It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.

Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.

Thank you.

 

Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.

 

What I learn by living Superstorm Sandy

page: 2
30
<< 1    3 >>

log in

join
share:

posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 01:14 PM
link   
It wasn't a super storm. It wasn't even a hurricane! One week later, it is all but done, a "super storm" would disrupt a large area for YEARS (Katrina).



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 01:26 PM
link   
reply to post by finemanm
 


I live in Florida, miami to be exact.
We have Hurricane preparedness beaten into us by the news every time there's a storm.

You left out a very important one. Water.
You need to fill everything you have with water in case you lose water pressure.
Clean out your tub with some bleach. Fill it with water. You can use that to flush the toilets.

You need a gallon of water per day per person on average.
I keep a few milk gallons or 2 liter bottles under a cabinet just in case of a storm to cook with.
And I have some several gallon jugs for drinking water that i can fill and put in the fridge.

BTW. a gas grill and two tanks of gas is great in case of a storm.



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 04:12 PM
link   
reply to post by finemanm
 


Glad you made it safe through all that!

You made some good decisions about getting out of there.

And made some very good points on how to prepare .

I have been through a few hurricanes,and it is nerve-wracking to say the least.
Do you leave or do you stay.
Thats the hardest one.But if you are under a mandatory evac,go!

I have a small generator that I use when needed,but I have always thought about the attention it draws when it's running.

Great thread!


edit on 6-11-2012 by kdog1982 because: (no reason given)



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 04:37 PM
link   
BTW,hope you are prepared for the next round.


NEW YORK — Richard Chan prowled around his cold, dark Staten Island home with knives and a sword to protect it from thieves, standing his ground as another East Coast storm threatened and police went door-to-door with loudspeakers warning people to get out. "I still have some valuables. I just can't leave it," he said Tuesday. "I just don't want to lose my stuff to some dirtbag." While city officials strongly encouraged storm-ravaged communities to seek higher ground before Wednesday's nor'easter, Chan was among a group who adamantly refused to leave, choosing to stick close to the belongings they have left. Since the superstorm made landfall more than a week ago, killing 40 people in the city, more than 100 in 10 states and leaving millions without power, police said overall crime has actually gone down, not up. There are few reports of looting storm-damaged homes.


www.huffingtonpost.com...



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 09:21 PM
link   
Never heard of these,solar generators.

www.lowes.com...|PopularCat-_-Merch|Solar_Generator s&cm_cr=Alternative+Energy+-+Solar-_-Web+Activity-_-Solar+Top+Flexible-_-SC_Wind++Solar+Power_TopFlexible_Area-_-210616_4_



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 09:24 PM
link   
Reply to post by PvtHudson
 


Wow really?

Where do you live and how many homes were lost in your neighborhood?

To my knowledge, regular storms don't destroy thousands of homes and knock out millions and millions of power for weeks.

What kind of storm would you call one which sets records? 12 foot storm surges in places which never sees them.

A sunshower right?

You are an ignoramus in the true sense of the word.


 
Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com
 



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 11:30 PM
link   

Originally posted by PvtHudson

Why do you all continue spouting the MSM fear mongering line of "super storm"? It was just a storm. There was nothing "super" about it.


Nah, it just posted the lowest barometric pressure in recorded history in the northeast and was 900 miles wide...that's normal.



posted on Nov, 7 2012 @ 12:26 AM
link   
reply to post by finemanm
 


People didn't evacuate leading to unnecessary loss of life. People that were unprepared will be scared and desperate. Again, see guns above.



thats not an unnecessary loss, we use those people as examples ^^
darwins theory still relevant today as it was then ^9.



posted on Nov, 7 2012 @ 12:42 AM
link   
What made Sandy a Super Storm

The link above gives some good info as to why Sandy became a super storm.

Basically, Hurricane Sandy, which turned into Tropical storm Sandy collided with two other storms.

If you've have talked to the locals or even just viewed the media's version of events- this storm was brutal.

Have you seen the numerous homes flooded, destroyed & gone, and burnt to the ground???

This wasn't child's play.

This was three storms coming together and essentially exploding.



posted on Nov, 7 2012 @ 03:21 AM
link   
I noticed the solar generators posted above take longer than a day's worth of sunlight to recharge. I've heard about solar cookers and found this at a much lower cost and I believe it can be used immediately.
www.sunoven.com...

However I have no experience with it so I'm not sure but am curious if someone knows how effective they are. I am somewhat prepared for a disaster in the event of a prolonged power outage because my area can have ice storms knocking out power and transportation of all kinds for several days at a time in the winter. It is rare but it happened just north of me a few years back. I have charcoal and a small cooker (not solar powered) to be able to cook. Plus all the homes in my neighborhood have gas logs fireplaces and showers running off of gas hot water heaters that still work without power. I have several lanterns for light as well because it can be frustating to not have enough light.

