiting for the sun to come up to do the chores. We put a lot of rabbits inside yesterday afternoon but I think I will put he rest in carriers and indoor cages this morning. There is a good prep for you. I am glad we hae indoor and out door stacking cages and plenty of carriers for the animals. Our bantam flock is inside in a rabbit cage and the rest will stay in the coop all day.

DH had to go to work. His company did not close for the day. He said he had water etc. in the car just in case.

Plenty of wood stacked in the garage, water, tub filled, bread baked. What else?


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

*UPDATE* MONDAY 10/29/12 0630 HRS (6:30 AM) A glimmer of hope. The winds are not expected to pick up until the afternoon, so my ditzy cousin can get out and back reasonably safely this morning. Also , the river is at 2.9 ft as of 5 AM, and the dikes go to 45 ft in the city, so river flooding there is not expected. The streams and creeks may have flash flooding. We would not be affected by that, but the valley below us would, and it could cut off the major roads and affect the stores. I pulled the a/c unit and covered the window, so now it's just a matter of sitting back and waiting.
A little note here on the lighting. For a couple of dollars I picked up a round LED AAA battery powered light for under my big umbrella that goes over my table outside. I moved it in when I packed up the umbrella for the fall. It is now in my kitchen hanging from the ceiling, and can light up the whole room brightly. A few months back at a yard sale I picked up an entire battery powered tool set ( drill, jig saw, smal circular saw and flashight along with batteries and charger) at a really good price. Now the battery is charging and the flashlight is next to it, waiting for possible use. I also have a tire inflater with a spotlight and small storage battery that is on charge. It has a cigarette lighter style outlet that I plug the one inverter (200w) into to power my lamp on the desk. the battery won't last as long as a car battery, but will be great for 15 min intervals at a time. Even the AAA batteries are rechargeable, and I have a solar charger ( $12) that will charge them, AA's , cell phones and 9v's. You don't need the fancy or expensive.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

UPDATE MONDAY 10/29/12 0925 HRS (9:25 AM) Tested setting up the battery/inverter in the dark. No problem. Took the foam cooler, placed a frozen ice "block" in bottom, put mayo, salad dressing, meats , cheeses , etc in, then put ice packs on top , closed lid and placed in refrigerator. Got call from DW's friend. She never got to store, so she may need our extra case of water. Holding another case for our aunt and cousin. We'll still have plenty if we need to help them. God, look after children and fools.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Barefootboy - 
Thanks for the updates, and updates from other.
Stay safe.


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Got a call from a friend near Camelback (ski resort). One of the parking lots is almost full of bucket trucks from Kentucky and other states...guess PP&L are taking this seriously.
No school today, no news about tommorow.
Carpenter finished rough framing the kitchen addition (inside not opened yet, so it is an extra closet for now) this morning...went home to get the Tyvek.
All things tied down, firewood in place.
Latest projection is noon today for the rain to start...wind started about an hour ago.
Stay safe all!

Matt


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Matt - stay tucked in. Good luck on nothing being damaged.


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## HilltopDaisy (Feb 26, 2003)

The wind is picking up here, and school is letting out at noon. I'm at the library (7 miles from home) checking the latest weather updates, as I do not have internet or television at home. I won't be online for ?? so everyone be safe.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

*UPDATE * MONDAY 10/29/12 1130 HRS (11:30 AM) The wind is picking up a little with gusts in the 10-15 mph range. Some rain is falling. All systems go here, but Cousin Ditzy still has to run around to get that conection for her mom's oxygen tank, and a few other things. Then she will put her car in my garage. She better hope nothing is flying around by then, because I am NOT going to risk my car by opening the garage door. She has maybe 4 more hours. I'm going to try and get a quick nap in. I'll probably be up all night tonight, and when the power goes out, I'll have to sleep propped up because of my sleep apneia and my machine not going to be able to work. Her cousin is living proof that 
*NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED*


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## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

The 16yr old we are adopting has a c-pap machine. I was told there was an option to run his machine off of a car battery, if we purchased the proper power cord. I worry about what will happen to folks that have those machines in a long term power outage.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

I am about 125 miles from you, barefootboy. We've had a fairly dry day, though the sprinkles started a couple of hours agne very odd thing was this morning's sky. Everyone is talking about how strange it looked. Here's a link to an article about it from the local news site:

Before 'Frankenstorm' arrives, a strange color to the dawn | syracuse.com

I lounged in bed until 7am today and wanted to take a photo, but I was too lazy to get either my camera or my phone.

I hope that everyone stays safe. I should still have internet access through my phone in the event that our power goes out.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

Wags said:


> The 16yr old we are adopting has a c-pap machine. I was told there was an option to run his machine off of a car battery, if we purchased the proper power cord. I worry about what will happen to folks that have those machines in a long term power outage.


I have a power pack thingee that is made by Duracell. It is larger than a car battery, but can run many things short term. I can also recharge it using the car battery.

Make sure that your power company knows that there is someone in the house that relies on a lifesaving device. They will make every effort to turn your power back on FIRST!


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## nostawmama (Dec 29, 2011)

TheMartianChick said:


> I am about 125 miles from you, barefootboy. We've had a fairly dry day, though the sprinkles started a couple of hours agne very odd thing was this morning's sky. Everyone is talking about how strange it looked. Here's a link to an article about it from the local news site:
> 
> Before 'Frankenstorm' arrives, a strange color to the dawn | syracuse.com
> 
> ...



There is a saying "Red sky at dawning- sailors take warning. Red sky at night- sailors delight."

