Power outages during the winter, etc (Rapid City, Rapid Valley: homes, tornado, living)

[cheryl rose]

Hi all

What is the usual happenings in winter around Rapid City down to Pine Ridge as far as power outages.

With this recent blizzard, was power lost in Rapid City? If so, about for how long was the city or part of the city without power? Is it common to lose power in the winter there?

How about other towns heading south towards the REservation? Do they lose power alot?

Also, any news on how Pine Ridge Reservation is doing with the bad weather conditions? I understand (I guess at least on part of the reservation) that there may have been 20 foot snowdrifts. Some may have been without power and water (unless i guess they had stored water or used the snow). Does the Reservation get any outside help when they get hit like that? What about dialysis patients on the Rez who are snowed in or if the roads are bad, what happens to them?

[DannyBanany]

This last blizzard we had was very bad and many people around the Black Hills temporarily lost power. I live in Rapid City and I never lost power, but I hear that Rapid Valley did for a few hours. The reservations and NE South Dakota tends to get hit worse because of the winds, so power loss is not unheard of during a blizzard.

[BusySocialWorker]

Here in Rapid I lost power for about half an hour one night so not bad...

Yesterday it was 75 here so most of the snow is gone

[debey]

problems surrounding this powerouttage2008, were not only the wind, and amount of snow, along with over 500 broken power poles, but the amount of abandon vehicles that needed to removed, before the repair crews could even travel to the areas they were needed. Extra crews,(I think I heard over 60) traveled to assist, in replacing poles...........
2005's power outtage, left farm homes in some areas of the James River Valley without electricity for 18 days.(my inlaws, and their neighbors) the power outtage of 1996 left the same area without electricity for 14+ days.
1999? tornado meant no power for Forestburg for 3 days......

Other areas & outtages, have happened... But since I wasn't ''living it'' they don't come to mind...In rural areas, power outtages are ''almost'' expected. It just depends, who's ''turn'' it is, to deal with it. Most of us have done it, a few times.

[Jammie]

We had a power outage in my area a couple years ago~I mean a LONG one. Our storm hit the day after Thanksgiving and some people in rural areas finally got theirs back for New Years Day. So power outages around here are not a rarity or isolated to certain areas.

[debey]

Originally Posted by Jammie

We had a power outage in my area a couple years ago~I mean a LONG one. Our storm hit the day after Thanksgiving and some people in rural areas finally got theirs back for New Years Day. So power outages around here are not a rarity or isolated to certain areas.

Yes, Jammmie. That was 2005.

[rjl78]

Ice stroms are the big killer of power. At Kyle they opened shelters and had generator power and heat.

Its no different on the resveration than any other part of the prairie here.

Outside of Rapid my folks were without power for about 10 hours. Again fireplace and generator made life comfortable.

[ashnat]

The storm 2 weeks ago, I lost power for 90 minutes on Wednesday night, from like 6-7:30 pm, then it kept going off several times an hour all night long. I gave up on setting my alarm clock after midnight and set the alarm on my cell phone!

[debey]

Originally Posted by Jammie

We had a power outage in my area a couple years ago~I mean a LONG one. Our storm hit the day after Thanksgiving and some people in rural areas finally got theirs back for New Years Day. So power outages around here are not a rarity or isolated to certain areas.

This is a picture of the ''ice'' on the north side of our house, after the Nov.2005 ice storm/power outtage.........

[Jammie]

OH wow Debey, that brings back memories. That's the way everything was looking and it was so scary to have to go outside and try to walk. That's almost worse then a snowstorm.

AND speaking of losing electricity, part of town (including me) lost it yesterday for a while.