Stocking up on food and water is something I would hopefully have some time to prepare for. I already stock some items due to the simple fact the local grocery store seems to run out of supplies in what I buy every few weeks so I often have enough of several items to get through the shortage at the local store.
I fear if I'm too prepared with food, etc, I will only become a possible target from someone who is not, so I will need to look for better weapons to defend myself against other people. Luckily I live in an area with a lot of hunters and wild game so it may not get too bad. All it takes is one thief to ruin your day though.

edit on 7/11/12 by orionthehunter because: (no reason given)



posted on Nov, 7 2012 @ 03:40 AM
link   
reply to post by orionthehunter
 


When it comes to solar and battery power.

You have to use less than what you are charging with.

I have about 40 Watts of solar panels, 60 Watt cheap controller, 400 Watt inverter, and a 92 amp hour battery.

I run one 15-20 Watt energy efficient light and a small radio. You can trade items off, like the radio for a phone charger. I don't have much but it nice being the only one on the block with a light.

Since I have only 40 Watts, I really do not want to run more thatn 30 to 35 Watts. If you run your battery dead it takes forever to charge.

You have to monitor the battery power and adjust accordingly. The good thing about solar is you can start small and cheap and expand with time. $30,000 no way just a couple of hundred for starters. I can't run a microwave or refrigerator but I can charge cell phones, CB, run a light or two, and a small radio. UT beats twiddling your thumbs in the dark.

Larger solar setups could get destroyed or stolen by ignorant vandals.

Keep the backup system relatively small so you can bring it in at night.
edit on 7-11-2012 by liejunkie01 because: (no reason given)

edit on 7-11-2012 by liejunkie01 because: (no reason given)



posted on Nov, 7 2012 @ 06:05 AM
link   
Things one should learn by living [through] superstorm Sandy:

- Your actions directly influence nature
- You're nature's bitch
- Paradox



posted on Nov, 7 2012 @ 12:27 PM
link   
reply to post by grey580
 


Interesting thing about water. In New York City, our water comes from reservoirs in up-state New York through aqueducts purely on the force of gravity. The water will never stop running unless a drought so long as you live in a one or two story home. Anything higher than 3 or four stories requires pumps. Water purification may cease and in that case boiling will be necessary, but as long as you live in a house, water isn't a major issue.



posted on Nov, 7 2012 @ 01:50 PM
link   
I intended to make a thread similar to this, but you beat me to it, I will just add my thoughts here...

As I type this I am going into my 10th day of having no power. There was NO damage in my immediate area not one trace of flooding. It seems like if a tree falls somewhere on Mars my neighborhood loses power for 3+ days. Knowing this I had urged my family to get a generator before the storm hit.... I knew it would be a week and better if the power went out. Despite my warning, we didn't get one until about 4 days after Sandy, just in time for the gas crisis.

I used to scoff at the people who always warn you to stock up on fuel, thinking that that kind of preparation is reserved for people in rural, middle of nowhere, type of places. I never thought that gas would be an issue in the state of NY, or in a city like mine. Boy was I ever wrong!

Imagine being freezing in the dark for 4 days....your one ray of hope is sitting in the backyard and you are unable to obtain fuel for the next two days. This immediately "broke" my other family members. They are not "survivalists" by any means, they are not good in emergency situations. They don't understand the "rules" of a crisis. I fumed as I watched them leave and drive for around for hours looking for stations with "no lines", only to come home empty handed, not to mention wasting what fuel we did have in the cars. It took me forever to convince them that the reality of the situation was that you would have to WAIT for gas, two hours, fours, etc, and hope there is still some left once you get to the pump.

Twitter became an invaluable source of information and news for me, when my cellphone had a charge that is. I was able to pinpoint which stations had fuel/no fuel by checking twitter. Twitter also helped me figure out what was going on in my area. The radio, portable digital TV, Mainstream News was absolutely worthless in this situation. All they talked about was what was happening in Manhattan, which didn't mean jacksh*** to me. I was unable to get localized news w/o cable.

Eventually we got ourselves together..... pouring flammable liquid into a machine in the dark proved challenging at first, but we learned to do important stuff while we still had daylight. The generator prevented us all from loosing our goddamn minds. It's funny what one lamp, one electric heater and a place to charge your gadgets can do for morale. I don't drive and never had access to a car even if I did and It became troublesome and daunting for me very quickly to walk and find places where I could charge up. I pretty much let my family have the light, and the heat and made it through this in the cold, no internet aside from my phone even though our modem was up and running.I wanted to see what it would be like and if I could have done it without the generator.I'm allowing myself internet now because ConEd claims we should have our power back by midnight....even though I doubt it with the snow, rain and wind outside. I think I deserve a break for making it this far.

At one point I thought to myself that I could not get through not even one more day of this....but somehow I managed and I think I am a stronger person because of it. I can see my breath in the room I'm typing this in. I think that must mean it's about 45 degrees in here....

