The power just went out....how prepared are people?

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by natshare, Sep 6, 2014.


  1. natshare

    natshare Monkey+++

    Wanted to share this, perhaps just to enlighten people.

    A nearby military base, with an off-base housing area (just across the 4-lane street) was doing some major electrical work yesterday, which required the power to be shut off to the housing area, that was supposed to last 8 hours. Of course, Mr. Murphy showed up, 8 hours turned into 12.....and they lost power again, today, to finish the work.
    Mind you, these people were given at least a week's notice that this was going to happen! While I can empathize with them (as doing this sort of work while we're still this close to summertime hot weather, in Texas) was just piss poor planning on someone's part, it's been pretty wild to hear the incredible WHINING going on from the residents! Mind you, since they "privatized" the base housing, it's not just military families living there any more, as they opened up that off-base housing to anyone......but these are NOT cheap houses to rent, so we're not talking your typical ghetto/section 8 residents, either!

    Here's the announcements made by the base public affairs officer, via their Facebook page (I have redacted some of the information, for privacy purposes, which will be in brackets [ ] ). In the first reply to this message (so it doesn't get too long), I'll post some of the replies that really struck me.


    ORIGINAL POST:
    Team--Just finding out that yesterday's scheduled 8-hour power outage in [affected housing area] is still ongoing. The word we are getting is that it is expected to last at least another 7-10 hours. That is as much as we know right now, but more information to follow...


    UPDATE: All [2nd & 3rd tier] leadership is being recalled to personally visit each home in [affected housing area] to assess needs and see how the base can assist. [Housing Contractor] is also providing free ice. Again, more information to follow so please stay tuned.


    UPDATE 2: Regarding financial loss (i.e. food) resulting from the outage, please keep track of your loss. Just spoke to the Judge Advocate, and since the work in that led to the outage was being performed by the government residents can file a claim through the Legal Office for any loss not covered by insurance. Be prepared to itemize on the claim form.


    UPDATE 3: Two items:
    1. The Dining Facilities have been opened to all [affected housing area] residents (military and otherwise) -- for those not familiar you can get a great, full meal there for under $5 per person. Non-military residents please be prepared at the gate to show ID and evidence that you live in [affected housing area].


    2. The (military) and Family Readiness Center is on recall/standby to provide emergency financial assistance or access to the base food pantry for military members. Military families should work requests for emergency assistance through your first sergeant.
     
  2. natshare

    natshare Monkey+++

    Okay, now here's some of the reply posts, from the residents. After reading this, realize that we're talking less than 24 hours without power, and they're already whining like this.....so what's it going to be like, after 2 days? 3 days? A week??

    They need to also give all the residents a gift card to walmart so they can restock their fridge and freezers.


    The ice is just Gunna turn around and melt...


    I'm so upset by this situation, I'm just speechless! I really hope that they plan on giving all residents something for being without power for this amount of time! everyone that's out of food and all the families that have children! It's very sad! it's the weekend. After a long week of work and we can't even relax! It's sad!


    They should set up their huge BBQs and start cooking hot dogs or hamburgers for residents to come by and get. Since we can't get in touch with their insurance until Monday, they should be helping in some way, other than a bag of ice.


    Once I understand but twice and 6 hour later notice. This is not acceptable and I'm expecting a reduction on my rent for all the food that is going to be ruin in my refrigerator. This is no free housing.


    How about set up generators, food, and drinks at one of the parks. So people can pass the time.


    Saving the best for last, this guy's comments just strike me as Supremely Spoiled Whining.....and this guy is active duty military!! :rolleyes:


    If they had of left the system alone to begin with we wouldn't be having these issues anyway.

    They really thought this through!! Leave it to some idiot to try to fix something that's not broke!! Pitiful!!

    This is some bullshit!! There was nothing wrong with the shit to begin with.

    I know exactly what happened cause they sent out a mass email that they were be cutting power for 8 hours yesterday so they could put the lines underground. We have been without power for over 12 hours and my issue is not with the line men. It is with the dumb shits at the base that decided to fix something that was not broken. Well I hope who evers idea this was is getting an ass chewing like no other. Probably someone trying to get a full bird or a star. Those are usually the geniuses that come up with ways to mess shit up!!

    Do you need any better reason for prepping and OPSEC now??
     
    GOG, Mountainman, oldawg and 2 others like this.
  3. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    I wish I could say that was unreal, but it is very real, and these people breed.
    Now, if it was me, I'd have had the BBQ waiting, the generators (2) stocked and ready, and the inflatible pool filled, coolers stocked and filled, and the party invites out shortly after the notice was given.
    Pitch a sun shade, kick back in the pool, and have a party. Of course, the tunes might draw the neighbors.....;)
     
  4. Gopherman

    Gopherman Sometimes I Wish I Could Go Back to Sleep

    Just like when the EBT cards went down a couple months ago for less than a day, or the Earthquake in California, people just don't get it!
    6 250 watt solar panels, 1,000 gallons of water,plenty of food, 115 volt AC if I had to use it, food not an issue, back up Gen. just in case! I'm Good!
     
