Hurricane Ike

[houstonmacbro]

Day 11 without power....

I am now driven to be the last customer hooked back up to the grid. There must be some kind of Guiness record that I can get for this, right?

I am wondering why I missed having the TV for a week and a half. After only 2 days of TV, powered by the neighbor's extension cord, I have disconnected it and hooked up the computer instead. Besides, I think the computer and monitor sucks less juice than a TV and DirecTV box. And the fan is more effective on the bedroom side of the house, which has less direct airflow, than the living room side of the house, which has a shotgun style front to back door ventilation path.

All perishables have been banned from the house. I could live for months this way now. Even Cokes have been banished, as warm fizzy drinks do not stay fizzy long. The Captain Morgan is now mixed with Cran-Grape. Arrgh! Not only good, but good for you!

My internet time has generally been split between news of Ike, news of the impending meltdown of the US (and possibly world) economy, and best of all, energy efficient devices for the next power outage. I will start a new topic soon with some of the ideas, products and solutions to surviving without electricity. As one might guess, air conditioning/humidity is the most problematic, and most energy intensive issue. Hopefully, my new topic will generate a viable solution that does not include a generator.

A note on the gensets. It appears that the whole-house generators can cost up to $75-100 PER DAY to run. At least, that is my neighbor's estimate. The gas and diesel portables burn about a gallon per hour, meaning that they too cost $75 a day to run gas, $100 a day to run diesel. Clearly, the solution is to manage generator usage to run far less than 24 hours per day, or to get by without one, my personal preference.

I've just about run out of clean clothes. I may need to include a clothes line in the back yard in my survival plans. Anyone done any hand washing? Better in the kitchen sink or the bathtub?

That's all for now. To those still without power, hang in there. To those with power, you suck! (j/k)

You are NOT alone. You have us. I feel you on the whole tv versus computer thing. I'd much rather have 'Net and computer access, than cable or even regular over the air television.

Washing. Yes, I did some handwashing when the lights were out. I used good ole carbolic soap. Kills germs, smells very ... germicidal and hygienic, and gets the clothes very clean.

Hang in there. My mom's power is STILL out and my sister (who lives on the West loop near Bellaire) had a component that blew out AFTER she got lights back in her apartment complex - she is not happy, but being a trooper about it

[west20th]

Day 11 without power....

I am now driven to be the last customer hooked back up to the grid. There must be some kind of Guiness record that I can get for this, right?

I am wondering why I missed having the TV for a week and a half. After only 2 days of TV, powered by the neighbor's extension cord, I have disconnected it and hooked up the computer instead. Besides, I think the computer and monitor sucks less juice than a TV and DirecTV box. And the fan is more effective on the bedroom side of the house, which has less direct airflow, than the living room side of the house, which has a shotgun style front to back door ventilation path.

All perishables have been banned from the house. I could live for months this way now. Even Cokes have been banished, as warm fizzy drinks do not stay fizzy long. The Captain Morgan is now mixed with Cran-Grape. Arrgh! Not only good, but good for you!

My internet time has generally been split between news of Ike, news of the impending meltdown of the US (and possibly world) economy, and best of all, energy efficient devices for the next power outage. I will start a new topic soon with some of the ideas, products and solutions to surviving without electricity. As one might guess, air conditioning/humidity is the most problematic, and most energy intensive issue. Hopefully, my new topic will generate a viable solution that does not include a generator.

A note on the gensets. It appears that the whole-house generators can cost up to $75-100 PER DAY to run. At least, that is my neighbor's estimate. The gas and diesel portables burn about a gallon per hour, meaning that they too cost $75 a day to run gas, $100 a day to run diesel. Clearly, the solution is to manage generator usage to run far less than 24 hours per day, or to get by without one, my personal preference.

I've just about run out of clean clothes. I may need to include a clothes line in the back yard in my survival plans. Anyone done any hand washing? Better in the kitchen sink or the bathtub?