That's a red sky if I ever saw one.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

*UPDATE* MONDAY 10/29/12 1530 HRS (3:30 PM) I'm glad I got the nap in, as it may be a long night. The winds are now gusting a little stronger and the rain is falling steadly.We seem to be on the verge. Cousin Ditzy came by while I was napping and found she just couldn't get the car into such a narrow space. So she put it in an open field across from us. Oh well, I can pray for her.
All else is in readiness. Power systems are charged, connections ready, flashlights and other lights ready. Shelter room under the stairs ready,
I'll try to do an update every 2 hrs as long as the power holds. For now, it's a bite to eat and take notes on how the conditions change.
To all of you in the danger zone with me, prayers and good thoughts to you.


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

Wags said:


> The 16yr old we are adopting has a c-pap machine. I was told there was an option to run his machine off of a car battery, if we purchased the proper power cord. I worry about what will happen to folks that have those machines in a long term power outage.


They'll die, if it goes on long enough.

A sad reality is that, before the technology we have today, without the machines and the medications, people died of what we now think of as relatively small health issues, and it will happen again, regardless of whether we're "used" to it or not. It breaks my heart, but it is the reality.


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## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

Tracy Rimmer said:


> They'll die, if it goes on long enough.
> 
> A sad reality is that, before the technology we have today, without the machines and the medications, people died of what we now think of as relatively small health issues, and it will happen again, regardless of whether we're "used" to it or not. It breaks my heart, but it is the reality.


Yeah I know the odds are not in his favor. Lots of folks we know won't be around for long without their meds or other medical devices.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

*UPDATE* MONDAY 10/29/12 1730 HRS (5:30 pm) Wind gusts at 55 mph. We are in a lighter rain band at the moment as the storm rotates. Sandy 40 miles off Atlantic City moving at 28 mph. The update makes the new danger zone 8PM to 4AM. 
DW and I reviewed preps so far. We noted that we didn't really need to pick up anything, and it took only minutes to set up or pre position our alternate light/refrigeration systems, etc. We had gotten practice in Irene and Lee last year. The only minor oops was my not plugging in the AC converter for the 12v cooler so it could get cool ahead of the power outage. I took care of that at 4PM and it is geting cool now.
As to survival in a long term with medical conditions, as far as my heart, diabetes, high blood pressure, and even the sleep apneia, I am going to believe my loss of weight and being more active will at least give me a fighting chance. If nothing else, I'll go down fighting and get the kids ready to take over .


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## Murramarang (Dec 18, 2011)

Monday 6.05pm in Southern inland Maine - storm has finally hit after a slow build up all day. Wind has finally picked up, raining sideways.

We are just waiting to lose power...it seems to be going down around us.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

*UPDATE* MONDAY 10/29/12 1925 HRS (7:25 PM) Conditions unchanged. Winds gusting to 55 mph, maybe higher. Power has flickered but has not gone out yet. 
I didn't mention I have a probe inside the freezer that leads to a battery powered thermometer that shows the temp inside the freezer along with the room temp. It will enable me to monitor the interior conditions without having to open the freezer door. The 12v cooler is now around 40 degress F. When the power goes out, it will have ice packs put in it and be prepare to switch to a car battery. I can also run it off my jeep after the storm passes to keep items refrigerated. We are fine. next check in 8:30 PM power permitting. Take care everyone.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

My brother is in Kingston, his power went out about an hour ago


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## Win07_351 (Dec 7, 2008)

Northern CT. (7:45PM) Very windy with moderate rain


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

I am following the reports here to try to time when we might see some action. I did a final load of laundry earlier and the dishwasher just finished washing the dinner dishes. I did some cleaning earlier in the day just in case we aren't able to due to a lack of power. We did leave a little while ago to unlock a door for a tenant. The rain is coming down a bit more, but still not much in the way of wind.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

Quick post Conditions unchanged Power still on. Will update as long as possible.


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## DaleK (Sep 23, 2004)

Wind's been blowing hard here for about 3 hours, gusts to 60-70 mph. One women killed already in Toronto by a flying sign.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

The rain is starting to increase, but nothing else, so far.


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## lmrose (Sep 24, 2009)

Barefootboy; Sounds like you are doing all you can to prepare for Sandy. We are in the southren tip of Nova Scotia and have been warned the fringe of the hurricane will hit us as it veers inland towards Ontario and Quebec. Wind has been picking up all afternoon here. Right now it sounds like a freight train passing by our house. The worse is yet to come tomorrow I heard. Still this is nothing compared to what happened else where.

It has been raining too but not any more than usual. It is the wind and ocean surges that are the concern here. It is a high coarse of tides now and with surges there will be flooding. We are on a hill so should be alright. Last time we had surges the road and lower fields flooded but the water didn't reach the house and barn.

We had a power outage this week due to a car accident and quite often have outages in the winter. I try to stay prepared. I have been cooking ahead and saving out more water for drinking today.We have a heater stove now which replaced my wood burning cook stove when it wore out. I can cook on the stove surface but not as efficiently as on the cook stove.I really miss my other stove.

We use wind up lights and battery ones and have candles. I bought outdoor solar lights but they don't seems to collect enough sun to work very good here.I am allergic to oil lamp fuel so don't use kerosene lamps. We also have battery and wind up radios. Whatever happens we are as ready as we can be. We are prepared to share with neighbors too who never seem to take weather warnings seriously.

We have been told to expect power to go off when the worse of the hurricane touches here. I heard one forecaster say they have never seen such a massive storm before.

