I just got power back in NJ after 49 hours.

[athena]

After 49 hours without power, we just got power back in our little house in central NJ.

For a little over two days, my husband and I had no lights, no internet, no refrigeration, no heat. It was suffocating; it was depressing; it was psychologically painful in a way that seemed irrational but was very real nonetheless.

When the lights came back on, I was ecstatic. A miracle had just taken place. My belief in humanity was restored. I wanted to go and thank in person the PSE&G people who worked overtime in the cold and dark so that I, along with the hundreds of people in my neighborhood, could have power and heat for a few hours tonight.

I know that we were relatively lucky. We didn't have trees fall on our house; we didn't get our basement flooded (mainly because we don't have a basement). But simply losing power for 49 hours makes you realize how vulnerable and dependent on your fellow humans you really are. People talk about small government in the abstract, but it's with a disaster like this that you realize at a visceral level why a strong government is necessary. I hope that people will see this and make the right decision next Tuesday.

[warrior1]

1. were you able to keep up on any news?

[athena]

12. Yes.

We listened to the radio (NPR in NY), and I used my cell phone to check the New York Times from time to time. My husband got e-mail updates from PSE&G.

We also walked into town and got coffee and lunch. So we weren't as isolated as some people are. I feel for the people closer to the shore who had to evacuate or move into shelters. After Irene last year, I'm afraid this won't be the last time we'll have to live through this.

[The Wielding Truth]

2. Hurray! How is Hoboken?

[Grateful for Hope]

11. I work in Jersey City, 10 minutes walking distance from Hoboken

My office is closed for the rest of the week, and we were told to expect an update on Sunday evening. Hoboken terminal is still flooded and I am hearing that sewage is part of the problem.

In short, Hoboken is still a mess.

[The Wielding Truth]

47. I just heard that the National guard came in last night. Thank goodness.

Thanks. Stay safe.

[Grateful for Hope]

50. Thank you so much

My impact is the rail transit. Right now, I think it is pretty much gone for quite some time.

[Grateful for Hope]

3. My youngest son is in Scotch Plains and didn't have power as of this afternoon.

Do you live anywhere near that town?

I was without power for over 24 hours, but I am more used to it as I live in an area that is harder hit by snow, etc. On the other hand, this is my son's first experience with a power outage, and he is not handling it well.

[athena]

24. We're not close to Scotch Plains.

The good news is that PSE&G is working. I think, though, that they prioritize the work based on how many houses are affected in a given neighborhood.

I was pretty pessimistic about getting power back this evening or even tomorrow. I wish your son well. I hope he has enough food and water. We made a lot of ice before the storm, which helped keep the fridge cool.

[Grateful for Hope]

41. Thank you, athena

I am really glad you have your power back on

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. So glad it's back! :^D

[Lucinda]

5. I know that feeling well. Welcome back.

?

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Welcome back.

[freshwest]

38. +1

[Sekhmets Daughter]

7. I know that feeling well...

I was without power for 4 days when Hurricane Frances hit FL in 2004.... So glad your home is safe and now comfortable.

[athena]

32. Four days! How did you cope?

I think we prepared pretty well for this. We made a lot of ice and transferred perishables to the freezer when the power went out. We opened the fridge a few times to get food out, but there was still a lot of ice in the freezer this evening. We also had enough batteries for flashlights and the radio. What is really hard to cope with, though, is the cold and the dark.

A couple of decades earlier, we wouldn't have been able to prepare, since we wouldn't have known in advance that such a big storm was approaching. I was very impressed that the meteorologists predicted the storm's left turn.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

39. Not well....

It was hot, humid and a mess. I realized that I was definitely born in the right century as I would not have cared for life without electricity and a/c

[Kber]

8. We are still dark.

But my genius husband hooked the Internet stuff up to the generator. Which is why we have our sanity still.

[Chorophyll]

9. Glad your power's back.

And I completely agree with your assessment.

[theinquisitivechad]

10. Congratulations, dear!

Enjoy, and I hope things get back to normal for you and your community post-haste.

