Blackout Post-Mortem - What would you do different?

[ClangClang 14]

Just a heads up for those thinking about installing a natural gas generator: DON'T DEPEND ON IT! My buddy works for PSE&G. He told me they were THIS close to shutting down the entire gas system due to all the damaged houses - they didn't want widescale leakage.

 

Another hurricane could have them potentially shut down the gas system and an earthquake would DEFINITELY see them shut it down. There are only 2 solutions - A) get a multi fuel generator that can run propane (which you can store indefinitely in your garage, as opposed to gasoline which has a 3 month shelf life), or better yet, B) learn to live without power.

[Vlad G 345]

Funny, my two year old gasoline works fine. Mind you, I had the foresight to treat it. Indeed trifuel seems to be the ticket

 

Not for nothing but learn to live without it is silly advice for those people freezing in their homes come next week when temps are going to be dropping into the 20s and most heating system require some form of electricity.

[Krdshrk 3,877]

Emergency battery packs are great for helping to keep your cell phones charged... I'm glad I have several.

 

Stuff like this (this is a larger one):

http://www.amazon.com/RAVPower-Dynamo-On--RP-PB04-Capacity-External/dp/B008FV350I/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352033141&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=ravpower+dynamo+10000mah+rp-pbo6

[mipafox 438]

Emergency battery packs are great for helping to keep your cell phones charged... I'm glad I have several.

 

Stuff like this (this is a larger one):

http://www.amazon.co...0000mah+rp-pbo6

 

Buy a couple jump start kits for around $40 each, and they come with a built-in air compressor. Way more total energy and more power. You can use them to power a laptop, but that's only going to last 8 hours or so, depending. It'll charge your cell phone about a metric shitload of times. It will also inflate your tires and start your car.If you buy a $45 "Whale Pump" (plastic submersible turbine pump) you can use the jump start to pump about 3 gpm from 30 feet elevation for about 8 hours. With two pumps in series you can top out at about 60 feet elevation head.One thing about these jump starters, many are lead-acid. Never discharge them in to the red on the built-in meter. That's why most people complain about them, they use them up. Bring them close to the red and stop, or right up to the red and recharge when you get power back. When you discharge into the red you lose some recharge capacity.

[Sandy 44]

or better yet, B) learn to live without power.

 

This. I totally agree . We'll be getting a natural gas genny so that we will be more comfortable next time. I will not cut back on my non perishables , batteries , fresh water , etc . I think that could be a monumental mistake .

[StriderTB 10]

I gave a breakdown of the gear I used during the blackout on another forum I belong to, figured I'd share it here:

 

I lost power from Monday night to Thursday afternoon. I didn't run a generator, but I do have natural gas for my water heater and stove.

 

1) Coleman Xtreme 70 quart cooler

Amazon.com: Coleman 70-Quart Xtreme Cooler (Blue): Sports & Outdoors

 

Knowing that the storm was going to knock power out for a while, I made ice for a few days before the storm hit. When my neighborhood was told to evacuate, my wife and I packed the cooler with ice and most of the perishable food from our fridge and freezer. Come Thursday afternoon, most of the ice (especially what lined the bottom) was solid. If you don't have a generator, it'll keep food for days, and longer if you can get more ice.

 

2) Dyna-Glo 23000 BTU kerosene heater http://www.lowes.com/pd_93043-88644-...ductId=3471481

Thankfully the storm hit while it was relatively mild out, but it still sucks waking up to a 59F house. I had this heater for use in my garage, and dragged it in to take the chill out of the house when we got up, and before we went to bed. This thing took my living room from 60F to 75F in a little over an hour. It's fairly efficient with kerosene, I went through maybe 2 gallons in the three days when I used it. If you pick one up, just be sure to start it and extinguish it outside, because it can smell a bit. Also keep a window cracked slightly to allow fresh air in. Love this thing.

