I learned something about one of my neighbors yesterday

Before I tell my story I need to let you know a few things. I live in a small town in Arkansas (approx. 25,000 in population) The street I live on is on the outskirts of town and is quiet and people leave each other alone.

Now for my story.

We had a short power outage probably not more than an hour and a half at most. I was not concerned until about 45 minutes into it. I had stepped out onto my front porch to have a smoke, when I saw the bucket truck for our power company drive by I thought "Well it won't be long and we will have power. "

I watched the truck drive by as it passed a house two doors down a lady was out on her front porch screaming and yelling like a banshee because the power wasn't on yet.

I just shook my head finshed my smoke and went back in the house I told my wife what happned and let her know that if SHTF that more than likely that household will be the first to start trying to loot other people's houses.

Oh well it better to now this now than later I guess.

Still it is rather sad some people act like if they lose electricity for any length of time at all that their world is coming to an end.

my power once cut for 2 days they had to get a huge digger in to dig and replace something burred and by the time they had finished all my tropical fish was floating at the top of the tank wasn't happy at all and all my food defrosted lol if it had beens dooms day i would have been screwed.

Sounds like it was just inconvenient for them and they were over reacting but do they have a medical need for electricity? Someone may have a medical problem that requires electricity.

Maybe not, just throwing that out there.

Two Octobers ago we had a freak snowstorm which brought down all the tree branches still covered in leaves - no power for 7-10 days for me and all the communities surrounding. No looters in my neighborhood but a lot of houses were broken into because of failed security systems - and the one gas station open for 10 miles was a breeding ground for impatient rednecks with big trucks - ALWAYS WATCH OUT!

reply to post by SecretWeapon


Unfortunately the problem lies in how much people rely on tech these days.
In one week of a SHTF senerio 1/2 the population of US would crumble IMO.

If I make enough money I would live the furthest away from a city. ween yourself
Off meds now to prepare, because when the SHTF, you will not get anymore than what
You have unless you know how to obtain your closest natural resources.

That lady sounds like her family will be the first to go.

I too live in Arkansas, Close to Fort Chaffee, on the west central side of the state. One thing ive learned about my neighbors is they are completly depended on the power company. The first thing I did when starting my prepping is to buy 6-100 watt solar panels, and also took apart some old treadmills, because they have some really good, permanent magnet motors, that can generate a lot of power for windmill use. You can usually find them at donation places, and just ask to take them for a couple of bucks, next was the expensive part, the batteries, i got 12 t-105 golf cart batteries, each can put out about 200 amps per hour and Xantrex voltage controller. Im powering half my house with this setup and plan to expand.

reply to post by MichiganSwampBuck

Sounds like it was just inconvenient for them and they were over reacting but do they have a medical need for electricity? Someone may have a medical problem that requires electricity.

Maybe not, just throwing that out there.

Exactly what I was thinking. Home oxygen machine, for example.

We have outages all the time here, mostly animals getting up there and frying themselves on the transformer. Can take hours before they are out to fix it. The only thing for us that sucks is we lose water too (due to well pump). Of course, we have backup water contingencies, but inconvenient. My plan is to eventually go solar on the well pump.

reply to post by Glassbender777

next was the expensive part, the batteries, i got 12 t-105 golf cart batteries

I'll bet, likely a grand or more there in batteries.

Originally posted by MichiganSwampBuck
Sounds like it was just inconvenient for them and they were over reacting but do they have a medical need for electricity? Someone may have a medical problem that requires electricity.

Maybe not, just throwing that out there.

The same thought entered my head but if there were a machine like home dialysis, one would expect that they would own a backup generator, yes?

Originally posted by Gazrok
reply to post by Glassbender777

 

next was the expensive part, the batteries, i got 12 t-105 golf cart batteries

I'll bet, likely a grand or more there in batteries.

Yes each battery cost around $150-200, but I found a local palce, that sold them for $120, They are only 6 volt. I then wired them in series and parallel, to make one giant 12 volt battery. Im still kicking myself for not going with a 24 or 48 volt system, but that would have required much more money. Eventually I will upgrade to probably a 24 volt system. I also have a 6,000 watt generator that can run on gasoling, or I own an adapter that will take Natural gas, and have modified my gas piping from my fireplace to run outside to my generator, so if there is an ZIce storm or the power goes out, the natural gas will be sufficient for my use. I would seriously look into an adapter for converting gasoline gens, to a natural gas generator.

Heck,
It's only after it matters most that one learns about their neighbors...

I have a pretty kick-butt rocket stove. I gotta try this;

reply to post by Glassbender777

I would seriously look into an adapter for converting gasoline gens, to a natural gas generator.

Just get a diesel one. Then could always make biodiesel, if the situation is really long term.

My sister and mother were in the process of moving, so in between finding a new place, they were both staying with me for a few months.

The power went out for quite a while, at least 6-8 hours, and my sister went bat-ish crazy cause no TV and no AC......she started walking around not doing what to do with herself, paranoid look, complaining, arguments, etc ....

That's when I realized, it could be members of your own family that may try and loot your place when TSHTF....

Some people are extremely weak mentally. Those will be the first to start ish, and probably the first to get knocked off in the country rural areas.....

Take heed brethren, dark skies approachin'

reply to post by SupersonicSerpent


why would you have been screwed?

You had fresh fish to eat!