We have everything put away in the house and barn that could blow away. The barn is closed tonight but the horses are outside still.With the barn closed the horses will be too warm inside. They will take shelter in the trees and don't mind rain. If the weather deteriorates more they may have to go inside like it or not.

If our house was ever in danger of blowing down we have shelter in the cellar. This old house was put together in 1829 with wooden pegs. So far it has withstood all the fury leashed onto it from gales off the sea. It can get pretty frightening here especially with winter wind storms. We have had hurricane winds here before but not as powerful as Sandy.

I pray everyone in harms will be safe through this storm.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

*UPDATE *MONDAY 10/29/12 2300 HRS (11:00 PM) So far, so good. I am very surprised we have not lost power yet. There has been wind gusts up to 60 mph and steady rain along with cloud to cloud lightining. The only damage here has been an old ceiling panel that came down from the wind pressure. DW and I are fine. I'll be heading to bed so I can get as much sleep as I can with the c-pap before the power gets knocked out. We are not out of the woods, but as Winston Churchill once said *"This may not be the begining of the end, but it is the end of the begining."*
Stay safe all, and I'll post again in the morning, electricty permitting.


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## anahatalotus (Oct 25, 2012)

Good night and stay safe. Hope to hear updates from all of you in the morning.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

*UPDATE* TUESDAY 10/30/12 0530 HRS (5:30 AM) Good morning to all. The power is still on, so I was able to get a good 5 hrs of sleep. I am waiting on the 6AM news to see how the rest of the area is. The winds are minimal at the moment. Earily reports are of the usual downed trees and power outages in the area.
The next question will be how soon will the winds totally subside? I am going with the idea of the danger zone being the next 10 hrs or so , unless I hear different. After that, it will be any secondary effects that might impact us, such as local flooding effecting stores, roads, etc. But, since we are well stocked, these events probably won't have any affect on us.
This is where people get a false sense of security. As the old saying goes *"IT AIN'T OVER 'TIL IT'S OVER." * Until the last of the system heads to Toronto pronto, I'll be keeping an eye out. I'll also record here the shut down stages we will go through.
So far all prepping went well. We not only covered everything, but we did a smooth "changing gears" from the normal grid, to being ready to go without it, at least in the short term.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Best Wishes and Prayers.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

All is quiet in Central NY State. Very quiet here & I'm lying in bed posting via mobile phone. Hubby turned the tv on while getting ready for work... The images are devastating from downstate. As far as we're concerned... It ain't over til the storm system is gone.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

7:44 am here in northeast PA..all quiet here too. A gust or two every now and then. No trees down (the tall ones at the edge of the forest bordering my yard were bent in half at times). My DS is on I-81 north on his way to work (near Scranton)...no one on the road, but no blocked roads either. Im keeping vigilant until this wind stops, because, as MartianChick said, its not over yet, but Im confident we dodged a bullet.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

*UPDATE *TUESDAY 10/30/12 0740 HRS (7:40AM) I looked out at first light and saw no obvious damage. The usual amount of small tree limbs are down. A wooden light post is leaning a bit, but doesn't look in danger of failing. I will check later today when it is safe to go out.
It seems like we are in an "island" of minor damage and no power outage. To the NW in the area called the Pocono Mountains they have taken much more damage with outages and blocked roads.
Sandy passed 100 miles or so to the south of us, and will turn farther west to us as she heads north to NY state. We will have winds diminishing throughout the day. The various systems for alternate light and refrigeration will remain in place in the house until tomorrow in case of cascading power failure, or more trees/limbs coming down on wires, etc.
While the Susquehanna River will get the rain runoff from upstate NY, the very low river level will enable the area to get past it without river flooding.
We will not let down our guard yet, but it is looking like we dodged the bullet.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

Glad to see you and yours are ok, beaglebiz. Anyone hear from roadking yet? I think he is in the zone of trees down and power outages.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

barefootboy said:


> Glad to see you and yours are ok, beaglebiz. Anyone hear from roadking yet? I think he is in the zone of trees down and power outages.


I believe he is probably without power. The town he is in is not too far from another friend I have (and spoke to this morning). She lost part of her roof, has several trees down (some blocking roads) and no power. I hope he checks in when he is able


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## wormlady (Oct 8, 2004)

Our kin in Sullivan Cty. NY lost power - lots of trees down. But they have 2 gennies and a pellet stove so they are in good shape. 

Stay safe everyone!


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## Limon (Aug 25, 2010)

Lost power for 18 hours here in the northeast corner of Maryland. The tree that was leaning is still leaning! The lower branches are on the ground, and that seems to be all that's keeping it off the garage. The neighbor wasn't as lucky - a tree fell down and took out part of his fence. It came within three feet of hitting his house, so it could have been much worse.

I can still hear generators from the houses behind us, so they must not have power yet. The local news is reporting 60-some roads in the county are closed due to flooding, trees or downed lines. 

All in all, it could have been much worse for this region. It'll be some work to clean up the yard, that tree and cleaning out the basement that flooded, but nothing too severe.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

*UPDATE *TUESDAY 10/30/12 1325 HRS (1:35 PM) The winds have died down and faded out. I will be going outside to check around, but so far no signs of damage. I have started to pack away the back up systems. There are roads blocked and lines down from trees and limbs in a twenty mile area, but within a mile or so of me, all is basicly normal.
There is no doubt in my mind we dodged a serious bullet. To the cynic who would say all my prepping was unneccessary, I answer that we had greater peace of mind knowing that we were prepared for anything short of a direct hit from a tree, and even then we had a chance. As far as cost, we spent an extra $20 on a case of soup and a case of ravioli. Everythiing else we had on hand from building up over the years in* preparation* for such an event. In my final entry for this log I will go into detail on that point. For now I will say that the prepping paid off.