 

3) Eureka Glide 115

Amazon.com: Eureka! Glide 115 - Lantern/Flashlight: Sports & Outdoors

 

I'm a flashlight junkie, and have 12-15 different lights, from Surefire, Streamlight, Maglite, Princeton-Tec and others. This might be my favorite flashlight. It puts out a clean bright white light, and that it converts to a mini lantern is super useful. I hung this light from my shower caddy (opposite the showerhead, it's not waterproof) and had no problems taking showers at night. The normal beam is focused and solid, and it also runs forever. I always had this light in my pocket.

 

4) Energizer Ultimate Lithium AAA batteries

Amazon.com: Energizer Ultimate Lithium L92BP-4 AAA Battery 4 count: Health & Personal Care

 

These are the batteries I use in the Glide 115. They're worth every penny. I went to the store today to pick up more of these for the rest of my lights. They also have a 15 year shelf life, which is nice.

 

5) Ryobi One+ Lithium lantern and lithium battery pack http://www.homedepot.com/buy/18-volt...l#.UJR-ncXA_yA

I already have a bunch of Ryobi One+ Lithium tools, and I picked up this little lantern for my garage, and I've used it more for blackouts. With the Ryobi One+ Lithium P104 battery pack, I used it as an all purpose light and haven't put a dent in the battery level. The light is a little more blue than I prefer, but it lasts forever.

 

6) Duracell MyGrid USB chargers

Amazon.com: Duracell Mygrid Usb Charger: Cell Phones & Accessories

 

These chargers might be the last good thing I bought off Woot. They were life savers when it came to keeping my Galaxy S3 topped off. A full charger would give my phone about 50% more life. I recharged them off my laptop, which I kept charged so I could recharge my phone and these battery packs. This kind of tech has come a long way since I picked these up, so there might be better options out there.

 

7) Black & Decker 500 watt power inverter

Black & Decker PI500BB 500 Watt Power Inverter : Amazon.com : Automotive

 

After a few days, I was worried that my fish weren't going to survive without trying to run the filter and heater. They were getting by on warm water changes, but I wanted to get the water moving for a bit. I was able to connect this inverter to my RS battery, and let my car idle while the inverter powered a 100 watt heater, tank filter, tank bubbler, while also charging two laptops and two Galaxy S3 phones. A more powerful inverter could handle a sump pump in a pinch, if you don't have access to a dedicated generator. Not the most efficient way to power your gear, but it does the job.

 

8) Coleman Quickpack InstaStart propane lantern

Amazon.com: Coleman QuickPack InstaStart 967 Lumens Lantern: Sports & Outdoors

 

This was my primary light source when the sun went down. It was nice to have something that was bright enough to read by, and it's got a decent runtime on a 1lb propane canister. I also lent this to my parent's church so they could light their kitchen while they cooked food before it went bad in the attached school's freezer. It also pumps out some serious heat, so if you hang it, make sure it's now enough that it doesn't scorch your ceiling.

 

9) Mr. Heater Big Buddy Heater

Amazon.com: Mr. Heater Big Buddy Heater: Sports & Outdoors

 

A smaller heater than the massive kerosene heater I posted earlier, but it does a decent job in smaller spaces. Another re-purposed item from my garage and tailgating gear, it helped warm my fish tank when I got home from my parent's place. Better for small rooms and also adjustable, unlike the big kerosene heater. It also has a fan that can be powered by 4 D cell batteries or an AC adapter (not included). The only issue with it is that it burns through 1lb propane cans like they're going out of style. It does have a quick connect so you can plug in a 20lb grill style propane tank using a proprietary Mr. Heater hose and regulator.

 

10) Reliance 5 gallon collapsible water carrier

Amazon.com: Fold a Carrier - 5 Gal: Sports & Outdoors

 

Thankfully I didn't need to depend on this, but it's good to have stored water. I filled this thing the day before, and it's still on my counter, ready to go. The material is ok, but feels a bit thin, and I would worry that it might leak if you're tossing it around. Also, the water valve opens and closes a bit too easily, so again, it can make transport in a car a bit of an adventure. Still, it takes up next to no space when it's folded up and stored. Not a bad idea to have a few on hand for emergency drinking/cooking water.