That's all for now. To those still without power, hang in there. To those with power, you suck! (j/k)

You live in the mid section of the Heights? Between 11th and 14th near Heights Blvd.? Got some friends at 13th and they are still without. I wonder if a tornado touched down around there? Driving down Heights Blvd., starting at 20th there seemed to be an average amount of downed trees. When you reach 14th the damage seems to be a lot worse until about 11th where it gets back to the average amount of damage.

[RedScare]

You live in the mid section of the Heights? Between 11th and 14th near Heights Blvd.? Got some friends at 13th and they are still without. I wonder if a tornado touched down around there? Driving down Heights Blvd., starting at 20th there seemed to be an average amount of downed trees. When you reach 14th the damage seems to be a lot worse until about 11th where it gets back to the average amount of damage.

No, I'm south of 11th. There is power almost completely around me, with my block and a few others within the circle without power, including tmariar. There are no downed lines, and having watched my transformer blow, it is pretty obvious that until they get around to resettting specific transformers, I will be without. No worries. Look at all the money I'm saving on electricity!

[rsb320]

Check out the Solar Powered options now becoming available. No noise, yea!

Tell Sis to turn off major appliances until solid power is restored. Leave a lamp on to alert you and when it appears to hold firm, run for the thermostat.

[RedScare]

Check out the Solar Powered options now becoming available. No noise, yea!

Tell Sis to turn off major appliances until solid power is restored. Leave a lamp on to alert you and when it appears to hold firm, run for the thermostat.

I am. While a whole-house solar system is cost prohibitive, a small solar system for powering lights, recharging batteries and other small appliances looks workable. I am currently trying to figure the power outputs of a solar panel, as well as consumption of various items. My current fascination is various products that use rechargeable batteries, like lights, radios, clocks, and maybe a TV, with a solar powered recharger. Gas would run the stove and water heater. Only AC is not covered.

Pretty cool stuff.

[editor]

Mass Deployment of Salvation Army and American Red Cross Feeding Units

On Wednesday, September 24, The Salvation Army, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief and The American Red Cross will be partnering to welcome home residents of Galveston Island.

In an unprecedented show of unity three of America's largest disaster relief organizations will be mass deploying to provide hot meals, cold water, coffee, and compassion to Galveston residents.

Over sixty disaster response units from The Salvation Army and The American Red cross will be loaded with hot meals, snacks and supplies at a combined mass kitchen operated by the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief teams at the Lone Star Air museum on Galveston Island.

After stocking, the mobile feeding units will be dispatched throughout Galveston Island to offer hot food and hope to residents finally returning home.

"The task of feeding the returning residents of Galveston Island is much greater than any one organization, it is an opportunity for the best possible care to be provided to the deserving people of Galveston Island and south Texas by The Salvation Army and our partners in the recovery process," said Major Marshall Gesner, Area Commander for The Salvation Army in Houston.

"Wednesday's deployment is a testimony that "a cord of three strands is not quickly broken" and the commitment of The Salvation Army to finish the job. The Salvation Army will serve with the same resolve today that we did on our first ever disaster deployment on Galveston Island in 1900" he added

Below are a few of the locations represented by the mass deployment on Galveston Island.

Texas City/Galveston Area:

255 Marina Bay Dr, Kemah, TX 77565

3115 Highway 6, Bayou Vista, TX 77563

4618 Crane Street, Hitchcock, TX 77563

747 Tiki Dr. Tiki Island, TX

Across from stadium, Texas City

Algoa Fire Department/Alvin PD

Alvin Police Department 1500 S. Gordon St. Alvin, TX 77551

ARLANS (POD location), Galveston Island

Community Center, Texas Ave. & 29th, Texas City, TX

POD at Academy - Galveston Island

POD at Broadway, Galveston Island

Roaming 35th through 55th Galveston Island

Texas Ave and Bayou Rd, LaMarque, TX

Sheriff's Dept @ Barber Middle/Clear Lake Shores/Fairfield Inn

The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by Hurricane Ike to visit www.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY. Monetary donations are needed to meet survivors' most immediate needs. A $100 donation will feed a family of four for two days, provide two cases of drinking water and one household cleanup kit, containing brooms, mops, buckets and cleaning supplies.

