Traffic lights and power out - much longer?

[Ginsaw]

We just got our power back. That's in the middle of 38117. It was 3 days..not 4 like I guessed. I think we were just getting used to the new routine with life on a generator. Ran it all day and turned it off at night to save gas and noise. It worked real well, although carting that 5 gallon container could get old.

The whole thing has me wishing what we could have done was to dispose of the freezer stuff, then just take a nice long trip somewhere.

But, a few useful things were learned. One was those new kind of battery lights with the LEDs. They glow high or low intensity and provide much better night lighting than candles, and they should last a very long time. I also re-discovered how much better tasting soft drinks are out of an ice filled cooler.

For anyone who's still without power, I hope yours comes back today too.

[bjh]

Originally Posted by JoeCartpath

The progress gets slower as time goes on. At first they're fixing the problems that cause large scale outages affecting lots of people, then work there way down to those affecting fewer people. At the end, they are down to fixing outages that only affect one or two households.

True, Joe.

Glad your power's back, Ginsaw.

According to the Commercial Appeal, now 34,000 without electricity.

There was a story on the radio today that some people run generators in their houses when the generators' exhaust is dangerous. Many of them should be run outside only.

[JoeCartpath]

Originally Posted by bjh

There was a story on the radio today that some people run generators in their houses when the generators' exhaust is dangerous. Many of them should be run outside only.

ALL generators should be outside - not in a garage, and not near an open door or window. I'm not aware of any kind of generator available to the consumer that isn't powered by some kind of engine that produces carbon monoxide.

[bjh]

Okay Joe, thanks for the clarification. It boggles my mind that anyone would run a generator indoors anyway.

Now just over 30k without electricity in MLGW's area.

[JoeCartpath]

I suppose some people run them indoors (probably so they won't get stolen) thinking that they'll be OK if they are in a different room or leave windows open. They underestimate the amount of carbon monoxide those engines produce - sometimes with deadly results.

[bjh]

Yep, I figured risk of theft may be a part of the problem.

Well, last Friday there were 130k people without electricity. As of this afternoon, MLGW estimates 11k customers are still waiting.

They supposedly had some crews from Nashville and Chattanooga helping, too.

[bjh]

Now about 7k within the loop.