 

11) Grundig FR200 Emergency Radio

Amazon.com: Grundig FR200 Emergency Radio: Electronics

I ran this little guy pretty much non-stop. Two minutes of hand cranking (heh) gives a little over an hour of continuous radio. After a while, I switched over to the three AA batteries it can run on, and after three days, they're still going strong. It even has a little flashlight on it. AM and FM reception are great, and Shortwave is handy if you understand Spanish. I might replace it with a newer model from Grundig/Eton that also has a USB charger incorporated.

 

12) Princeton Tec Fuel LED headlamp

Amazon.com: Princeton Tec Fuel Headlamp: Sports & Outdoors

Perfect for reading in the dark, because it doesn't have a bulky battery pack on your head. Perfect for using around the house. The switch is a bit fiddly, but that's a minor issue.

 

13) Energizer Hard Case Professional 4 LED headlamp

Amazon.com: Energizer Hard Case Professional 4 LED Headlight, Black/Gray: Sports & Outdoors

 

I use this one outside, the lamp shoots a really powerful beam, and the built in diffuser is handy when you don't want a focused spot beam. The green LED is also useful for tracking blood trails.

 

14) Pak-Lite 9V LED flashlight

Pak-lite LED Flashlight with Alkaline Battery - Amazon.com

 

I picked this up ages ago to stash in my motorcycle. I run it on old 9V batteries I pull out of my smoke detectors every few months. I don't think I've killed one of those batteries yet. It's not terribly bright, but you can keep it in your pocket and never know it's there. I also used it in a flashlight headband

Amazon.com: Nite Ize NPO-03-01 Headband/Hands-Free Flashlight Holder, Black: Home Improvement

for reading in bed.

[JrzyGuy30 0]

^ NICE POST

I gave a breakdown of the gear I used during the blackout on another forum I belong to, figured I'd share it here:

 

[alec.mc 180]

To keep more porn in hard copy , with computers and Internet down it was damn near impossible to get my fix.

[BCeagle 12]

Anyone else notice that they had a ton of stuff that I cant see ever using? I guess I am looking at my big out bag and wondering if I would ever need a hatchet, paracord. pry bar, tons of bags, binoculars. I feel like I prepared for a zombie apocalypse.

 

I did have plenty of protein bars, batteries and flash lights.

[Vlad G 345]

Well those thing would be good if you were stuck on the road, or evacuated, etc.

[Malsua 1,422]

Anyone else notice that they had a ton of stuff that I cant see ever using? I guess I am looking at my big out bag and wondering if I would ever need a hatchet, paracord. pry bar, tons of bags, binoculars. I feel like I prepared for a zombie apocalypse.

 

I did have plenty of protein bars, batteries and flash lights.

 

Many seems to think SHTF = "Cormac McCarthy's 'The Road'" when in reality it means a partial or complete disruption in services and the potential for lawlessness. No one is going to head to the hills and become a mountain man. Houses and cars aren't going to disappear overnight and neither are the people.

[BCeagle 12]

Many seems to think SHTF = "Cormac McCarthy's 'The Road'" when in reality it means a partial or complete disruption in services and the potential for lawlessness. No one is going to head to the hills and become a mountain man. Houses and cars aren't going to disappear overnight and neither are the people.

 

You are exactly right, I was looking at everything I thought I needed and realistically, when will I need to use half this stuff, the hatchet is handy for helping clear a small tree? the pry bar and bolt cutter are perfect if you are a looter which isnt my MO, a few hundred feet of paracord?

 

Bugging out is a last resort, chances are you are making a run of it at home. I was glad I had my firearms though. Funny how you immediately know which you would rely on if your life is on the line.

[rdsmith3 19]

I didn't read all this because I am still reading and typing on a phone screen that is too small for my 52 yr old eyes. On the plus side i first got interested in guns last year with Irene and occupy Wall St going on. I am really glad I have them (plural). My wife is too. People were trying to steal generators in Succasunna which is not far from me. There were also looters at the Walmart in Mt Olive. I am also glad that I have a good chain saw because a tree blocked my driveway. I did good having a generator, lots of water, and adequate food. I did not anticipate the gas situation so I have to re-think that. I also have to get my generator connected to my electric panel with a transfer switch

 

The biggest challenge I think is the mental one. Some people I know are just totally defeated by this situation whereas I see it as a challenge to be overcome and resolved. I can see friends and family members getting very depressed and cranky as we go on 7 days without power. Adversity happens in life and with God's grace I make it through.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bulpup 98]

a few hundred feet of paracord?