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## OnlyMe (Oct 10, 2010)

Good to hear all went well! As for the cynic, I liked your response. Peace of mind = priceless! 

We lost power around 7:30 last night. Thankfully, the generator is up and running so our fridge, freezer and the comforts of home are available. Power outages are spotty. That's good news - if we need more gasoline we should be able to find it. We're not in a high priority area so I'm hoping we'll have power back within the next couple of days.

I drained the bathtub & the large containers I filled for extra drinking water earlier today. Fortunately, we didn't sustain any damage & trees are intact. 

Just taking it one day at a time now - it could have been much worse.


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## HilltopDaisy (Feb 26, 2003)

We had steady rain overnight, some wind but not bad at all. Glad everyone here is ok.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

*UPDATE* TUESDAY 10/30/10 1535 HRS (3:35 PM) No problems to report from the outside inspection. Checked with my aunt and cousin ( they live next door). No problems or damage. Power didn't go out here, but has and is out in scattered areas around us. 
We were either spared by God, or very lucky, depending on what you believe. But we were also* prepared *with a plan, a will and what we basicly needed. While there were no real problems, I can see room for improvement as the finances allow. ( I am a "poverty prepper"..LOL) Unless something developes, I'll make a rather longer post later this evening where I will descibe by category what we had ( water, food, etc), how we got ahold of it and how little it cost us in hopes it wil help other "poverty preppers".
I would like to thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. Keep thinking about the other good people in areas without power.


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Just che king in. Lost power at 1am. Generator running since nine for sump pump fridge fireplace heatilator. All okay. Glad others are as well. Unfortunately we are not out of it yet...sorry for this post...first time using wifes kindle. Will update when can. PPL is saying three days to a week...glad for our safety and generator.

Matt


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

NO problem , Roadking. Hunker down and stay safe. We'll talk with you in a week or so.


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Hopefully sooner bfb...we are as set as we had hoped we were. Stay safe all.

Matt


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## sandsuncritters (Nov 18, 2011)

North Florida reporting in. We are now in Day 7 of the wind factor. Some may laugh, but 7 days of 20-45mph winds with gusts up to 60mph will cause damage to homes and environment. Add in the dropping temps (37 this am) and the windchill factor becomes a serious factor. Shingles, tin, and siding occasionally break loose and require repair. Spotty power outages begin to wear on the nerves. But we're dry, well fed, and blessed to be able to help others not so fortunate. Family members and friends in the affected areas are reporting in. 

Coastal CT son and neighbors felt they were far enough inland to remain at home. Lost power overnight but no one suffered much. Power back by 9am and roads are being cleared. 

Boston area family without power since yesterday afternoon. They are making do and the block party for the children is underway. Freebies flow from governmental entities 

Inland NC bunch had big wind most of yesterday but never lost power, kids went to school today and adults off to work. Her MIL in WV, however, is dealing with 26" of snow and still falling 

Midwest contingent is prepped and ready for whatever is headed their way.

NY/NJ family members do not live in the badly affected areas, but are on duty there. Please pray for them as they may be saving you or your family or friends right now.

Several of our family and dear friends are on their way to affected areas to help restore power and provide safety and comfort to the afflicted. Prayers for their safety are requested as well.

And we continue to carry on here at home, doing the necessaries and filling the gaps left by members temporarily absent.

Be safe, be vigilant, care for each other as He cares for you 

In His Love
Mich


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

Thanks for the reports, Mich, Prayers to you and yours where ever they are. I was able to check in with my VA branch, no problems there. Have not spoken to the MD branch yet. 
I'm glad others joined in. I never intended this to be just me reporting. The more we see, hear, experiance and share , the better we can prep and the stronger we become.

*PREPPERS ARE SEPERATED BY MILES BUT UNITED IN SPIRIT*


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

God Bless our fellow Americans, leaving their homes and families, to help strangers. Our local volunteer fire dept, along with a couple other locals sent teams to NYC with their water search and recovery gear.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Eastern Ohio got some wind....but nothing too overly worrisome. We never lost power, small limbs down in our neighborhood. Trees down in other areas....but not ours. 

Our region has seen 2-5' of rain so far....another 1-2" expected in the next 20 hrs. Rivers don't seem to be flooding much yet.....only the ones near Lake Erie, where the wind push the lake water into the rivers. I guess we were dry enough that this long 3 days of slow soaking rain is being absorbed more then it's running off....good news for us.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

