volunteering on Pine ridge reservation

[IsThisOneTaken?]

Just like anywhere in the country, there is the possibility that a storm of any kind can knock out power, but it is uncommon for it to last for a long period of time. They tend to get power back up faster in rural areas than major metropolitan area.

In my lifetime on the great plains, I can only recall one time when we were without power for a day or more. A handful of a few hours, and many times with just a few minutes.

[SCGranny]

ummm...errr.... I don't know the area real well yet, but I've been told that several places just north of the NE/SD border are STILL without power from the blizzard, and may be for another week. I do know that Merriman (to the west of us) lost power the Wednesday afternoon before the blizzard got bad, and didn't get it back until the following Monday. There were over 300 power poles down, snapped clean across - mostly older ones. But crews from all over, as far away as MN, are working night and day to get things up and running.

The thing is that power is usually necessary for water pumps here, so if the power goes out it is unlikely that you will get water. If you have a town with a water tower, you have some gravity feed - but it can go fairly quickly. The ranches are the ones who really suffer - power or water or not, the cattle still have to be fed and the corn still has to be harvested.

[tpabes]

That being said a town like Chadron, with it being the "population" center of its area and with it having the college its unlikely to go without power for a long time unless a major storm hits like the ice storm of a few years ago that hit Holdrege.

[IsThisOneTaken?]

Err, let me clarify. The VERY RURAL areas, like SC Granny describes may be without power longer. I'm talking isolated ranches, tiny villages, etc.

There are many shades of rural, thanks for reminding us of that.

A town like Chadron would tend to be OK for the reasons tpabes mentions.

[SCGranny]

No problem, IsThisOneTaken! Just making the point that it IS possible. The poster wanted to know about weather conditions and Pine Ridge. The Pine Ridge area is pretty rural and underdeveloped, especially the reservation, so while s/he may live in Chadron, getting to the reservation, or getting things done on it while there, can be affected by the weather. Being prepared for any circumstance or occurrance is absolutely necessary when considering a move - especially if you are not familiar with the area. People unfamiliar with how drastically and quickly weather can change not only the landscape but the living environments around where one chooses to live, should be made aware of all possibilities. IMHO. Knowing how to drive (or when not to) in a sudden blizzard condition, or knowing the consequences of how and where the drifts go, and being aware that it is possible to be isolated for several days without electricity or even a viable road, as one goes away from town, to me is necessary for the poster to make a decision. The further away s/he lives from the reservation, the more problems may ensue.

Planning is important...