Power is still out for many thousands of people in the wake of two hurricanes. People are suffering. It’s my belief that surviving without electricity is harder in the south that here up north. Fresh food goes bad rapidly in the heat. Fortunately there are many foods that can be stored long term without refrigeration.
The lack of air conditioning can be more of a hazard to life. Staying the shade and drinking lots of water helps. If you are young and healthy surviving without AC, while uncomfortable, is generally doable. The very young, the sick, and the elderly may need AC to survive.
For that you need electricity, and not just a few watts either. You aren’t going to get by with a couple of solar panels and a solar generator. A gas, propane, or diesel generator will do the job -until the fuel runs out. For a lot of people in the affected areas getting more fuel is a real issue. Storing fuel in large volumes requires serious safety precautions.
There are ways to make your fuel go longer. For example rather than trying to cool the whole house limit AC use to one room. Running one smallish AC unit will provide a safe place for the vulnerable. It might be crowded and lack privacy but your fuel supply will last longer.
Where I live in New Hampshire AC is not an issue. My house doesn’t even have AC. A few fans suffice. Losing power is a winter issue. On the plus side, refrigeration is easy. All of outdoors is a freezer. Staying warm is the real problem.
Fortunately a woodstove doesn’t consume any electricity. Fire is primitive, one of first technologies, but it still does the job. In my case, living in the woods is a bonus. Firewood actually does grow on trees.
-Sixbears
"Firewood actually does grow on trees" that one put me on the floor. made my day.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got a laugh out of it!
DeleteThank you, Captain Obvious.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome Lieutenant Snarky.
DeleteMultiple times now, we've endured power outages after hurricanes. Not once have we ran ac. It is not needed, if you just go outside and get under some shade.
ReplyDeleteNot true if you need heat to survive.
If you are old or unhealthy then you will die up north without energy to cut, transport wood fuel.
Fact is , if you are old and unhealthy, it doesn't matter where you live.
Just a matter of how long you will survive.
I've noticed a lot of people in warm climates never actually spend enough time outside to adjust to warm weather.
DeleteHypothermia doesn't need subzero temperatures.
ReplyDeleteLack of electricity is far more than simple AC or such. It's ability to get paid (as FEMA's funding is electronic as are their emergency chainsaws) some 99% of all banking is electronic, stores need communications and working credit to get resupplies as so those FEMA funds can get used.
There's a really GOOD Reason the rule of threes of critical needs to stay alive exists.
Rule of threes:
lack of air your dead in 3 seconds (we could quibble but bear with me here)
lack of shelter in bad weather 3 hours your dead.
lack of safe water 3 days your dead.
Electricity is currently involved in ALL of this in one manner or another.
Or putting it in your woodstove analogy.
When electricity is gone in your area how will you get replacement fuel for that chainsaw?
Let alone the cascading effects of some storm damage to your Home and trying to buy without e-commerce the stuff or paying the crew to fix it?
I found it sadly interesting that the Weather Channel is asking folks for old coats, blankets and water bottles to be donated to aid the NC folks.
ReplyDeleteNot one word of FEMA assistance, just BS stories of "Armed Milita" threatening them.
Like the BLM "Noose Stories", they will fade when the real word comes out.
Otherwise show me some dead FEMA workers from those "evil ones works".