*FINAL WRAP* UP TUESDAY 10/30/12 2005 HRS (8:05 PM) All is calm again here. And while there is still the possibility of a power outage due to an overload, or a problem caused by them working in another area, I have packed the inverters and other equipment back in the faraday box for protection along with putting up the other gear. This is because I know I could set everything up within an hour or less if I had to. That's part of my prep for a "bolt out of the blue " event, something without warning, such as an EMP strike, or a solar flare of unpredicted intensity. I can either bug out or set up to hunker down within minutes.
Now for the benefit of the "poverty preppers" (like me) out there. I will talk a bit about the prep for this last event.
*WATER* It started as 2LT soda bottles cleaned and filled with filtered water. Later 1 gal jugs and cases of bottles were added. Finally we got a water cooler and 2 extra jugs and stand. We also had 28lb and 34lb kitty litter buckets with lids which I filled with the water from the 2 lt's that I rotated once a year, and from rainwater collected in barrels. We now have 30 days drinking water in the house itself and 90 days of both stored in different locations, most of it at little cost.
*FOOD* I am working towards 90 days at 2 cans at a time..lol . Right now I estimate we have 3 wks non perishable and anywhere from 0-2wks of meat etc in the freezer. We add what we can as the budget allows,looking for the specials on canned goods, pastas etc. ( we call it the Toucan Sam system) The foam cooler/12v cooler helps to exstend the life of what we have in the freezer, but that is not counted in the normal 90 plan.
*SANITATION* Dollar store cups, paper plates, untensils, papet towels, basic soap, old store plastic bags all can give you an edge in this for pennies. We keep a stocked bag of these items for a road trip, or a bug out.
*LIGHT* I have an old, but useable car battery (from a car I junked) and a basic
200 w inverter ($20) . It will run a standard 60w bulb for 5 hrs a night for 7 days. A $12 solar charger, a pack of rechargeable batteries ($5 on sale), and any number of strip lights/lanterns ($5-20) that run on AA/AA batteries will also gives us light. 
*FIRST AID* From dollar store kits, and items, to a $10 kit at wal-mart, it's out there. Start with the basics , find a list, add to it as you can.
Keep an eye out and an ear open for a deal. A friend of my wife's had a Bear compound bow her son had left. I got it for $40. I picked up a number of items at yard sales and flea markets.
*DON'T* be fooled into thinking you need some fancy, name brand item. You can make a useable folding saw for your BOB from a hacksaw blade, some nuts and bolts, and two good pieces of wood.
most of all *LEARN* This site and others on the web, along with any number of books are available to you.
We started 9 yrs ago when we took over this old house and now we a decently prepared with the basics. We will add more as we can, learn more where we can, and keep puting one more ace up our sleeve. You can do it one can at a time, one bottle of water at a time, if that's the best you can do. Something beats nothing.


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## sandsuncritters (Nov 18, 2011)

barefootboy said:


> Thanks for the reports, Mich, Prayers to you and yours where ever they are. I was able to check in with my VA branch, no problems there. Have not spoken to the MD branch yet.
> I'm glad others joined in. I never intended this to be just me reporting. The more we see, hear, experiance and share , the better we can prep and the stronger we become.
> 
> *PREPPERS ARE SEPERATED BY MILES BUT UNITED IN SPIRIT*


Indeed! Thank you so much for starting this thread and inviting others to contribute their own information. Very interesting reading 

The Boston folks suffered a through a severe thunderstorm last night and lost power again. Still waiting for reconnect.

Family member on scene in NJ says the damage and suffering is beyond comprehension. More fires are starting and situation is dire. Asking for prayer.

In His Love
Mich


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

Prayers to all in the affected areas. All branches of our family have checked in , had no damage and are OK. Now we wil have to see what we can do for others. There was a cannned goods drive scheduled for Sat. anyway, so I'll kick in for that. I learned my favorite beach in RI was wiped out again. Irene got it last year, this time it's totally ripped apart. I know that is nothing compared to the heartache and troubles of so many out there. It's just when you know a spot and you learn that it is gone, it touches you a little deeper. The memory of a special restaurant on the beach and the special evening spent there, and the reality that it has 6 foot of sand in it now, puts a different perspective on it.
The east coast just took a trip to the Bank of Life and cashed a huge reality check. I hope some, at least, learn from it.
But to paraphrase an old song:
* I WAS PREPPING WHEN PREPPING WASN'T COOL*


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

*WHAT'S NEXT* 
While Sandy was a good set up test, and I am confident that the prepping would have seen us through all but a direct hit, there is always room for improvement.
*FOOD* Keep adding to the non preishables. Tougher at this time of year (property tax, oil bill, etc) but we'll Toucan our way until we can add more.
*POWER* A small generator, with a dedicated 12v car battery recharger set up. It takes only 1/2 gal to run 8 hrs. Also a new battery for my Jeep so the old one can add to the reserve. Have to wait for $$$, but ASAP.
*SECURITY* Minor items to be added. Need to get in some more target practice. My uncle left me his deer rifle etc, but my chuckle headed cousin who is the executor of the estate has yet to get around to getting things together for me to pick the items up.
*FINANCE* We'll try to hold on to as much cash as we can, but you know that story.
I am thankful, however for what I have been able to put together. I know many of you out there are in the same boat or worse. That's why we need to share as many economical tricks we can.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

Nice wrap up posts, barefootboy! We had some rain and not much else. There weren't even any twigs to pick up in the yard. In my area, a lot of people felt that the storm was unreasonably hyped. I fear that the next time around, they will neglect to prep for whatever emergency comes our way. 

We didn't run out to get much prior to the storm except gas to top off the tank in the SUV. We always have many filled gas cans for emergencies. I'll start with the good stuff and then finish up with the negative:

*Food:*I was at a grocery store for a grand opening on Sunday and did buy a few things that were loss leaders. I had been holding out on grocery shopping for the past minth or so because I was waiting for this store to open, so our household was a little light on groceries compared to what we usually prep. I haven't tracked it lately, but we were in no danger of running out of food and we've got egg production covered.

*Water:* We always have water stored in case of a water main break so we probably had about 20 gallons. While it doesn't seem like much, water is only an issue if there is a water main break. Even then, we still can boil or filter the water for safety because it still runs. 

*Refrigeration: *We have a deep freezer and there are always a few juice bottles of frozen water in there to ensure that the contents stay cold. This isn't a last minute prep...they are always in there. We also had two bags of ice leftover from summer and 10 of those big blue ice packs for coolers to ensure that we would be able to keep food cool.