[Honeycombe8]

13. So glad to hear that. Been there. I'm at a loss, when that happens. nt

[WinkyDink]

14. Outtage here in PA, from 9:00 P.M. on 10/29, to 5:30 P.M., today, 10/31.

[Patiod]

53. same outage time here in suburban Philly

Fortunately our favorite pub was open last night, 15 minutes away, with hot food. Always less trauma when there's hot food close at hand.

[Walk away]

15. My 83 year old Dad is still without power....

I invited him to my house (I never even lost cable) but he insists he has a few good books, plenty of batteries and a down comforter so he is fine. This is a guy who forgoes novacane because he rather have a little pain than have to dribble for a few hours. They broke the mold!

[alp227]

48. For the brain, reading > TV. ;)

[DURHAM D]

16. There is one good thing about loss of electricity.

It is so quiet. But who needs that?

Glad you are back on line and safe.

[myrna minx]

17. Welcome back! I'm so glad you and yours are ok and can now begin the road to

normalcy.

[malaise]

18. I'm so happy for you

[hay rick]

19. Just got off the phone with a friend in Monmouth County.

Called four of my friends' cell phones. One had no service and two went straight to voice mail. Got through on call number four- a friend who lives a block from my old house. They still don't have power. I was really relieved to hear that my friends are safe and all in one piece.

[a la izquierda]

29. My family is in either Ocean or Monmouth counties...

I haven't heard from my dad, but I know they're all okay.

[athena]

37. Leave a message.

Your friends may be keeping their phones off to preserve the battery. I turned mine on only 3-4 times a day to check e-mail and the news. I hope all your friends are OK.

[hay rick]

42. I did leave messages.

I'm guessing the one person I got through to has a phone charger for his car.

[sandyshoes17]

20. Me too!!

It feels so good. My sister just got hers back too. And I agree with all you said.

[NoPasaran]

21. Woo Hoo!

My mother, who lives in Connecticut, just got her power back after two days without as well.

[graywarrior]

22. Hooray!

[CrazyOrangeCat]

23. Glad that your power came back.

I'm curious, have you by chance heard about conditions in Morristown and North Brunswick? Lived in Morristown for a couple years, and knew some good people in N. Brunswick.

[Si MC]

25. Power off for more than a couple hours is

very depressing. One has to think about food, water, chances to catch up with the rest of the world.

Smart phone with extra batteries is always wise. But even they can be out in bad situations like this.

This time of year, with more than 13 hours of darkness, life is very disorienting when it's so dark so much of the 24 hour day.

I can't imagine what people in Hoboken or on other shore areas of NJ and NY are going through now, stuck with no way out, and no services or food.

Let's hope everyone can have power back in a day or two, but I imagine many will be out longer than that.

[RegieRocker]

26. That isn't bad.

A ice storm in St. Louis caused a loss of power for 4 days for many. So 49hrs is not bad at all considering the damage I have viewed from Sandy. Quite remarkable and those involved in restoration should be commended.

[Arugula Latte]

27. We recently had a power outage that lasted maybe six hours ...

It started early in the morning and was restored about noon. For a few hours, though, I could hardly function. So, 49 hours, wow, that seems unbearable. It's amazing how dependent we are on flipping switches and pushing buttons.

[Stinky The Clown]

28. I can totally relate. We went five days in +100° weather earlier this year.

By the way, it may not have been a PSE&G crew . . . . .

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021674957#post8

[a la izquierda]

30. We had no power in Central Ohio after the derecho in June

It was hot as hell. Thank gawk for camp stoves and headlamps. We actually had fun for awhile, but I have no kids to occupy; the dogs didn't know any differently.

[Stinky The Clown]

33. Yeah, that's the same storm that took our power down.

Not fun.

[a la izquierda]

43. It was hotter than Hades that week, too.

The worst was trying to sleep. Sitting on my porch, drinking coffee and reading all day was kind of nice...

[Stinky The Clown]

78. I have a picture of the dashboard thermometer in the car reading 111°

The heat and humidity here was worse than being without power.