    Mountainman likes this.
  5. Dunerunner

    Dunerunner Brewery Monkey Moderator

    A taste of what SHTF would be like on a Nano scale. Extend the outage indefinitely and imagine the reaction.
     
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  6. Gopherman

    Gopherman Sometimes I Wish I Could Go Back to Sleep

    MSM Report on Fox said ISIS planning grid attack and there's a Buzz going on about a Military Base in El Paso as well,
    The first thing they said after the quake in Cal. is how nobody is prepared for what is a certainty, THE BIG ONE! They know it's coming, not if, but, When? and still no one is listening.
    When they get hit they'll be crying about it just like those idiots that refused to evacuate New Orleans!
     
    Last edited: Sep 7, 2014
    Dunerunner and kellory like this.
  7. kckndrgn

    kckndrgn Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    and in a 12 hr outage, what in your fridge will go bad? Not much. Milk maybe. Just have to remember to open the fridge as little as possible.

    for that short of time, lots of LITTLE things would have kept all items in the fridge fresh.

    funny, but when I lost power a few years ago from "Hurricane Elvis" (100mph straight line winds), i was without power for 7 days. No big deal didn't own a generator then, but still managed to not lose any food, just ate it in the order it would have spoiled. A little prep goes a long way.
     
  8. Gopherman

    Gopherman Sometimes I Wish I Could Go Back to Sleep

    Katrina knocked our power out for 10 days and we just moved here and were still the only ones with a generator in our area!
    Had the neibors put their frozen foods in paper bags with name on it and stored it in our big freezer!
     
  9. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Besides that, they were offered free ice. Just put it in the fridge! How easy it that? I think the base went far and above the minumum .
     
    Hammerhead likes this.
  10. Gator 45/70

    Gator 45/70 Monkey+++

    They have learned nothing, Whiners and snivelers never do, Its become a way of life for many to whine and snivel for Free $hit,

    However you have to remember that I'm ''That Guy'' who makes Frozen Margarita's after Katrina and then walks out in the street sipping a big frozen one while asking the neighbors How Ya Doing ?

    They had no power, I have a couple of generator's.

    My point was not only to rag the un-prepared into taking control of their lives, But enjoy it, Some never learn,

    I don't care.
     
    oldawg, kellory, kckndrgn and 2 others like this.
  11. Airtime

    Airtime Monkey+++

    Yep, and then they'll want lots of federal money to rebuild and care for people because they didn't adequately prepare and insure. So, the rest of us get the honor of paying for their folly thru our taxes and devalued dollars (devalued when Fed prints money and permanently loans it to the .gov to spend: the invisible tax).

    AT
     
  12. Dunerunner

    Dunerunner Brewery Monkey Moderator

    I have twelve 2 Liter soda bottles filled with water and frozen in my chest freezer in the garage. Enough to keep things in the refrigerator cool for a few days, then I'll just move out to the motorhome....
     
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  13. VisuTrac

    VisuTrac Ваша мать носит военные ботинки Site Supporter+++

    meh, power goes out here a couple of times a month. sometimes for less than an hour, some times it can be days.

    but typical would be 4-8 hrs after a moderate storm. This year we've had a few big storms that have taken out the power for 3 days each.

    local yuppies that moved out to the country beat feet for the nearest hotel during power outages. pretty much know who's ready in the neighborhood for shtf event. And half of the houses will be empty.
     
    Dunerunner, Yard Dart and Gator 45/70 like this.
  14. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    We are the same here as VT. Every time the power goes out for more than a day we see people evacuating....to family/hotels/whatever...... :rolleyes:
    I have paid attention over the last six years at this location. I know who will leave and who will stay.... who has various preps such as gardens, bee's and so on....without prying, just listening to them & their neighbors or just networking to find like minded folks. It is good information to have when it come time to rally the neighborhood for defense or other.... in times of emergency. [winkthumb]
     
    Dunerunner, mysterymet and Gopherman like this.
  15. vonslob

    vonslob Monkey++

    Several years ago the northern part of new mexico went without natural gas in some places for a week or more. What had happened was that there was a deep cold snap in texas that cause them to use more gas than usual. This put the gas grid under a huge strain. If they had not shut off the gas to certain parts of the state the pipeline system would have collapsed causing an outage in several states. All of this occurred in the coldest part of the winter. I knew of people that saw fist fights over electric heaters in the walmart in taos, guys selling them in the parking lot for three times what they had just paid for them, people grabbing heaters out of other peoples shopping carts. All of this on the first day. Where i live you can not get natural gas, so everyone is on propane. We were just fine.
     
  16. GOG

    GOG Free American Monkey

    I do my best to be charitable and plan to do as much as I can to help others if/when SHTF. But not everyone will get my help. There will always be ants and there will always be grasshoppers.
     
    oldawg, kckndrgn and kellory like this.
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