*Cooking:* We have two gas stoves and could cook in the fireplace insert. We also have a charcoal grill and could easily put together a rocket stove, if need be.

*Heat:* We have a fireplace insert that burns wood. This time of year, we always have it going so our front porch is always loaded with firewood for easy access. The fan on the insert will not work without electricity, but we do have a battery pack to power it in an emergency. We also have a gas stove in the kitchen (1st floor) and an old Magic Chef gas stove (2nd floor) if additional heat is needed. We also have chemical hand and foot warmers, sleeping bags, blankets, etc to keep warm.

*Lighting:* We have lots of flashlights, lanterns, glow sticks and a ridiculous number of candles. We prefer floating candles for safety or those that are somewhat enclosed to keep them from starting a fire. The glow sticks are in case the grandkids are here.

*Shelter:* We also own the house next door, so if something happened to our house, we could always go over there.

*Security:* Though we didn't think it was necessary in this case, we've got it covered.

*Transportation:* gassed up SUV, 2 vans and a car between the two properties. We also have bikes, good boots/shoes for walking out if need be.

*Appropriate clothing*: This is the northeast...We've got that covered regardless of wind, snow, sleet or rain.

*Communication:* We have cell phones and two way radios/walkie talkies. If we needed a land line phone, we could go next door.

*Medical emergencies:* We are all certified in First Aid and we are within easy walking distance to a fire station if we needed more skill. We also have a nurse on our block and a nursing student around the corner, too.

*Tools:* We have shovels, salt, a snowblower, chainsaws, axes and a maul for storm cleanup.

The negative aspects of our prepping:

*Money:* I think we were a little low on cash in the house for 4 adults. It wasn't a big deal... we weren't likely to need more gas or something that had to be paid for even if the aftermath had lasted a month. In my mind, I just think we should have had more in house.

*Inter-family communication:* I made certain that all of our children were aware of the impending storm. However, I don't think that they truly grasped the seriousness of the matter. One daughter (with a large family of small children) didn't heed my warning until after the storm was devastating NYC and NJ. The other daughter hesitated about coming to our house. She still came early enough to avoid danger (if there had been any here), but she still was kind of wishy washy because she didn't want to leave her roomate in an all electric apartment. In the future, I'm going to be far more direct and ask if they've done this or that prior to the storm, so I know what has been done.

*Pro-active things not done:*There is a tree that is too close to the house and desperately needs trimming. I didn't notice it until the day that the storm was to hit and had no way to do the scope of the work that needed to be done.

*Practice:* We are desperately short of practice with an emergency situation. No one in my house is interested in doing a drill to ensure that we have everything covered. The last big event here was when my children were little and they don't really remember the lessons learned at that time. As a result, I'm always proposing what-if scenarios but they aren't the same.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

Don't feel alone Martian Chick My DW goes along with what I do, but her actions are more passive than active. Forget a drill here. But I practice at least. By the way, are those books you listed your works? As a writer i am always interested it the works of other writers. You can privately respond if you wish.


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Quick update...spent four hours repairing genny...carb re uild. Died at three am. Ppl called...power to be restored by 11pm...november fourth...thats sunday...oh well. Stay safe all. We have more rain coming our way.

Matt


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## lmrose (Sep 24, 2009)

The fringe of Sandy only touched here in Yarmouth Nova Scotia causing surging tides and winds of about 50 miles per hour or 90 k. Then came a huge amount of rain and a thunder and lightning storm that lasted all night. I haven't seen the likes since I was a child growing up outside Toledo Ohio. DH said there were bad storms here too when he was growing up.Most people had battened down so I don't think there was much damage. Lights were out part of the night. Today was unusually warm at 15 c o 62F and the wind died down. Hope everyone is safe who went through the worse of the storm.


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## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

I'm getting a bit concerned for the folks in the areas with the widespread power outages... It is 40 degrees here right now. I'm cold because I let the fire die, but at least I have options for heat.


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## Guest (Oct 31, 2012)

I'm located in Columbia County,NY....lost power on Monday at 3:30 pm..lots of branches all over my 2-acre lawn..lots of trees down behind our house in the woods..but at least no trees on the house,garage,sheds or greenhouse..I had plenty of gas for the generater..losts of water,food. We have internet and cable for our entertainment..my kids school never closed...all the other schools around us closed but ours.My dh worked a few hours on Monday & Tuesday worked a full day today..I have to say I'm really depressed since loosing power this time around..not sure why as we are fortunate to still have our favorite entertainment like I listed..but I feel doomed? Maybe its the day after day of no sunshine? My teenagers are miserable being cooped up in the livingroom having to ALL agree on what to watch on tv..I'm really thinking we should invest in a more powerful generator that will also run our water and power the boys tv..that might lighten the tension a little. I had my boys and my disabled brother go to my mil to take showers while I stay home to watch our home since its Halloween & my dh is still at work..not to mention my Guinea hens "will not " go in there house for anyone but me...it would be pitch dark by the time all of us got back if I had went..It seems like the days are soooooo loooong........I called our electric company to see if there is a restoration date and the automated service said by tomorrow at 11:30 pm...I really hope so! I cant wait to take a hour long hot shower.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

One of the things I learned from various sources was after an "event" restore as much "normalicy" as you can. This provides a sense of the familiar and adds to stability. In the old movie "Panic in year zero" ( good movie, lousy title. I recommend it.) once he has gotten his family out of dodge to sheltering in a hidden cave, the father tells them they will resume as many normal things as possible, like him shaving every day. Order and structure keep away panic and fear. Not always easy, I agree, but at least a starting point.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

Roadking, stay warm and dry. I see Mr. Murphy dropped in for a visit. Well I guess we all got a good shakedown on our prepping. i didn't get as much as the power stayed on, but I did get to practise the set up.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

As you read through this thread, you might notice this phrase coming up over and over in one form or another.." we already had..it was already in place...we usually keep this on hand, set up , in the freezer.." That is the heart of prepping, having preplanned, preset, preposition, prestocked up, so that in an emergency/event it's just a small step from living on the grid to living off it. But there also has been flexability, and improvisation, showing one of the other good traits of prepping, the ability to adapt, improvise and overcome. To all out there still struggling in the aftermath, please keep us posted. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. To those who have sailed through it, well done, and thanks for sharing your experiances with us.