COMCAST WEBPAGE PROVIDES UPDATED OUTAGE INFORMATON

Customers able to Track Progress in their Specific Community

HOUSTON - (September 22, 2008) - Comcast, Houston's primary provider of broadband services, has been working around the clock to restore services interrupted by Hurricane Ike to its customers throughout the Greater Houston and Texas Gulf Coast areas. To keep its customers better informed, the company recently launched a special web page giving customers access to the latest updates. By clicking the Hurricane Update link at www.comcast.com, customers will be able to see progress within their specific area..

Nearly 70-percent of Comcast customers in the Greater Texas Gulf Coast Area now have their cable services restored. Our experience has shown that most of our outages are due to the loss of electrical power. Often, a street may have power restored, but the power required to operate the node in the neighborhood, may still be without power. This easy to read mapping system will allow customers to see the progress that is being made within their area. Customers can click on a specific map region for a closer view of their community. These maps will be updated as service is restored and customers are advised to check periodically for the latest information.

Comcast technicians are working in all areas where power has been restored and the power company and local authorities have granted a safety clearance. In addition to the company's own local crews, nearly 500 technicians from around the country are on the ground in the Greater Houston Area and surrounding counties to help with the restoration process.

Emergency restoration procedures along the Greater Texas Gulf Coast allow cable service to be repaired as soon as the power companies have restored power and determined the area is safe. Downed power lines can cause dangerous conditions, so an area must be surveyed and cleared by power company personnel before the all clear is given and restoration work on communications lines can begin.

Customers who have a damaged cable drop ― the line that connects cable service to the house ― should call 1-800-COMCAST or click on the "Contact Us" link at www.comcast.com to report the problem.

(Editor's note: Comcast misspelled "Information," not me.)

AMERICAN RED CROSS OPENS LARGE SHELTER IN HOUSTON TO HOUSE EVACUEES RETURNING BY BUS

(Houston, Texas)-- A former Auchan superstore is a Houston Red Cross shelter for returning evacuees who were bused to other Texas cities before Hurricane Ike hit. Many of these residents can't return to their homes because their homes were severely damaged or destroyed in the storm.

Before Ike made landfall, evacuees from coastal areas were bused to state Shelter Hubs in cities such as Austin and Dallas. This shelter is being used exclusively for residents moving out of the George R. Brown Convention Center Shelter and for these Houston area coastal residents being brought back here by bus. The shelter is located at 6059 South Loop East, Houston, TX 77087.

Residents needing shelter, who evacuated on their own, are strongly encouraged to choose from other Red Cross shelters located throughout the greater Houston area.

The Red Cross is identifying additional shelter locations because more evacuees will be bussed back into Houston in the next few days.

For current Shelter List information go to www.houstonredcross.org and 1-800 RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). In addition 6 Red Cross and Southern Baptist Kitchens in Southeast Texas have been providing between 20,000-50,000 meals twice-daily. These kitchens have been providing meals for Red Cross Shelters, Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles (ERV's) distributing food to families in damaged neighborhood and providing drive-up meals from the Baytown kitchen location.

Also, Red Cross damage assessment teams, going street to street, have

determined more than 16,572 homes in Harris and Galveston counties, so far

have been damaged, including 1,533 destroyed and 3,450 with major damage.

Red Cross Teams continue to assess damage in 26 area counties including teams dispatched today from the Houston area to access damage in Chambers, Liberty and Polk counties.

You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the Hurricanes of 2008,by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. You can log-on to www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) to make a donation.