We had hot water, food and drinking water the whole time, so we were better off than a lot of other people....but that generator saved our sanity.

My city and a lot of other places outside of Manhattan were completely ignored by Con Edison, the News or any kind of outside help for DAYS. It really made me realize what the poor victims of Katrina really went through. I have never felt so isolated and disgusted with NYS or this Country. Sandy was handled dismally by so many Gov't Officials, utility companies and whoever else. They put Polling Stations and Marathons before actual people; absolutely disgraceful. However, my city really stepped up their game and I am proud of the way things were handled locally.

Just some final thoughts....

If there is any kind of crisis or disaster YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN. Your Government isn't coming for you, your utility companies don't give two sh**s about you, and people get greedy very quickly. We didn't have looting or fighting (except for gas) around here but if things had gotten worse I would have been totally uncomfortable without a gun.

Batteries are another good thing to always have on hand...those ran out before the gas crisis hit.

This was the closest I've ever been to a SHTF scenario....and it is shocking how quickly things can snowball. This hurricane wasn't even THAT bad in my area...

Maybe one day everything I've learned in these past 10 days will save my life one day.... but goddamn am I glad it's almost over.



posted on Nov, 7 2012 @ 02:37 PM
link   

Originally posted by finemanm
reply to post by grey580
 


Interesting thing about water. In New York City, our water comes from reservoirs in up-state New York through aqueducts purely on the force of gravity. The water will never stop running unless a drought so long as you live in a one or two story home. Anything higher than 3 or four stories requires pumps. Water purification may cease and in that case boiling will be necessary, but as long as you live in a house, water isn't a major issue.


What happens if there is an explosion or quake that damages the water pipes? What happens if there is a biological event that contaminates the water?

Don't assume that drinkable water will forever flow from your tap.
edit on 7-11-2012 by blahblah454 because: (no reason given)



posted on Nov, 7 2012 @ 05:04 PM
link   
reply to post by orionthehunter
 


Solar ovens (sun ovens) are great; I have used them on several occasions. They really do cook! I have made a roast, biscuits and stews, etc. in them.



posted on Nov, 7 2012 @ 07:41 PM
link   
Most people forget one major thing you must have BEFORE an event occurs in able to be prepared when a disaster does happen. Money...

Most people do not have enough money to get prepared the way they should be. People living check to check have to worry about surviving under normal circumstances. Luckily we have enough food and water for about 2 weeks but I would love to have more. Right now we just do not have the resources nessecary to do it.

There was a thread a few days ago talking about people digging through dumpsters for food. I would be willing to bet the majority of those people live paycheck to paycheck and were unable to prepare even if they wanted to. There was a time when we were much more prepared for a disaster than we are today, purely because of finances.

Strict



posted on Nov, 7 2012 @ 09:21 PM
link   
I'm wondering. With all the people desperate for gas and a number of trashed vehicles sitting around, was anyone caught siphoning gas from these vehicles? I suppose it would be legal if you got permission first from the owner of the vehicle or if it was yours.



posted on Nov, 8 2012 @ 01:13 AM
link   
I went through it too..we just got back on the grid today. Here is my list, most of which I already knew, some of which changed priority, and most, I got to test.

-Shotgun
-Cash
-Lots of gas
-If you are lucky enough to have several vehicles, fill them all up, and plan a method to extract fuel from them as needed. (Fuel line tap, or siphon method)
-Generator, also generator critical spare parts. (methods to secure, anti-theft)
-Propane BBQ or camp stove with extra fuel.
-Alternate methods of heating/cooling the living space.
-Non perishable foods and snacks. Snacks go further than meals.
-Alternate living locations and pre-planned rendevous in case of complete comm failure.
-Books, magazines, games, for the mind.
-Plan work structure by preparing day tasks, and night tasks.
-My cameras provided me with some mental relief as I photographed and video documented day to day.
-Automatic power-failure lighting...priceless. (amazon has nice plug-in ones)
-Of course food and drink, as much as you can store.
-A bug out kit.
-A good chainsaw and extra fuel.
-Funnels, siphon pump, tubes, gloves, rags, fire extinquishers all for the fuel transfer process.
- A good pump for pumping water out of a flooded area.
-and now add snow removal equipment to the list...
got a fresh 6" of snow here now.

edit on 8-11-2012 by zayonara because: (no reason given)



posted on Nov, 10 2012 @ 08:59 AM
link   
I'm interested in the boards opinion on alternative power supply like power inverters or even marine batteries on a trickle charger

I live in the northeast and have lost power for a total of 17 days in the last 2 years. I don't miss the TV, computer, phone or lights and I have city water and thank god the town stores have always been open

but I really like keeping cold stuff cold and warm stuff warm

that's all I really need, keep my fridge going, hot water heater, and maybe 2 space heaters as I have a wood burning stove

can an inverter or marine battery do that ?



new topics

top topics



 
30
<< 1    3 >>

log in

join