 

 

 

Keep the paracord though, unless it is just too bulky. There are times when you can use it that no one has tought of yet because it hasn't yet happened. Last time I used any was during Irene and the front storm door busted it's latch and slapped against the house.

[Malsua 1,422]

Keep the paracord though, unless it is just too bulky. There are times when you can use it that no one has tought of yet because it hasn't yet happened. Last time I used any was during Irene and the front storm door busted it's latch and slapped against the house.

 

There's a difference between having an item and having an item in your go bag. I think that you should pretty much own every item I've ever read about being in a bug out bag. I don't think you need all these things in a portable grab and go bag so you can get back home or if you are under a mandatory evacuation order. Water for example...there's water in NJ everywhere. Some purification tablets are small and usable as a last resort, but carrying little bags of the stuff? There's no point in it, we're never going to run out of water.

[JamesC 2]

 

There's a difference between having an item and having an item in your go bag. I think that you should pretty much own every item I've ever read about being in a bug out bag. I don't think you need all these things in a portable grab and go bag so you can get back home or if you are under a mandatory evacuation order. Water for example...there's water in NJ everywhere. Some purification tablets are small and usable as a last resort, but carrying little bags of the stuff? There's no point in it, we're never going to run out of water.

 

While I would usually agree with you, having dedicated tools and items in your go-bag allows you to leave at a moments notice without having to fetch items that may be around the house.

 

The other benefit is that you can keep in your car so you don't have to go home if you make the choice to bug out.

[Malsua 1,422]

While I would usually agree with you, having dedicated tools and items in your go-bag allows you to leave at a moments notice without having to fetch items that may be around the house.

 

The other benefit is that you can keep in your car so you don't have to go home if you make the choice to bug out.

 

Don't mistake my message, I was not suggesting that you keep nothing in your bag. I was suggesting that things like cooking fuel, bolt cutters, etc. are not something you're going to need around here. Sure, if you live in Colorado and plan on retreating to a cabin up the mountain, they may make sense. Around NJ, it doesn't. You have to process what realistically is going to occur if you have to either get home or are made to leave. Surviving in the wilderness isn't going to be part of that equation.

[BCeagle 12]

So does this change the idea of what a suburban bug out bag should include? A true end of days scenario is a no win, unless you have a cabin in the woods that is secluded enough that you have a 100 acres to hunt without anyone else in sight.

 

What are the main issues that we are seeing now?

Obviously power: portable generator

Looting: Guns and chain up the generator

Food: Keep your house well stocked esp nonperishables like tuna, peanut butter, protein bars

Water: With my pool I usually have enough chlorine to turn the Hudson River baby blue

Information: Radio with solar and crank

[Sharpdogs 1]

I can't comment on this past storm since I was in the 30% of my town that maintained power. I did lose power for 4 days last year and here are some of the items that helped.

 

- www.bogolight.com solar power flashlights. I have tried a few models and these are the only ones that stood the test of time. Add a few headlamps in you will be in decent shape.

 

- The Mr. Buddy propane heater and Grunding radio as mentioned above were life savers. Try and get the Grundig radio that uses batteries as well as a hand crank.

 

- a few 5 gallon water containers (dual use for when I go car camping)

 

- The 9 volt flashlights mentioned above. They are also called PAL lights and they are one of the most battery efficient lights on the market.

 

- Empty 5 gallon gas cans and a long funnel. I keep a few on hand ever since Katrina. When I hear hurricane, North Easter, Major Snow Storm, I fill them up. The long funnel makes filling the cars a breeze. I never had to use this strategy until this storm.

