Hi everyone,
Sorry about the late post. We have been without power or internet connection since the day that Hurricane Ike blew through. Actually the morning after Hurricane Ike, Saturday 9/13.
This message was posted from a site with an active connection.
Lot’s of destruction, trees uprooted or split, signs broken, traffic lights out or blinking.
CenterPoint Energy had around 2.5 million people without power, and now they are at around 1 million.
We are a part of that remaining 1 million. After I heard that it would be around 2 weeks before CenterPoint would restore our power, I invested in a generator. I bought a 5500 watt generator fromHome Depot on Sunday, 9/14, for around $800. Not cheap, but worth it since we’ve been without power for around 6 days. It powers our refrigerator, radio, fan, helps our neighbor. It also briefly powers anything else that needs it. The place was a mad house. Generators were (and po) an in demand item. Kind of like giving food to a bunch of hungry men.
Here are a few things I would have done better for the next big storm:
-I would have 10 gallons or more of gas on hand. The generator tank holds 7 gallons, and then 2 gas cans of 5 gallons each filled up.
-We cooked on a Coleman, propane powered, gas stove, so I would have at least 5 cans of propane. You can buy these at Walmart.
-Enough non-perishable food that will last around a week. Like canned soups. If you have a generator you can cool the refrigerator and store your milk, orange juice or anything else that may spoil. Ice melts, so if you store your food on the ice, it will eventually melt and the food will spoil.
-More bottled water. Like a case of 24 bottles of water or more. Fill your bathtub with water to flush the toilet or for non-drinking use.
-An antenna for the TV, since cable was and still is out. When all goes to digital, you need a converter.
-Saw blades (mine broke) for any tree limbs that fall down on the house, or anywhere else they may get in the way, and a rake to rake up fallen leaves or other debris.
There were lines to get in to the store, lines at the checkout, long lines to get gas (I had to wait around 45 minutes in line). The gas station had gas, but no power to pump the gas.
That is all for now.
If you want to help with a monetary gift to help our need caused by Hurricane Ike, consider purchasing a copy of “A Light in the Midst of Darkness”, a true, miraculous Hurricane Rita story.
Click here to order it: http://www.alightinthemidstofdarkness.com
Thanks,
Erik Loebl