How to cope with several days of no electricity.

[billethkid]

There have been many suggestions and comments about a lot of dos and don'ts prior to and lots of good info during the storm.

I would like to hear what others have in mind or recommend from experience how to deal with an extensive duration power outage.

We have a generator so will be able to run the refrigerator, lights and a roll around portable air conditioner.
Of course we have no idea what damage will be done to the house and nearby neighbors.
Communications will remain an issue if cell phone capability is also down for some period of time.

Comments/suggestions/recommendations please.

So many unknowns to deal with.

Be safe and be careful.

[SouthOfTheBorder]

We have 2 Parcar golf carts. Each have 8 batteries less than 1 year old. We will use a 3k watt inverter using those batteries to power some LED lighting, cable/tv if it is available, electric skillet, coffee maker and charge phones/ipads . Will also carefully power one of our refrigerators.

Hoping we can last for a week or so. Also have gas grill and our SUV.

AC is not a big issue for us.

I would be surprised if power would be out for more than 48 hours.

Don

[jimbo2012]

I can use the solar panel on my golf cart

[Wiotte]

I can use the solar panel on my golf cart



I've a full tank of gasoline [emoji3]

[tophcfa]

Drink lots of warm beer:girlneener:

[BamaBoy451]

Drink lots of warm beer:girlneener:

Shouldn't have to do that. Have ice on hand and a large cooler. Also if you are lucky to have refreezeable ice bricks you should be Ok.

[Carl in Tampa]

There have been many suggestions and comments about a lot of dos and don'ts prior to and lots of good info during the storm.

I would like to hear what others have in mind or recommend from experience how to deal with an extensive duration power outage.

We have a generator so will be able to run the refrigerator, lights and a roll around portable air conditioner.
Of course we have no idea what damage will be done to the house and nearby neighbors.
Communications will remain an issue if cell phone capability is also down for some period of time.

Comments/suggestions/recommendations please.

So many unknowns to deal with.

Be safe and be careful.

I suspect that the generator will burn up your gasoline supply much faster than you anticipate. You might want to consider consuming your frozen and refrigerated foods before digging very deeply into your canned goods, just in case the generator runs out and the refrigerated foods might spoil.

In the aftermath of the storm, you can open some doors and windows for a cross draft rather than adding the strain of running the portable air conditioners. The air should be cool, but very humid. Run a couple of electric fans. During the last weather event that I went through I just sat out on my pool deck (screened pool) and watched nature, occasionally reading a bit.

Daytime with no electricity - read a book. Nighttime with no electricity - go to bed and sleep. (Well, I do have an oil lamp, a Coleman camp lantern, a few LED flashlights, and candles, but seldom use them.)

Food? You can live for days on oatmeal and water. Personally, I often have cheese grits for one of my daily meals. Did you know that eggs stay good for several days without refrigeration? People make this all too complicated.

Oh.........coffee. You don't need those super coffee makers to make coffee.

[Kahuna32162]

Saw this suggestion on one of the news channels. Fill all your tupperware containers about 3/4 full and freeze them. Can be used to help keep items cold in your cooler longer than bags of ice.

[asianthree]

We still have a corded landline due to being on call. No one knows how this will effect cell towers and for how long. Yep old fashion, but those who have one will most likely be able to contact family.

We are used to losing power in dead of winter for 10 days at a time. Fill you freezer to the max with containers of water. We use liters of saline bottles from our places of work over and over. Bags of ice melt faster than a block of ice. Make sure you do not block the vent so you do not prevent air flow. Cook everything portion into meal size labeled, then freeze. Have a thermometer. Keep an inventory of what and where in freezer. We have a contractor generator, but our freezer has held for 50 hours to a safe temp in summer.

[SKIMAN]

keep the Line Crews in your prayers there the ones that will be out there restoring this mess. there 1 of many that will be putting in long hours. I should know for I was one...Be safe out there

[Taltarzac725]

keep the Line Crews in your prayers there the ones that will be out there restoring this mess. there 1 of many that will be putting in long hours. I should know for I was one...Be safe out there

Thanks for you service. We should be hunkering down until the streets are safe to go out.

I expect most if not all of the Villages' stores, restaurants and the like will all be closed tomorrow and Monday as well.

[billethkid]

Thanks for you service. We should be hunkering down until the streets are safe to go out.

I expect most if not all of the Villages' stores, restaurants and the like will all be closed tomorrow and Monday as well.