 

One area I would like to add to is a non-lethal force for lootes or some A-hole stealing gas from car. I think I will invest in some bear spray in case a bear tries to loot my house. Even though many of us would like to shoot a looter, NJ laws will side with the looter and you could lose everything instead of just your generator or gas from your car.

[PDM 91]

Great thread! I still don't have power (Bergen county) and this is my first day back at work. My lessons learned for sheltering in place:

 

1. Store 20-30 gallons treated gas for the cars and keep cars topped off! (I had the foresight to fill up my car right before the storm, my wife didn't, and we've made it through on my car).

 

2. Get a kerosne heater. We had hot water, food, water and enough light, but the cold became a problem.

 

3. Candles are king, particularly long burning storm candles. We had some, but I will be stocking up on many more. They store forever, give off a warm light, and minimize need for a flashlight (had plenty of those and will be stocking up on even more batteries).

 

4. Stock up on comfort foods (chocolate, snacks, etc). especially if you have kids.

 

4. I normally don't walk around my house armed, but for the past week with my entire neighborhood dark and many people leaving the area, I have been armed whenever at home. Two lessons learned here: First, It isn't practical for me to walk around with a gun holstered on my hip, either IWB or OWB. Too uncomfortable when sitting a lot and would freak out my wife, kids and friends. My Kahr PM-9 in a pocket holster with an extra mag in my pocket was perfect. Ample firepower, very shootable and no one knew I was carrying it. Very easy to take out of the pocket and stash in a small safe when leaving my property. Second, night sights are key! Both my Kahr and the SIG P226 I kept next to my bed have them. I never understood how important they are until I lived in partial or total darkness for hours. That glow (surprising how bright it is) makes it easy to locate the gun and get a quick sight picture in the dark.

[mattio41 0]

Greetings from the "Dark Side", I am still without power. Well, Call me "anal", because I probably over prepped, but it has actually turned out to be extremely valuable. bought a generator before the storm, and a couple of 5 gallon gas cans. And a friend who had cans, but no generator, I took his. Had 30 gallons of gas, plus two full cars going into the storm. I keep a plastic tub in the garage, that i labeled Emergency Supplies. And every time I am in lowes, or Home Depot, or somewhere, I buy a pack of batteries, or a candle, or something, and I just throw it in. Well, it was no surprise to me, that almost all of my neighbors did no prepping what so ever. So, if I was an A-hole, i could have profited off of my supplies. Instead, I gave them out freely for those who were in need. I believe karma will pay me back 10 fold after this one. But, this thread is about what I would do different. So here are the things, that I am looking at.

 

1) Communications !!! I have AT&T, and for the first 4 days, we had no service. Where Verizon at least had some service. So, planning on buying a cheap go phone for Verizon, and load it up with maybe $100 of minutes, and just keep it in the emergency bucket, and charge it up periodically.

 

2) Hand Crank Emergency Radio, Forgot to look at my radio before the storm, only to find out, that the batteries that were in it, deteriorated and had destroyed the radio. So, been living off of my alarm clock radio, when my generator is running. Looking at a "Home Based" 2 way radio, and a pair of Walkie talkies to go with it. If I had an emergency, there was no way to communicate to the outside world.

 

3) Think about more camping/stove type appliances. Like a coffee percolator. I have been able to generate power so I can plug my coffee pot in, and unplug it when it is done brewing. Switching with the Refrigerator. But will need to look at some alternative means, if in fact, we lose power in the area for a long time. (ie: ice Storm) Cant always depend on being able to refuel the generator.

 

4) Streamline my light sources and batteries. I bought several cheap LED flashlights a few weeks ago. They were a $1.00 a piece, so I bought 10. They have been great having all over the house. And I have small mag lights, that take AA. It certainly seams like, there has been no shortage of those sizes. Will have to evaluate everything, when this is over.

 

Something, you may want to consider. i bought one of those Food Saver machines a while ago. it is just my wife and me in the house, so when we buy packs of meat, we break it down into smaller portions, and cryovac the packages. this way, we only pull out what we need. This has benefits if you are preparing in advance of the storm.

 

ohh well, more to come.