You can also use your cell phone to donate $5 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by text messaging they keyword "GIVE" to "2HELP" (24357). You can send multiple donations depending on your carrier. Contributions will appear on monthly bills or be debited from a pre-paid account balance. All applicable text rates apply.

[flipper]

No power in the Willowbend/Willowbrook/Post Oak Manor. Parts of Willow Meadows are restored.

flipper

[HtownWxBoy]

No, I'm south of 11th. There is power almost completely around me, with my block and a few others within the circle without power, including tmariar. There are no downed lines, and having watched my transformer blow, it is pretty obvious that until they get around to resettting specific transformers, I will be without. No worries. Look at all the money I'm saving on electricity!

I'm at 10th and Yale... sucks we still don't have power! Everyone around us does! The east side of Heights Blvd has had power for days! Uuugh... I have tried to be patient but it's really stressing me out now... I think it's the heat / humidity... much drier air working in tomorrow so nights will be cooler beginning tomorrow night... days won't be as humid either. *deep breath*... well, we should have it soon.... new Centerpoint map says everyone should be back up by Sunday... still hoping it's sooner than that. Well, I am at work tonight, so I have electricity, air conditioning, TV... not bad for tonight.

[sarahiki]

No, I'm south of 11th. There is power almost completely around me, with my block and a few others within the circle without power, including tmariar. There are no downed lines, and having watched my transformer blow, it is pretty obvious that until they get around to resettting specific transformers, I will be without. No worries. Look at all the money I'm saving on electricity!

Isn't there a heights HAIFer out there who can offer up a washing machine to RedScare? Red, let me know if you're willing to travel to the Museum District to do laundry. It's got to be better than washing it all in the sink... unless this is part of the off-the-grid lifestyle you seem to have embraced...

[HtownWxBoy]

Isn't there a heights HAIFer out there who can offer up a washing machine to RedScare? Red, let me know if you're willing to travel to the Museum District to do laundry. It's got to be better than washing it all in the sink... unless this is part of the off-the-grid lifestyle you seem to have embraced...

There is a laundromat at Heights and 10th street... on the east side of Heights Blvd. with power... so I guess they are open.

[Highrise Tower]

No power in the Willowbend/Willowbrook/Post Oak Manor. Parts of Willow Meadows are restored.

flipper

CenterPoint is now claiming 77035 is set for Sunday.

1) Monday

2) Thursday

and now

3) Sunday

Please prove me wrong.

77035 as of 09/23/2008 @ 5:00 AM CST. – 38% without power

77035 as of 09/24/2008 @ 5:00 AM CST. – 31% without power.

7% decrease in 24 hours.

77096 as of 09/23/2008 @ 5:00 AM CST. - 60% without power

77096 as of 09/24/2008 @ 5:00 AM CST. - 40% without power

20% decrease in 24 hours!

[musicman]

here's the latest posted restoration map. unfortunately seems centerpoint's outage numbers for my zip have gone up since yesterday 71 to 79.

[Highrise Tower]

09/23/2008 2:00 PM CST here's the latest posted restoration map. unfortunately seems centerpoint's outage numbers for my zip have gone up since yesterday 71 to 79.

I hate how it goes up. I wonder what causes that.

I want the 5:00 AM update for 09/24!

Edit: I got the update! brb, updating my post above.

[tmariar]

I don't have high expectations for my power restoration at this point. I'm fairly certain my issue is a blown transformer - I was outside at 3am the night of the storm and saw/heard the transformer go, and the lights go out - and my cluster of immediate neighbors doesn't have power even though most people around us do. But I'm in 77007 - very near the 77007/77008 border, but still in 77007. And the most recent CenterPoint info is saying 77007 is only 14% without power (77008 is 47% without power). Given the focus on zip codes and getting areas 80% back on, I'm guessing that I'll get power after those of you with transformer issues in 77008. This isn't a complaint - just my guess based on what I'm reading.

***

I do have a complaint, though, about the level of information we're getting. A recent Chron article says:

As of 8 p.m. Tuesday, CenterPoint said 580,000 customers, 26 percent, still were in the dark.