[kestrel91316]

31. After the Northridge quake, I had no electricity for 36 hours. Many people had none for a WEEK.

The worst part for me was that the condo complex I lived in lost all its gas lines. So we all (500 units) had NO HOT WATER for A MONTH. I went to friends' homes for showers and to do laundry. Royal PITA, but at least i didn't die.

[Canuckistanian]

34. Woohoo!

I feel for you after such a major event. Relief that it's over, but knowing there's a lot to do before life can return to normal.

My best wishes to you AND your community.

[riderinthestorm]

35. My daughter's in McLean VA...still without power.

So glad though that its starting to be restored however. Glad to hear your good news!

[riderinthestorm]

54. McLean VA is back online!! Power just came back for that area.

Woohoo! Obama's cracking the whip and getting the juice going - that's going to majorly work in his favor.

[NYFlip]

36. I live in lower Manhattan

We still have no power. At least we didn't get flooded. Glad you got your power back

[hoboken123]

40. I just got my power back on in NJ too

And honestly it wasn't that bad. It isn't overly cold, gas stayed on so the oven and hot water worked. It was like urban camping. Kids got to play with flashlights, had a radio going, etc.

It was shocking too; we were told it would be at least the weekend before any chance of power.

[athena]

44. I agree that it could have been a lot worse.

We were extremely lucky. But simply being in the dark and cold, combined with the uncertainty about when we would have power again, was pretty bad for me. I feel humbled by this experience.

I'm very glad to hear that you're OK in Hoboken. Rachel just showed that thousands of people in Hoboken are still waiting to be rescued.

[SemperEadem]

45. When the Derisho blew through DC back in late June

I was without power for about 5 days. Other areas were down for far longer; some had their power back within hours.

And it got hellishly hot and humid right after that storm--mid 90's kind of hot. It was miserable, to say the least. I had to reach back to channel my great grandmothers and square myself with the truth that if they could stand not having AC and electricity for the whole of their lives, then being of that strong stock meant that I could withstand that inconvenience.

I wasn't expecting the lights to go on the 5th day, but when they did, I could hear a lot of my neighbors scream with delight, along with the whoosh of their AC units starting up. It literally was like stepping from the 19th century back into the 21st century. There is nothing more soul crushing than to spend the day in an air conditioned office, hoping, praying that your electricity would come back on so that the treasury of food in your fridge wouldn't have to be thrown out and that you could at least have some semblance of normalcy, only to put the key in the door and all was still dead quiet.

It lifted my heart on Sunday when I saw a number of utility trucks driving down the street before the Hurricane hit because that meant that they were preparing for this. The Derisho was a totally different kind of event that no one a. had ever seen and b. could plan for, so there's that difference. But knowing how this country performed after Katrina with a republican led government, it was marvelous to see this administration's ability to take a path to see it forthcoming. That is what people need to remember when going to the polls.

And speaking of which, I did my early voting today and I voted for the President and a full Democratic ticket.

[BigDemVoter]

46. Oh boy. . . You poor thing. . .

I lived in New Orleans for a very long time and remember L-O-N-G electrical outages related to storms, and it's not fun.

And you're right about feeling vulnerable and dependent. I really feel for all of your state's citizens affected by this nightmare.

[David Zephyr]

49. Congratulations!

I've been there too many times myself. That was a really bad storm. It's good to learn the power is coming back on.

[former-republican]

51. Can I respectfully ask you why

you never purchased a generator ?

I can understand people who rent not having one but not a home owner.

I can understand if your house is under water then a generator really doesn't matter.
But what I can't understand is a home owner that chooses to buy other nonessential items before a generator

And before anyone mentions they can't afford it.
I have heard this many times already from people that have a 50" TV
the latest smart phone, took a vacation that cost $1000 or more in the last year.

I consider a generator for your home more important than anything listed above.

Maybe it's just my survival instinct kicking in but it is what it is.

I haven't had power since Monday afternoon but I have a generator.
It's running the whole house as I type this post.

[jeff47]

56. Because even with the storm, it's exceedingly unlikely you'll need it

I went though 8 days without power after hurricane Fran (1996).

Since then, the longest power outage I've had has been 4 hours when a transformer exploded outside the house. It's something like 5-7 years between outages and most are brief.

You're telling me it's critical to buy and maintain a generator for something that happens for a few hours every 5-7 years, because of one particularly long outage? You also seem to forget you can't just buy it and shove it in the back of the garage. You have to maintain it if you hope for it to run in an emergency.

Now, if you happen to live somewhere with less reliable power, then it starts becoming a decent idea. But for the vast majority power outages are simply too rare to be worth the expense.

[former-republican]

57. Maintaining it is a simple as running it for 15 minutes every few months or so, it' nothing

Also an oil change after the first 10 hours and after the second 20 or 25 hours of use.

It's not a big deal and it less to maintain than your lawn mower.

[jeff47]

61. Yet my lawn mower is used once or twice a week.

That generator would have been used a whopping 3 times in the past 16 years, assuming I want to bother to roll it out for a <2 hour outage.

[former-republican]

66. Okay don't buy one

[athena]

59. It didn't seem like a priority until now.

We have a very small house, with very little storage space, so we try not to buy anything that's not absolutely necessary. After Irene, we had no power for about 12 hours, but one night without power really isn't so bad. Beyond a certain threshold, every additional hour without power becomes more unbearable than the last.

Thanks for your input. We will probably purchase a generator now, since I expect this won't be our last time to go through something like this.

[former-republican]

65. They truly aren't that much money either

I have had 400 foot extension to my neighbors house right now that has saved their food and allowed them to watch a little TV



Also if you decide you can have it hard wired into your breaker box and you can pick and choose what you want to run in the house.

Water if you have a well pump , hot shower , TV , lights , etc...

[hoboken123]

64. Every homeowner should own a generator?

Seems excessive, no? How is a generator an essential item compared to a host of other items. A portable defibrillator for example. Should everyone own a four-wheel drive vehicle?

[former-republican]

68. It's not excessive and I promise when you need it you will be glad you bought it.

As to the 4 wheel drive?

I live in New England so I own one .

[riderinthestorm]

69. Unfortunately with climate change, that may be the new "normal"

We're in N Illinois and tornadoes mean we've had a portable generator for... decades really. Have only used it 2x but what a lifesaver when we DID need it. I harbor no illusions however that we won't have more need for it in the future....

[dcmfox]

52. Hope all is well my american family

Peace to you and yours.

[Squinch]

55. Congratulations! Be well!

[Hyper_Eye]

58. After the tornadoes came through Alabama last April we were out for over a week.

I was able to keep my cell phone charged which began working somewhat reliably after a day or two. Anything in the refrigerator that we didn't cook within the first day or two was spoiled. We cooked all day on our grill that first day and then packed all the cooked food into coolers with ice. We were feeding neighbors we had never met before then. After a couple of days you stop thinking about what you are missing so much and kind of fall into the routine. We were making coffee on our grill first thing in the morning, helping clean up, enjoying the company of those that lived around us. At the time I thought it was the pits but we made some lasting friends and learned some lessons. The night the power came back on I almost instantly went back to the things I normally do and I was very happy to watch Rachel Maddow before falling asleep in my bed with the air conditioner humming away.

I feel your pain. Everything will return to normal before you know it. I'm glad you have come through unscathed.

[Nedsdag]

60. PSE&G didn't get to my home in Bergen County.

I am still in the dark, yet the business district has power.

What gives? I am freezing!

[athena]

67. Stay warm.

The business district here had power yesterday, and it seemed wrong that we didn't as well. They'll get to you soon. Apparently, PSE&G has gotten power to about half of the people who lost it. Wear lots of layers and have some warm chamomile or mint tea if you have a gas oven that works. Good luck!

[BattyDem]

62. Same here.

I know it could have been so much worse. We were very lucky! We were inconvenienced and very bored, but we had no property damage, no flooding, no injuries - we just lost power for two days. When it finally came on, we felt like we had been "rescued" - LOL! For me, the worst was no heat because I have asthma and the cold air (it dropped down to about 59 degrees in the house overnight) was really taking a toll on me. I have an inhaler, but I needed my nebulizer, which I couldn't use because it's electric. I got through it, but to be honest, I don't know if I would have gotten through another night.

I finally got to see the pictures of the destruction on the Jersey shore: O.M.G!!! I can't believe it! Seaside Heights ... damn! The roller coaster is in the freakin' Atlantic Ocean! The surrounding towns are devastated. It's so sad. Not only do we need government, we need a good, strong, well-funded government that's run by people who actually care!

[ananda]

63. That was fast!

After Alicia, I didn't get electricity back for a week,
and water was out for five days. The landline phone
service was only out for three, I think.

That's just how those big storms are. We're used to
it down here, I guess; and even then, it's difficult.

I hope nobody ever has to go through anything like Sandy
again, but I fear that hope is vain.

[UTUSN]

70. I love you BACK!1 n/t

[midnight]

71. Glad to hear you have power back....

[Cha]

72. I know how you feel, athena! Been though a hurricane and

the aftermath..oh, the joy when the lights go back on and your food can be cold stored again!

It's a Smart Gov that Pres Obama has been aiming for!


… with Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Craig Fugate

Glad you're safe and connected in NJ

[former-republican]

73. This company has a nice selection

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/category_generators+portable-generators

[PlanetBev]

74. Man, that is a long time to be without power

I went without power in the 1994 Northridge quake for twenty hours and I thought that was bad.

[sally5050]

75. what courage you have shown..

to those of us who did not suffer thru sandy's destructive wake, we are grateful that you have had the courage to share your story.

yes big government is critical, but what if you could, would you do different in big government to ease the pain of such a big disaster? are there lessons we can learn from your courageous journey???

nonetheless.. we are sorry for your traumatic experiences and wish you well in the coming days! ; 0

[athena]

77. Thanks!

I was so overjoyed when the lights came on that I wanted to come here and share my experience with people who don't live in the region.

I was extremely lucky. All I lost was power. Many people have lost much more. In my case, there was probably not much more government could have done, but having to sit in the dark for so many hours makes you realize that it could easily have been much worse. I saw many trees knocked down by the storm. I read about one person who was killed when a tree fell on him. People only a few miles away are trapped in their flooded homes. I heard on the radio about elderly people in highrises in Manhattan who are effectively trapped in their homes. Even in my case, if it weren't for government regulation, the power outage could have lasted much longer if PSE&G reasoned that paying people to work overtime isn't worth getting power back to a few hundred people.

When I read about Romney wanting to privatize FEMA, I wonder if people (working-class people voting Republican) stop to think about what that means. As far as I can tell, it means that you pay for your own rescue. If you can't afford to be rescued, you're on your own. That's not the kind of society I want to live in.

[sally5050]

79. truthfully athena you don't have to worry about your greedy republican neighbors

we luckily live in a democratically controlled country

even the republican neighbors are better off because of Obama in office..

your story of restored (and quickly) electricity is only a function of a democratically controlled government.

you suffered a very traumatic experience. forget about republicans.. let us compassionate democrats know how we can help? NJ is a beautiful state.. let us know how we can help you rebuild your gorgeous shoreline? I lived in Ocean Grove.. I lament the loss of my picturesque playground!! : (

republican controlled fema is president bush looking down from an airplane window and people being flown to other states against their consent.. this disaster has a much more humanistic feel to it.. for as many millions affected so few deaths.. the jury returns, verdict delivered, democrats are AWESOME when it comes to disasters, fewer deaths, better response, faster coordination more fema funding (because dems don't cut fema funding like rethugs do)..

[DonRedwood]

76. Welcome back to civilization!

Glad you are doing better!

[Jamastiene]

80. Be glad you don't live in a rural area in NC.

There is no FEMA help and we were lucky to have our power back 2 weeks after Hugo...when they finally got around to those of us who do not matter.