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## OnlyMe (Oct 10, 2010)

Just dropping in - still have no power but thankfully the generator is humming. 

One item we used that came in handy was the Deep Bath (can be found on Amazon). It allows you to fill the tub with more water than normal -about 3-4". I filled the tub in case I needed water for flushing.

I know 99% of you know this but it "got" me so I figured I'd mention it. While we should always "try" our preps, at the last minute we picked up 2 extra gas cans that have some "safety" mechanism. I'm usually mechanically inclined but in the dark with rain & wind I couldn't figure out the "secret" to pour the gas out and used a work-around. I'll figure it out later, I'm tired.


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

Yes, sometimes we have to improvise and "work around" a situation. It does touch on the point that in the dark, rain , cold when you are tired is NOT the time to try and figuire something out. But we can't remember, or try out everything. That's why a back up plan or two is good if you can have it. Roadking had to work on the carb of his generator which quit at 3AM. ( Nothing ever seems to go wrong in the middle of a sunny day.) I'm thankful the worst glitch I had was with a blown fuse on one inverter. I had spare ones ready.


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## OnlyMe (Oct 10, 2010)

Doing the Happy Happy Dance - our power is back! Great relief since it's getting chilly and I like my furnace to be able to work as needed 24/7. 

Thank you so much to everyone who posted but I want to give an extra thanks to Barefootboy for starting this thread. Thank goodness we had everything in place but having this forum to come mentally took the edge off. Preparing and planning for situations is an absolute necessity but experience is key. While I love utilities (really love them lol) having been through last year's two storms without power helped this go around.

For Irene, we only lost power for a day but it prompted me to spring for a generator. After the October storm and being without power for 9 days, 18 hrs and 15 minutes (but who's counting) we treated ourselves to the Christmas gift of having the house wired to eliminate the need for extension cords, having an open door with snow outside and most importantly enabling the generator to run the furnace. It paid off as well & made things much more bearable.

Without going into detail, life continues to happen even when you're dealing with inconveniences. While having what you need on-hand is essential, your frame of mind is an important aspect. I promised myself a nice afternoon nap when it was all over ~ and after getting things in order and doing some housework I will get my reward.

Lastly, while we see a lot of stories of people who didn't prep & are awaiting a handout it's good to know that for some the light went on. A close family member who I could tell thought I was a little loopy has ordered a generator & was telling me about her plans for the next canned goods sale. Some people do/will learn and that makes it better for everyone.


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## backwoods (Sep 12, 2004)

So glad you all are ok after this horrific storm! My brother & family live in St. Mary's Maryland and had a propane generator installed by a company last year, due to his basement having flooded when the power was out. The sump pump went out, even though it had a battery back-up, because the pump just quickly drained the battery. This go-round, he was "ready" he thought. A couple days before the storm, he pulled the truck up near the generator to have it in place, in case he needed to "jump it off" and then went in to plug it in, to do a trial run, as they still had electricity. He discovered the plug was defective! Quickly had the company out and fix the problem. He said they had 65 mph winds, but they never lost power. He says it's all because of HIS generator! LOL ...it does seem to go that way! Maybe there is a lesson here???


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## stef (Sep 14, 2002)

Exellent thread. 

This is from the perspective of an apartment dweller who lives in all electric building. 

Folks in our little backwoods town were certainly aware of the impending storm. I went out early Monday morning to get a few items and observed what other shoppers had in their carts. Bottled water was a big sell. 

I stopped for gas and there was no line of customers, but that might have been because it was so early in the day. 

I finally got something to heat food with, which had been on my mind for a long time. I had a number of empty pop bottles and filled them with water.

Got batteries for my radio and filled the kerosene lantern ( I remembered why I emptied the lantern and put the kerosene in a jar: I _*hate*_ the smell of kerosene!!! Will definitely look for additional alternate source of light.) Found my flashlights and assembled everything where I could find it.

Did up all the laundry and then went about the rest of the day listening to the news and reading online. 



We were very, _*very*_ fortunate. Only had a few gusts of high wind come through with no damage, and a couple brief flickers of our lights. I'm very thankful.

"prepared" or not, my heart goes out to the sick, the elderly, the children, everyone really, who is still suffering tonight. It's horrible to be cold and hungry. The hours drag and you feel very alone.


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## OK Yankee (Oct 30, 2005)

I would like to thank everyone for the good, the bad, and the ugly. I live in northern Michigan and while flooding isn't an issue here, some of the other stuff is. I have some relatives that are prepared and some that aren't. A lot of what was posted is pertinent for this area, hopefully people will "get it" before they need it.

Thank you for the lists and comments. There are a few things I can see that I need to address also.

Thanx
Yankee


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Checking in...all well. Still no grid but genny keeping things semi normal. Tarps blew off firewood so drying as we go. Will give etter report when power comes ba k. Stay safe all.