Entergy, meanwhile, said Tuesday that it has returned power to 97 percent of its customers, which mostly are in the north and east part of the area, and is releasing 4,000 out-of-state line workers.

CenterPoint has added 1,000 of those into its restoration effort

[KimberlySayWhat]

My cocoon hatched. It was a spider. I swept it down and flushed it.

[musicman]

If we had more information, we'd be able to better assesss how good of a job Centerpoint is doing. Rather than just being left with these "I have power - yay Centerpoint!" and "I don't have power - boo Centerpoint!" comments I see on the Chron site. Not having power is just an inconvenience to me (at least so far), but I'd imagine it must be a real struggle for some people - old people, sick people, poor people, etc.

boo centerpoint! LOL

i agree that having more info would be helpful. the frustrating part is that last week i followed the my supply lines back to at area where there is power. there doesn't seem to a single downed line.

i must also 2nd that for many old/sick/poor people this is a real struggle. we've been bringing ice to an 85 yr old neighbor and checking up on her several times a day. hopefully the front coming through today will provide some relief.

[tmariar]

we've been bringing ice to an 85 yr old neighbor and checking up on her several times a day.

Yay Musicman!

[Highrise Tower]

My father's transformer popped last night. (77096)

I heard when you hear a transformer pop (Post-Ike) That's a sign of power coming back to your lines/transformer.

Unless, power tried to come in. Transformer couldn't handle it, so it got blown.

[Highrise Tower]

..... edited by me...

[ricco67]

My cocoon hatched. It was a spider. I swept it down and flushed it.

I was curious as far as that went.

Well, I FINALLY got power last night.

I found all sorts of ways of entertaining myself;

Throwing wads of toilet paper at various mosquitoes that flew into the open window.

Watching my cat mock me as she casually walked into and out of the apartment through said window.

Rereading some books.

Watching the mold on my wall grow. Literally.

I informed management and they said they going to take out the dry wall and I enthusiastically asked if I can get a jump start on it. After the go ahead, I borrowed a hammer and went to town after they marked what needed to come down.

Kitty wasn't impressed, but was happy that she had easier access to her litterbox.

First power act:

Flipped on my dead Laptop and while THAT booted, I plugged in my beloved TIVO that DEMANDED to be connected with its mothership.

Logged onto haif and stared down my cat.

Oh yeah.

[MetroMogul]

Power came and went at my apartments in 77042. I am in a hotel in the Galleria though courtesy the TSA so it's all good for me. Alot of linemen and tree trimmers checked in last night as well.

[RedScare]

Day 12 without electricity...

As mentioned in another thread, my younger brother has a spare generator going unused in his garage. I'm used to this thing now, so setting up a genset, finding and filling gas cans, pulling appliances from the walls to run extension cords to them, and most importantly, taking back my portable room AC unit from my neighbor to use for myself, just doesn't seem worth the effort. Besides, the weather is getting cooler and drier again, so it is an improvement. This brings up a debatable question...if making oneself more comfortable requires the expending of effort, does refusing to expend the effort to become more comfortable make one lazy?

News from the street in front of my house. Neighbor called Centerpoint, not to complain, but to tell them he could not read their outage map. Operator asks his address, then tells him that their records show our entire street has power. Clearly, it does not. She logged complaints for every house on our block. Not sure what that means, but I suppose it is progress.

In my night time survival research, I have found rechargeable lights, solar rechargers, thermoelectric coolers, inverters, you name it. There is a real shortage of digital portable TVs, but I have found a few. One thing that I cannot find is energy efficient air conditioners. This is a big deal, because most of the time, our storms will hit during July or August, not mid to late September. If the goal is to survive reasonably comfortably without a generator, energy efficient cooling is a must. Well, it turns out that there ARE natural gas fired AC units. Are there any portables? Don't know, but I'll keep looking.

