Loss of electricity after a storm!

[Wpwxguy]

Saw a piece on the news the other night about how our local power company is trying to improve and be better prepared for a storm. They want to be able to restore power at a faster pace. I remember seeing convoys of trucks, probably 40-50 trucks at a time passing on the highway headed to Florida after Ivan. It was really impressive. I guess all you can do is have more people on standby to get into those areas as soon as the wind lets up. I don't see how you can do much to reduce damage to power lines and poles. I thought this would be a good thread for folks to let us know how long they've gone without power after a storm. My record was 7 days, no power, no water..... And it was soooo hot! That was Elena of 85....The midst of summer heat. Please Lord never again. If this would bode better in the off topic, please move it. Thought this would be a good place for it because of all the Cane watchers.

[vbhoutex]

7 days here after Alicia in August which is our hottest month. We had an 8 monthold and a 4 year old. Had to move out of the house for the week since the temp in the house wouldn't ever get below 85º. Our neighbors across the street got their power back in 2 days and we ran an extension across the street to power the refrig to keep from losing any more food.

[x-y-no]

11 or 12 days for me after Andrew, IIRC.

[drudd1]

Those convoys of trucks were a blessing! We were in an area where the power was a wreck, and we were initially told it would be three weeks after Charlie left us before the lights would come back on. Thanks to the out of state folks, we were up and running in under two. They have been doing a lot of work clearing power easements since last season, so I hope it won't be as bad if we get hit again. The generator was a blessing, thank goodness I already had one!

[jujubean]

5 miserable long weeks after andrew....we slept in a tent outside until we got the generator.

[Wpwxguy]

Did you say 5(five) weeks. OMG....... I think I would have totally lost my mind. I think you may wind up at the top of the poll. WOW!

[jujubean]

first week of october in my neighborhood....andrew was a learning experience for everyone as far as being prepared for such events....I'm glad to hear that electric companies have convoys on hand before the storms actually hit....it seems things are starting to run a little bit smoother now for the post hurricane areas thank goodness

[drudd1]

first week of october in my neighborhood....andrew was a learning experience for everyone as far as being prepared for such events....I'm glad to hear that electric companies have convoys on hand before the storms actually hit....it seems things are starting to run a little bit smoother now for the post hurricane areas thank goodness

Yeah, things are getting better, unfortunately, you guys were the reason they made changes. I was stationed in Homestead but left before Andrew. Many of my friends were without any power for an eternity. Kind of hard to get it back up when there are no power poles to work with. I see you are in Cutler Ridge, for the first six months we were there we lived in an apartment on Black Creek in Cutler Ridge. We were just south and a little east of the mall. Caught a bunch of nice fish right out the front door. The Cardinal Apartments we lived in were totally demolished by Andrew, not to mention the base was a shambles. I was down two weeks after the storm and was in a state of shock at what I saw. If there was a silver lining, it was that a lot was learned on what to do and not do after a severe storm.

[CharleySurvivor]

14 days after Charley before power was back for us in Charlotte county. Had no water either (well without a power switch - now there is one ) and it was hell! I spend the 2nd week traveling 2 hrs every day from hotel to work. That was a pain but couldn't complain, I had water, A/C and coffee whenever I wanted

[msbee]

oh no, I got you all beat by far.
after Luis hit St. Maarten in 1995, we were without electricity for
3 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
we now have a huge..very expensive.. diesel generator..that we are still paying for.. that powers our whole house and has an automatic switch and everything.
we may get a hard blow , and we may be broke, but we will have electricity!

[SCshorty]

2 weeks after Hugo. Not really important, but we didn't get cable back for almost 4 months. Never lost phone service though.

[jujubean]

oh no, I got you all beat by far.
after Luis hit St. Maarten in 1995, we were without electricity for
3 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
we now have a huge..very expensive.. diesel generator..that we are still paying for.. that powers our whole house and has an automatic switch and everything.
we may get a hard blow , and we may be broke, but we will have electricity!

god bless generators!!!

[cyclonaut]

7 days here after Alicia in August which is our hottest month. We had an 8 monthold and a 4 year old. Had to move out of the house for the week since the temp in the house wouldn't ever get below 85º. Our neighbors across the street got their power back in 2 days and we ran an extension across the street to power the refrig to keep from losing any more food.

I did the same thing after Andrew.

[AL Chili Pepper]

There's nothing more frustrating than being without power for 5 nights while watching neighbor's lights burn......25 feet away. That being said, thanks Minnesota Power.

[boca]

9 days between Frances and Jeanne and people across the street only 3 days.

[Josephine96]

Lost power for 11 days after Charley.. My down the street neighbors got theirs back after 7-8 days