[Zell959 40]

1) Would not of trusted battery backup for keeping basement dry. Have city water, so will be looking into back up pumps that can run without power

 

2) Would have moved more out of the basement. I honestly didn't believe I'd see as much water down there as I did. Didn't have a problem during Irene.

 

3) Like everyone else, would of had more gas. Can't even get the cans now. Ordered two 5 gallon cans off Amazon. Will look to keep a total of 5 in regular rotation when all is said & done. I can avoid letting them sit by topping off my car with the oldest can once per month. It'd be easy to talk about storing even more gas regularly, but I probably need to be realistic about what I can actually maintain at all times once life gets back to normal speed.

 

4) Generator. Have one comming wed that I ordered the friday before the storm. Too little too late to protect the basement & will be somewhat moot until gas availability normalizes, but at least I'll have the option in the future. Depending on how much redoing the basement costs (relative to ultimate insurance settlement), I kind of hope I can make it an early 2012 project to have the main electrical disconnect upgraded from an old fuse system to circuit breakers. If I end up doing that, hopefully I can also swing having them include a manual transfer switch at the same time, to save the need for extension cords next time.

[BCeagle 12]

 

One area I would like to add to is a non-lethal force for lootes or some A-hole stealing gas from car. I think I will invest in some bear spray in case a bear tries to loot my house. Even though many of us would like to shoot a looter, NJ laws will side with the looter and you could lose everything instead of just your generator or gas from your car.

 

What if I was asleep in my car in my garage and some ass tried to steal gas and I mistakenly thought he was attacking me? You think the state would prosecute if we were in my garage.

[High Exposure 5,664]

4. I normally don't walk around my house armed, but for the past week with my entire neighborhood dark and many people leaving the area, I have been armed whenever at home. Two lessons learned here: First, It isn't practical for me to walk around with a gun holstered on my hip, either IWB or OWB. Too uncomfortable when sitting a lot and would freak out my wife, kids and friends. My Kahr PM-9 in a pocket holster with an extra mag in my pocket was perfect. Ample firepower, very shootable and no one knew I was carrying it. Very easy to take out of the pocket and stash in a small safe when leaving my property. Second, night sights are key! Both my Kahr and the SIG P226 I kept next to my bed have them. I never understood how important they are until I lived in partial or total darkness for hours. That glow (surprising how bright it is) makes it easy to locate the gun and get a quick sight picture in the dark.

 

I bet no one would have realized you had a gun on your hip with the right clothes. Most people don't even notice a holstered firearm on your hip because they don't expect to see them. It is actually strange. You feel like you are wearing a bright flashing sign proclaiming "I HAVE A GUN!!!" but no one notices.

 

The right bolster can help with comfort (unless you meant you were mentally uncomfortable instead of physically uncomfortable carrying a firearm in that fashion). After an hour or so you physically forget it is there.

 

As far as night sights on your pistol, they will help with sight alignment but not sight picture. What I mean by that is this - sight alignment is simply placing the front sight in the notch in the rear sight appropriately. Sight picture is aligning your sights on a target. Night sights make sight alignment possible in the dark by giving you reference points for your sights in the form of glowing dots. They do NOT help you acquire, identify, or discriminate targets. You need a white light for that. As soon as you light up your target for ID/discrimination purposes you no longer need the glowing reference points as you now have a nice bright background/target to align your actual sights on.

 

Night sights by themselves are useful for about an hour a day, during twilight and dawn during that weird time when it is light enough to ID a threat but a little to dark to get a good sight picture without a reference point. Even then a white light is a good idea.

[PDM 91]

Thanks for the clarification. Sight picture or sight alignment, whatever, all I know is that having the night sights made it much easier to 1) find mygun on a nightstand in a dark room and 2) after drawing see where my gun is pointing and where the sights are before shining the light. I always have a 200 lumen surefire tactical light on my nightstand and at least some basic instruction in how to use it (GFH low light shooting course).

 

As for carry, I guess each situation is different and everyone has their own preferences, but for me the Kahr in a desantis pocket holster is the most comfortable and handiest way to carry in my house (and outside for that matter) without really sacrificing all that much as opposed to carrying a larger gun.