Matt


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

We'll be here, roadking. You just take care of you and yours.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

RK...town Honesdale is a zoo....gas lines and all that. be careful, and if I can help in any way, please let me know


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Thanks BB and BFB, all is well. Power came on at 10:30 last night. Let it go for about 30 minutes then started re-plugging stuff back in.
Thought we lost the fridge...ran great of the genny for 4 days (fridge, then spare freezer, the coffee pot then micro...only one at a time), but then went wonkey. Thought I fried the compressor. Plugged into grid power and after 5 minutes, she came back to life! YAY!
Thoroughly wiped out right now, so will do a follow up later.
Kids did great, they hardly noticed a change except for having to refil the toilet to flush and flashlights after dark. Guess we prepped them pretty well.
Lots still without power...wondering about school tommorow...we'll see.
Stay safe all.

Matt


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

Great to hear , Roadking 
Maybe later we can get together some time and compare notes.
Right now I am doing a test with my dehydrator. I found it only takes 125W, so I am going to see if I can make jerky from some beef by running the dehydrator by a fully charged car battery run through the 200W inverter. I already confirmed that the dehydrator will work like that. Now the question is, will the battery charge last long enough? The meat is soaking in the mix now, and I will start the test tomorrow. If it works, I'll have one more option to save the beef/hamburger in the freezer in case of a prolonger power outage.


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

I have yet to do jerky, just fruits, fruit leather and veggies. I really need to give it a try.
I was using a 300 watt inverter for the internet connection for wife's Kindle, the boys 2 DS (games) and a lamp (40 watts). Old battery, used for a total of around 10 hours...light stayed green.
I'm going to compile some notes as to what we did right and what we need to modify.

Matt


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## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

I posted my North Shore of Long Island experience on my blog. It's too long to post here. I'm no big prepper by any means but we could have fared well with a longer time without power. 

Life on the Sound


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

barefootboy said:


> Maybe later we can get together some time and compare notes.


We should meet at the livestock auction in Nicholson in the spring. I met Stan there unknowingly (like bfb sort of). He and his family could come along and the we can have a grand old time eating pizza and bidding on my new layers and turkey pullets!!


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Where is "Nicholson" ? Town or auction house name? That could be fun since we are going to go back to chickens in the spring...ours got wiped out...tore up the chicken tractor, ate 3, beheaded 3...

Matt


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

not far from Tunkhannock..
the Nicholson Bridge (aka Tunkhannock Viaduct) is an impressive structure going through Nicholson Tunkhannock Viaduct - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Its really the only local livestock auction I know about.
no webpage,  but here is the address http://www.yellowpages.com/nicholson-pa/livestock-auction

its a dirt small arena type with bleachers. Seems the folks that go bring their suppers and make a night of it. Just dont follow my lead bidding...I have a tendency to get caught up int he moment and overpay


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

Will keep it in mind. I used to work in Tunkhannock long ago. What date in the spring are we talking about?


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

barefootboy said:


> Will keep it in mind. I used to work in Tunkhannock long ago. What date in the spring are we talking about?


dont know what days the auction will be in the spring...its not every day...we will have to see at the end of winter. Im planning to hatch a new flock, but would like to get some laying hens to start, and my turkey pullets (I never have any luck hatching them)...and if meat prices continue to rise, and the economy continues to be bad, I just might get a lamb or two and start a small rabbit operation. Im thinking lambs are quiet and small, and I have a place for them to browse.


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Latest update from Wayne County;
I have a friend with ties to the electric co. and the bucket trucks. They still have no power, but were told that someone would be out by Sat. the 10th! 
Oh yeah, and PP&L are sending most of the out of state trucks and crews home because the work is almost done...?
According to PP&L, there are still over 1000 without power in Wayne.
I am grateful they got us back up and running, but also feel for those without power. As I looked up the road last night I realized our house was the last one with lights...we are definitely lucky.
School reopened this morning...very light turnout. Topped with the new storm on it's way, I need to get a few more things done.

Matt


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

Hang in there , roadking
That's where you have the advantage on me Beagalbiz, I don't have the situation to keep any animals. I am close enough in "town" that the ordinances forbid it. but who knows, maybe we can work out some sort of barder arrangement for eggs and such..lol
My DW is looking forward to meeting with you all. We'll see you in the spring.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

barefootboy said:


> Hang in there , roadking younger year
> That's where you have the advantage on me Beagalbiz, I don't have the situation to keep any animals. I am close enough in "town" that the ordinances forbid it. but who knows, maybe we can work out some sort of barder arrangement for eggs and such..lol
> My DW is looking forward to meeting with you all. We'll see you in the spring.


Rabbits are perfect for city folks. they make no noise, their poop is garden gold, and lots of folks have hutches in their yard for pets. I raised flemish giants in Kingston in younger years.
RK, Im glad you are on your way back...hugs to your boys and wife


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

I think I'll look into rabbits in the spring, although I have some running wild around here. They will have to be pets at least at first. i don't think DW will be ready for anything else yet...LOL


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

barefootboy said:


> I think I'll look into rabbits in the spring, although I have some running wild around here. They will have to be pets at least at first. i don't think DW will be ready for anything else yet...LOL


Im lucky, my guys will eat anything I put in front of them. They are used to eating rabbit, they shoot wild ones during small game season. They like it fried, like fried chicken. Domestic rabbits taste even better


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## barefootboy (Sep 30, 2012)

My DW is very wonderful in many , many ways, but she is the pickyest eater I've ever seen...lol But, I think she could rise to the occasion if push came to shove


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