Get Ready For the Next Emergency

Constellation Energy developed Piney Orchard right? They own BGE, correct? Then, what happened to the power last week?

We don’t see any power or cable lines here in our fair city, or what is called a “planned community." So the thought of downed power lines interrupting our electricity didn’t enter my mind as the power went off late one evening last week. Sure it’s winter, but probably only a minor interruption.

Odenton Patch it was our whole community sitting in the dark. We got the message on our iPhone. Our smartphone (sic) was working ok, but we noticed that our delightful five bar display was missing. Only one or maybe two bars were appearing. Could it be the AT&T flag pole cell site right next to us was dark too?

So now it was time to put emergency plans into operation. I assembled the troops. OK, I told my wife, I would take care of everything. Her response is not printable on a family website.

We have plenty of batteries. Several sizes. Check. Flashlights in hand. LED types with bright lights and long battery life. Check. We dig out the emergency radio, the one with the hand crank on it. Check. Our one big candle is lit in the living room, which is on the middle floor in our home. Check and re-check. Not good to leave candles lit and unattended. I’m kind of nut about that. Radio reporting several fires due to candles. Relay to significant other. Get “that” look.

Both cars have over half a tank of gas. Check. Inverter ready to go in front seat of car. That will power my laptop and cellphone to re-charge their batteries, but will use some gas if it’s just idling, or when I’m driving. Check.

Shut down both computers that are on UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply). Better for me to turn off computers than the software that is supposed to do it. Turn off the electric supplemental heater in my office so when the power comes on, I don’t forget it, and up goes the bill. Check. Check.

OK. Plan A is in effect. Did I tell you I’m from Southern California and for years we had to have our earthquake kit ready to go?  My Odenton emergency kit and plan stems from that background. Did I mention running hospitals in the military may have led to my over planning for emergencies too? My S.O. thinks so.

At this point, about an hour with power off, we break out extra blankets and wait for the power to go on. Not too cold yet. About 62 degrees says the cute wooden encased, doll decorated thermometer we are now using since our electronic heater control box with three inch number display is DOA for the duration.

Morning arrives, and nothing. No news from BGE. No new news from Odenton Patch. Then I’m informed that I can make coffee. Boil water on the stove. The stove! Not in my emergency plan. What was I thinking?

It was a long day. Partner puts on knit hat, gloves and wraps herself in blankets. Kindle still working fine for her. Did you know their battery lasts a long time? She’s reading and I’m trying to shave in cold water.

Luckily I have appointments outside today, so I’m off with car and its invertor hooked up and laptop charging. Did I mention I have a Sprint broadband card for my laptop? Take that Verizon FIOS–which is currently defunct and the wall unit is making a beeping sound in the garage.

Arriving home later in the day, I’m greeted by Nanook of the North still clad in winter’s finest. Attitude is about the same. I’m lucky and she’s not. Listening to local radio gives us no clue when power will be restored. Something about a guess by late Saturday evening and it’s only Thursday now.

A few minutes later, Piney Orchard’s Yahoo group is reporting some electricity back on in several neighborhoods. Nothing about River’s Edge or as I refer to it, the Terra del Fuego of Piney Orchard. The Lost Colony.

It’s evening now, day two of emergency plan implementation. Dinner has gone OK thanks to no interruption in natural gas to our home.  Matches come in real handy since the electric spark to light the burners is missing. Laptop, with extended battery in place, gives us a peek to the outside world. There is hope.

I don’t really recall when the power came back on. Must have been after midnight and before dawn. My bed got warm. (Yes, we have an electric warmer that heats up the bottom sheet). Emergency over for now.

Moral of this story. We all need to plan for the next emergency. Disruption of our basic services including all utilities and cell phone service can happen. We just proved it.

Hopefully, like me, you will plan for the next one now. I need a third LED flashlight so I don’t have to go out to the car to get mine. And I need to re-think about alternatives to every device I own that I will need in an emergency. I call it Plan B.

Hope you’re working on your Plan B too.