Many/most will be closing sometime after lunch today.
They too need some time to prepare and be safe.

[Taltarzac725]

Many/most will be closing sometime after lunch today.
They too need some time to prepare and be safe.

That is true. I have been seeing the same people in some of these stores for the past 12 years we have been here. Some stores have quite a lot of turnover, some do not. Even get a hint at some of the possible romances and the like going among them from close people watching. One couple at a local Publix I was sure of as I would run into them at other Villages' area stores and just recently they seemed to have some kind of major celebration going on from the re-actions of various cashiers while they were visiting the Publix where they used to work.

I put in all the cashiers' names when I am registering the various bills for Where's George so I do remember the various names of cashiers over the years.

Just a little reminder that these store workers have lives too.

One of our neighbors works at one of the Ace Hardwares.

[SKIMAN]

Just got off the phone with 1 of my buds who's a supv. From the national grid in rhode island.there sending 40 line crews down to florida to help with restoration . Thank you brothers

[Blessed2BNTV]

Just got off the phone with 1 of my buds who's a supv. From the national grid in rhode island.there sending 40 line crews down to florida to help with restoration . Thank you brothers

Had a dear friend in that line of business. You are special folks and do appreciate what your brothers and sisters do for us.

[tophcfa]

Have flight booked to Orlando for Tuesday night so I can do damage control on our home? Bringing LED lights with lots of batteries, tarps, gorilla tape, easy to transport food, etc... So I can do temporary repairs if necessary. Both golf carts are full of gas and I have 10 extra gallons of ethanol free gas in the garage. Also have propane grill and two tanks of propane waiting in garage and a freezer full of frozen fish and meat. Also have several gallons of water and bottles of gatoraid in house. Very nice neighbor has put any potential projectiles in my garage and removed sign from lamp post. Might have to fill buckets of water from nearby retention pond to flush toilet? Have shuttle booked with Villages Airport Van, which runs on propane, so will not be effected by gas shortage. Hope the flight doesen't get cancelled, expecting an adventure.

[bluedivergirl]

Have flight booked to Orlando for Tuesday night so I can do damage control on our home? Bringing LED lights with lots of batteries, tarps, gorilla tape, easy to transport food, etc... So I can do temporary repairs if necessary. Both golf carts are full of gas and I have 10 extra gallons of ethanol free gas in the garage. Also have propane grill and two tanks of propane waiting in garage and a freezer full of frozen fish and meat. Also have several gallons of water and bottles of gatoraid in house. Very nice neighbor has put any potential projectiles in my garage and removed sign from lamp post. Might have to fill buckets of water from nearby retention pond to flush toilet? Have shuttle booked with Villages Airport Van, which runs on propane, so will not be effected by gas shortage. Hope the flight doesen't get cancelled, expecting an adventure.

If you do use pond water for flushing, pour it into the bowl rather then the tank.

There will certainly be sediment in the water, and it is annoyingly difficult to clean out of the tank.

[Shimpy]

I can use the solar panel on my golf cart

If we all did that the sun would be depleted in 20 years to the point it wouldn't have enough to warm the earth..........LOL

[jimbo2012]

If we all did that the sun would be depleted in 20 years to the point it wouldn't have enough to warm the earth..........LOL

I bet that's why people guy gas carts here then to save the sun!

[Md girl]

Just read that if u have a dishwasher it's a good place to put important items as it is waterproof and attached to cabinets Also a top loader washer can be filled with ice and used as a cooler for drinks once the ice melts just run the water to drain pretty nifty ideas

[lorilorilori]

Make it a holiday and go to sleep.
Sleep - beautiful sleep.

[Inexes@aol.com]

Just read that if u have a dishwasher it's a good place to put important items as it is waterproof and attached to cabinets Also a top loader washer can be filled with ice and used as a cooler for drinks once the ice melts just run the water to drain pretty nifty ideas

It is all over the internet.... this is NOT true... if water gets backed up into lines it can back up into dishwasher.... unless you disconnect dishwasher from garbage disposal and seal off that line.... sorry......

[Waverunner]

I also read that a dishwasher is not waterproof in a flood. Severe wind inside your home can scatter your appliances beyond your property. Wind inside your home can jostle your appliances and accidently turn your dishwasher on and ruin all your important papers, photos and keepsakes inside.

Do not store your valuables in your dishwasher!