... Victims Describe Terror of Escaping Tick Fire With Power Out in Santa Clarita Foothills

ktla ^

[Pollard]

and if the gov sent out a reverse 911 type notification by phone - everyone uses cordless phones now which require electricity

[mumblypeg]

“Couldn’t they just keep the trees trimmed away from the power lines, like they used to do?”

Advise everyone to call your power company and ASK about current policy.
Listen to this— and I don’t even live in CA.

Power company crews used to do it routinely & advise amateurs NOT to mess around, due to safety concerns.
That used to be true even if THEIR pole was inside YOUR property line, but they’d notify you in advance.
Now when we call, they tell us we gotta do preventative trims ourselves.

So...recently a tree limb fell on a wire & pulled down a pole, a ways down the street. Result— outage to numerous families..
Crews came out & righted it, but charged a neighbor $500, payable in installments on his electric bill.
Why?
Because the pole fell over the property line ONTO his property.

If it had fallen the other way, onto easement or street, would have been no charge.

Sounds like CA’s PG&E has either failed to inform customers of a change in policy due to cutbacks, or customers are ignoring.
Also CA insurance companies ought to be raising a ruckus..or rates.

Brush & tree maintenance is expensive. Sounds like the residents of those high priced CA homes need to budget for it.

[Big Red Badger]

Cut the Damn Trees,
.
NOT MY POWER!

[Big Red Badger]

Dude,
I have a “2 meter” license.
I have CBs’ and
those peanut radios.
99.9 percent of people
Have no idea How they
Work and no desire
To Learn.
It’s a Dying Art.

[Big Red Badger]

In Emergency,
Anybody can use
Any Radio to get Help.

[Pocketdoor]

They make solar DC freezers. I think they cost between 1 and 2 thousand.

[BobL]

“They make solar DC freezers. I think they cost between 1 and 2 thousand.”

Obviously there are better options than spending that much.

I suspect we’re going to see the market respond now that power is no longer reliable...so this may be a good thing in the end, since EMPs and solar flares do happen (along with Leftists getting elected).

[abigkahuna]

You are corrrect, although I don’t know if I the “Dude” or not. But to get people to take an available tool and use it to their advantage, then it is a good thing.

[Big Red Badger]

“Dude”
Just my inner
Hippy.

[abigkahuna]

Okay...I’ll take that.. :)

[Drago]

Thanks for the tips! Am posting via tablet and now “generator cellular”...I guess AT&T drug a generator up to the cell tower....co-located at a small county airport...airport lights still out tho..). I did know about propane fridges (RV style use a burner and ammonia??). I guess chest style freezers can be “extra insulated” or some such? Good insulation helps water heater tanks & fridges and chest coolers. Well off to check the PG&E “restoration plan”...25 hours & counting...wind now calm. No sign of a helicopter before dark...based on the last shut off that is the sign that you are going to be turned back on. But low level heli line inspection only happens in daylight.

[BobL]

Any time, regarding the tips.

“I did know about propane fridges (RV style use a burner and ammonia??).”

Yep, campers/boats are their main application in the US. But once I’m able to move to a more survivalist-friendly location and house, I plan to have a propane tank, maybe a big one, and be able to deal with situations as they happen. Propane is a great fuel for bad times because it never goes bad (unlike gas and diesel). The one drawback is that it is rather pricey to buy and to store (cost of tanks).

“I guess chest style freezers can be “extra insulated” or some such?”

I think they are by default. When I bought mine, I just got a big, cheap one. Since I’m a conservative, I didn’t care about how much energy it used, so that was just a bonus. I think the key to their efficiency is that all of the cold air stays put when you open them, since cold air is heavier than ambient air.

Good luck out there!!!