[TheNiche]

In my night time survival research, I have found rechargeable lights, solar rechargers, thermoelectric coolers, inverters, you name it. There is a real shortage of digital portable TVs, but I have found a few. One thing that I cannot find is energy efficient air conditioners. This is a big deal, because most of the time, our storms will hit during July or August, not mid to late September. If the goal is to survive reasonably comfortably without a generator, energy efficient cooling is a must. Well, it turns out that there ARE natural gas fired AC units. Are there any portables? Don't know, but I'll keep looking.

How do you want to measure efficiency, specifically? I think in terms of SEER (and am all lined up for a purchase of about a dozen 18 SEER mini-splits for a project), but I figure you might be going by the maximum power output of your generator.

Portable Air Conditioners and other neat stuff can be found here:

http://www.compactappliance.com/

[20thStDad]

My run today took me around Shady Acres, I heard that most of it still didn't have power and had lots of trees down. There were crews everywhere, which is a good sign for those folks. Not much (visible) damage to the Dry Creek site or Jazzie Cafe, but at 6pm neither were open (one never has been, the other has such odd hours it could have nothing to do with the storm).

Pretty cool moment, as I was heading south down Beall around 14 1/2 St, I saw a lone utility worker hoisting a long pole, and once he got his grip he snapped closed what looked like a clip or safety pin. No sparks or noises, but a few seconds later I could heard the cheers down 14 1/2, it was pretty cool.

[crunchtastic]

Logged onto haif and stared down my cat.

Oh yeah.

welcome back, ricco. It has not been as demented around here lately. Made me realize how much I missed you.

although, since Red's apparently gone native with this whole no power thing, I imagine the crazy will ratchet up soon. we'll be putting together a party to go upriver for him.

[cottonmather0]

Boy, Centerpoint is really being duplicitous with its public statements now. I used to work for the predecessor company and I have to say that Steve Letbetter was run out of Reliant 5 years ago for being a do-nothing good old boy and McClanahan is no better but still hanging around CNP. Unbelievable!

Here's what I take from the new "projections" today:

Before the storm: "It could be up to two weeks for power to be restored in hardest hit and hard to reach areas."

This week: "We told everyone it might be up to two weeks and we're right on schedule!"

Next week: "Everyone knew it would be at least two weeks and probably longer so why are you people still complaining?"

[crunchtastic]

Day 12 without electricity...

In my night time survival research, I have found rechargeable lights, solar rechargers, thermoelectric coolers, inverters, you name it. There is a real shortage of digital portable TVs, but I have found a few. One thing that I cannot find is energy efficient air conditioners. This is a big deal, because most of the time, our storms will hit during July or August, not mid to late September. If the goal is to survive reasonably comfortably without a generator, energy efficient cooling is a must. Well, it turns out that there ARE natural gas fired AC units. Are there any portables? Don't know, but I'll keep looking.

I'm interested in propane run freezers. Have you come across any? Does such a thing exist?

[RedScare]

I'm interested in propane run freezers. Have you come across any? Does such a thing exist?

Yes.

Look here.

How do you want to measure efficiency, specifically? I think in terms of SEER (and am all lined up for a purchase of about a dozen 18 SEER mini-splits for a project), but I figure you might be going by the maximum power output of your generator.

Portable Air Conditioners and other neat stuff can be found here:

http://www.compactappliance.com/

Well, the ultimate goal would be to survive reasonably comfortably without a generator. As I stated before, it appears that I can do everything except cooling without a genset. Actual air conditioning (no swamp coolers) draws a relatively big load, too big for small scale solar or battery power. BTW, I have one of those portable AC units shown on that website already. It draws 10.8 amps. Not bad for a genset, but too much for any alternative energy sources....so far.

[houstonmacbro]

I just learned that my workplace may not have power until 'beyond next week'. Whatever that means...?

[Mark F. Barnes]

[translation]'beyond next week'[/translation] :lol: