The area where I live was hit by a F3 tornado Saturday at 3:11 PM. Just got hi speed Internet back about an hour ago. Spent the first hour emailing friends and family that I was fine.
I was sitting at this computer working on my taxes. I had filed my NC taxes the old fashioned pen and paper way because they had to be filed by 4/15. The IRS had given us till Monday. Like a fool I had bit on a "Free Turbo Tax efile site for Federal taxes" After entering all my data I learned that FREE was only for 'simple' forms and they now wanted about $75 plus a user's fee to file or even print or view MY data and I was trying to game the program to get enough info to file an extension but all it would tell me was refund= 0. I noticed a noise like a freight train and remembered that I had moved away from the railroad. Looked out the window at solid black with flying crap. Evidently the storm funnel had jumped my house and hit the one beside me because I had minor damage but the brick house beside me was mostly gone.
To keep this short I am a SS type of guy and I had tons of canned goods, candles, oil lamps, camp stoves etc. The most useful things were the small cheap 9 diode 3 AAA cell flashlights with glow in the dark coating picked up at Big Lots for $3 each which were in every room. Next was the dynamo powered multi diode work lights and last was a 3 diode head lamp which is great for reading or close work where you need both hands free. Power was out for 3 nights and I never used the candles or oil lamps (good for heat but it was warm here)
Never used the camp stove either The steno canned fuel stove did everything I needed, a little slow but it 'got it done' Breakfast food and crackers gave plenty of carbs. Cured sausage and cheese provided the protein and fat. City water never failed but I filled containers just in case.
3 rules. Big fancy vehicles will provide neither help nor information, they are only there to look and 'assess the conditions' 2 real help (and law enforcement) arrived via ATV, bicycles, pickup trucks, horseback and on foot.
3 volunteer groups and church groups are much quicker to respond and are more helpful than official groups like the Red Cross, fire departments and the forest service. The officials are just going through the motions; the volunteer groups want to help!
I was sitting at this computer working on my taxes. I had filed my NC taxes the old fashioned pen and paper way because they had to be filed by 4/15. The IRS had given us till Monday. Like a fool I had bit on a "Free Turbo Tax efile site for Federal taxes" After entering all my data I learned that FREE was only for 'simple' forms and they now wanted about $75 plus a user's fee to file or even print or view MY data and I was trying to game the program to get enough info to file an extension but all it would tell me was refund= 0. I noticed a noise like a freight train and remembered that I had moved away from the railroad. Looked out the window at solid black with flying crap. Evidently the storm funnel had jumped my house and hit the one beside me because I had minor damage but the brick house beside me was mostly gone.
To keep this short I am a SS type of guy and I had tons of canned goods, candles, oil lamps, camp stoves etc. The most useful things were the small cheap 9 diode 3 AAA cell flashlights with glow in the dark coating picked up at Big Lots for $3 each which were in every room. Next was the dynamo powered multi diode work lights and last was a 3 diode head lamp which is great for reading or close work where you need both hands free. Power was out for 3 nights and I never used the candles or oil lamps (good for heat but it was warm here)
Never used the camp stove either The steno canned fuel stove did everything I needed, a little slow but it 'got it done' Breakfast food and crackers gave plenty of carbs. Cured sausage and cheese provided the protein and fat. City water never failed but I filled containers just in case.
3 rules. Big fancy vehicles will provide neither help nor information, they are only there to look and 'assess the conditions' 2 real help (and law enforcement) arrived via ATV, bicycles, pickup trucks, horseback and on foot.
3 volunteer groups and church groups are much quicker to respond and are more helpful than official groups like the Red Cross, fire departments and the forest service. The officials are just going through the motions; the volunteer groups want to help!