Who’s got power and who’s out ?

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Originally Posted by gbk

Busmoose you hit this right on the head.The last time we were preparing for the ice storm,like 3 weeks ago,and potential outings, did a lot of soul search how are we going to survive if no hydro for a week in a dead of the winter..........other then food and water which we are Ok with for a week(or more) if we know it is coming......the heat issue still stays there non answered.
Any idea guys hot to heat a city dwelling on gas Forced Air heating system,without gas and hydro.......and no chimney ?All i could come up with was-conserve the trapped in heat as long as possible,dress warm and hope for fast return to "normal".
I think i am not alone with this issue.........?

Appreciate feedback.

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Unfortunately, there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people in the same situation as you describe. The possibility of no heat during the winter in Canada? That potential scenario just proves how dependant our society is on the system. Dependant on the gov't to organise it all? Dependant on others to make sure the system works? Dependant on someone else providing food, heat and fuel, during a possible situation where there might not be any outside help?
I can only suggest you should make changes in your lifestyle to become a bit more independant? If that means installing a back up source of heat (woodstove?), you may just have to do that? If your bylaws prevent that, then maybe have the stuff sitting in a shed ready to use if needed(bylaws be damned). It all comes down to personal choice of how independant you want to live? Good luck with whatever you do.

I can see hydro being off for a while, water usually has back up generators so that's fine. Same with natural gas, not often do they lose pressure. Non power vented water heaters don't need electricity if they have a pilot light. Furnaces, even high efficiency can be run from generators. Just remember to keep a couple gerry cans full and rotate them.

No doubt that “millions” is the right term to describe how many people would be in real trouble during a really extended power outage, even for a week or a few days in the winter.

A while back I realized that with 2 young kids, no relatives or close friends nearby (we had just moved here), and no woodstove, we would be in a real jam during a winter outage for any more than 12 hrs. Picked up a small generator on sale and had it set up to feed my panel so I could select breakers and run what we needed to get by. Life has some cruel ironies....I haven’t ever needed it before this weekend and I’m in the middle of some garage renovations, with my panel feed wiring disconnected. But I had the genny to run things anyway, just a pain with extension cords everywhere.

In a really significant doomsday scenario, having a big food stockpile is great but I think you’d get shot before eating most of it, unless you were super remote

Thanx guys for the feedback-Bushmoose ,without a chimney i will be stuck..........mind You if i am to change my house having chimney will be a must. If i am ever glad i asked this question. Fisherman-talk to my electrician is in short order,to see how to go about having a generator supplying my home with hydro.I have got some Jerry cans already;););)
And yes 73hunter-you are absolutely right,if the big one comes,"people will be eating people"to survive..........

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Originally Posted by Fisherman

I can see hydro being off for a while, water usually has back up generators so that's fine. Same with natural gas, not often do they lose pressure. Non power vented water heaters don't need electricity if they have a pilot light. Furnaces, even high efficiency can be run from generators. Just remember to keep a couple gerry cans full and rotate them.

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This idea, IMHO is totally dependant on outside help. Dependant on the gas workers maintaining the system? Dependant on the water works employees to show up for work to keep things going so you can have water? Maybe those folks will be at home trying to look after their own families? In a serious grid shutdown, good luck with that? A couple of jerry cans of gas will last you how long? Good luck with that also?

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Originally Posted by 73hunter

No doubt that “millions” is the right term to describe how many people would be in real trouble during a really extended power outage, even for a week or a few days in the winter.

A while back I realized that with 2 young kids, no relatives or close friends nearby (we had just moved here), and no woodstove, we would be in a real jam during a winter outage for any more than 12 hrs. Picked up a small generator on sale and had it set up to feed my panel so I could select breakers and run what we needed to get by. Life has some cruel ironies....I haven’t ever needed it before this weekend and I’m in the middle of some garage renovations, with my panel feed wiring disconnected. But I had the genny to run things anyway, just a pain with extension cords everywhere.

In a really significant doomsday scenario, having a big food stockpile is great but I think you’d get shot before eating most of it, unless you were super remote

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In a significant doomsday scenario, you would be one of the dangerous ones? You have young children and they are cold n hungry. The neighbour across the street has food, heat n water, but he won't share it because he's looking after his own. What would you do?

The "doomsday" concept is only going to happen when s**t gets real and anarchy sets in. Sounds far fetched and people laugh at the concept and those who prepare themselves for it, but in this day n age of technology, it's not unthinkable?

I heard about Ancaster and Dundas losing power but I was OK for the longest time, and then, BAM! The power went out. I figured it wouldn't be up and running for a while with that wind storm so I dug out the generator and started running extension cords to the fridge, microwave, a couple of lamps, and internet/modem and TV (priorities). 40 minutes later the power came back on...meh. I'm rural but right on the edge of the city so everything is right around the corner. I'm only off the grid in regards to sewage but otherwise I'm still on city water and natural gas.

Lol, no Bushmoose I don’t think I’ll be one of the more dangerous ones. I’m not a prepper but I’m better prepared than many. You’re right on with the technology-dependency too, a few days without Facebook will send some into convulsions !

Anyway, as Joe said, a wake-up call now and then is not a bad thing.

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Originally Posted by last5oh_302

I heard about Ancaster and Dundas losing power but I was OK for the longest time, and then, BAM! The power went out. I figured it wouldn't be up and running for a while with that wind storm so I dug out the generator and started running extension cords to the fridge, microwave, a couple of lamps, and internet/modem and TV (priorities). 40 minutes later the power came back on...meh. I'm rural but right on the edge of the city so everything is right around the corner. I'm only off the grid in regards to sewage but otherwise I'm still on city water and natural gas.

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That's how it always goes , when you finally get everything hooked up the power comes back. Doesn't matter how long you wait to hook it up lol.

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