Comments on: Peak Oil Lessons from a 5-day Blackout http://peakoilmedicine.com/2007/07/21/peak-oil-lessons-from-a-5-day-blackout/ A blog by Dr Paul Roth exploring healthcare options for a scarce oil future. Fri, 18 May 2012 08:13:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: ozarker http://peakoilmedicine.com/2007/07/21/peak-oil-lessons-from-a-5-day-blackout/#comment-15591 ozarker Fri, 27 Jul 2007 00:20:42 +0000 http://peakoilmedicine.com/2007/07/21/peak-oil-lessons-from-a-5-day-blackout/#comment-15591 Hi Paul, last January we had an ice storm that took out electric in 75,000 homes here in Springfield and several million homes across the midwest. My son, who had an electric blower on his furnace and a young couple who had trees and powerlines down in their yard, stayed with me because I have a little gas wall furnace. We were without power totally for 3 days, then I had one outlet for the rest of the 12 days the electric was off. (I chose to plug in my refrigerator/freezer since I'd been storing frozen stuff in large tin drums on the porch for three days.) My son and his friends are also p.o. aware and we spent several evenings talking about it by candlelight - LOL. One great thing that happened here was that one of the radio DJs, who usually spends his day show bashing "liberals", stayed on air for about 48 straight hours taking calls from people who needed help - heat, food, etc. and calls in to offer help. I found it quite amazing and heartening. People who had heat took in complete strangers, cooked and delivered food for those who didn't have it or couldn't cook or get out of their houses because of fallen trees or powerlines or just formed groups to go around and check on people they thought might need help. And like you, there were things I was glad I had on hand - lots of candles and several battery operated camping lamps, a b.o./windup/solar powered radio, lots of extra blankets - and several things I've added since then that I didn't have. I agree we should all use these problems (or as you said, do without power a couple of times a year)to take a hard look at where we are and where we want to be in relation to peak oil. It certainly made me take a look at where I am in my preparations. Linda Hi Paul, last January we had an ice storm that took out electric in 75,000 homes here in Springfield and several million homes across the midwest. My son, who had an electric blower on his furnace and a young couple who had trees and powerlines down in their yard, stayed with me because I have a little gas wall furnace. We were without power totally for 3 days, then I had one outlet for the rest of the 12 days the electric was off. (I chose to plug in my refrigerator/freezer since I’d been storing frozen stuff in large tin drums on the porch for three days.)

My son and his friends are also p.o. aware and we spent several evenings talking about it by candlelight - LOL.

One great thing that happened here was that one of the radio DJs, who usually spends his day show bashing “liberals”, stayed on air for about 48 straight hours taking calls from people who needed help - heat, food, etc. and calls in to offer help. I found it quite amazing and heartening. People who had heat took in complete strangers, cooked and delivered food for those who didn’t have it or couldn’t cook or get out of their houses because of fallen trees or powerlines or just formed groups to go around and check on people they thought might need help.

And like you, there were things I was glad I had on hand - lots of candles and several battery operated camping lamps, a b.o./windup/solar powered radio, lots of extra blankets - and several things I’ve added since then that I didn’t have.

I agree we should all use these problems (or as you said, do without power a couple of times a year)to take a hard look at where we are and where we want to be in relation to peak oil.

It certainly made me take a look at where I am in my preparations.

Linda

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