I get the emergency gas station bit, what I don’t understand is the ‘free’ part.
I also had that same question
BTW- wouldn’t it be easier to deliver generators to the gas stations?
Yeah, I don’t like that aspect of it, either. Originally many of the first stations selling would only take cash (I don’t think they could process other payments); I think that has been addressed now (I was asked how I wanted to pay). I think the people should be buying it, even if they are mini-loans to do so; the government should be undercutting the private sector here, and never did anyone favors by giving things away for “free” (see diabetes epidemic in our welfare class).
Correction: the government SHOULDN’T be undercutting the private sector (with the “free” gas).