[n4p226r 105]

I was able to help them both out.

 

Illegally. Haha

[CMJeepster 2,778]

To keep more porn in hard copy , with computers and Internet down it was damn near impossible to get my fix.

Ha, ha, ha! Rookie! ;-)

 

- Empty 5 gallon gas cans and a long funnel. I keep a few on hand ever since Katrina. When I hear hurricane, North Easter, Major Snow Storm, I fill them up. The long funnel makes filling the cars a breeze. I never had to use this strategy until this storm.

Additional cans a long funnel and hand-operated siphon were my purchases this fall.

 

1. Store 20-30 gallons treated gas for the cars and keep cars topped off! (I had the foresight to fill up my car right before the storm, my wife didn't, and we've made it through on my car).

Ditto here. Also filled my mower and snow blower for additional capacity.

 

Something, you may want to consider. i bought one of those Food Saver machines a while ago. it is just my wife and me in the house, so when we buy packs of meat, we break it down into smaller portions, and cryovac the packages. this way, we only pull out what we need. This has benefits if you are preparing in advance of the storm.

Best $5 that I've ever spent at a yard sale!

[rightisright 3]

I did pretty well.

 

POSITIVES:

 

* 25 gallons of gas for the genny before storm. Three vehicles filled.

 

* I have a well, so water was not an issue. I already have 3-4 months worth of food in my house. Booze? Lots!

 

* Fridge and chest freezer were on generator power. I have an NG stove/oven, so meals were nice and hot.

 

* I used two portable jump starters to charge phone, iPad and 4G hotspot. So when I got tired of reading my Kindle, I could watch videos on iPad. Can't wait to see my bill for data. I'm SURE I went way over my allotment.

 

Very Minor Negatives:

 

* I did find out my generator power was not "clean" enough to run the auto-igniter in my gas furnace. The blower worked, but no igniter = no fire. No biggie. I have a wood stove and many cords of hardwood.

 

* A few months ago, I lost the key to my back door. My front door is very old (solid as a rock, though) and has never had a key since I bought the house. I always got into the house via electric garage door opener. I was at the house when the power went down, so getting in wasn't an issue. When I did venture out on Wed. to get some Dunkin Donuts coffee, I left my back window open so I could climb back in. I will be resolving this issue by getting a new back door lock with key AND battery powered keypad.

 

* I need more DVDs or a way to connect the iPad to the big screen. I did watch Band of Brothers for the 10th time, however.

[CMJeepster 2,778]

* I need more DVDs or a way to connect the iPad to the big screen. I did watch Band of Brothers for the 10th time, however.

I found a stash of old TV shows on DVD. "Riptide" was my guilty pleasure.

[High Exposure 5,664]

Thanks for the clarification. Sight picture or sight alignment, whatever, all I know is that having the night sights made it much easier to 1) find mygun on a nightstand in a dark room and 2) after drawing see where my gun is pointing and where the sights are before shining the light. I always have a 200 lumen surefire tactical light on my nightstand and at least some basic instruction in how to use it (GFH low light shooting course).

 

As for carry, I guess each situation is different and everyone has their own preferences, but for me the Kahr in a desantis pocket holster is the most comfortable and handiest way to carry in my house (and outside for that matter) without really sacrificing all that much as opposed to carrying a larger gun.

 

Right on. Glad you had a white light too. A lot of people think that because they are called "night sights" that that is all they need in the dark.

 

If you find the night sights are too bright, a take a black sharpie and color over the rear dots. It makes a big difference distinguishing the front from the rear sights and make it easier to see past the glow of the rear tritium vials. I have found this makes a huge difference in speed and accuracy, especially with fresh sights.

 

Not knocking the Kahr in the pocket holster, I often carry my PM9 in a DeSantis Nemisis myself (as a backup to the gun on my hip). It is a very capable method of carry. Just letting you know that if you are new to carrying a gun for long periods of time, It gets more comfortable and less stressful.

 

Glad you made out alright!