Impressions from the 2009 Kentucky Ice Storm

The major ice storm that swept across the country hit Kentucky on Monday January 26th through Wednesday January 28th. The brunt of the storm hit western Kentucky, where my family and myself live at, and luckily my family and I were somewhat prepared. Coincidentally, exactly a week before the storm hit I went out to China-Mart and purchased a $100 worth of prep items. Monday morning (January 26th) I went out and spent another $70 bucks on more preps to add to my Bug In Items in preparation for the storm. I was personally ready to be stuck with no electricity, no water, and no food for up to a month. My parents had just gone to the grocery store the weekend before so we had a pretty good supply of food in the house and we had purchased a 5000 watt generator about a month before. Monday evening we went out and filled all our cars up with gas, and filled our three, five gallon gas tanks up. Our generator is wired to be fed into the house breaker box so we were able to run all the lights, fridge, freezer, television, router, and my laptop. Cell phones were down most of the time, and so were the landlines, so Internet was our main source of communication.

We did a good job conserving our fuel, ran the generator all day, and let it rest at night. We could stretch five gallons of gas to last a whole day of nearly continuous use. We were able to eat, cook, shower, and enjoy the majority of our usual luxuries. Now I said I personally was pretty prepared, but my family wasn’t as prepared. We only had a couple weeks of groceries, and not any stored water. Monday afternoon before the storm I talked my dad into purchasing a 55 gallon water drum from the local Rural King. We filled it up when water pressure was going out and had plenty of water to cook with and drink. The pressure was in and out but we never lost ours completely, others in the county did, and some still have no water.

We got back on the grid Saturday afternoon (January 31st). As I am typing this, there are still thousands without power, and countless numbers of utility workers working around the clock to restore the electrical grid. These guys don't get the respect they deserve. When the tornado hit last year and left many without power, the utility workers worked day and night. These are the true heroes during a disaster such as this. Getting everyone's power back on means everyone can eat, and have warmth, and the guys that work like they do deserve to be thanked. This goes out to all utility workers, THANK YOU!

I learned a lot about preparedness, and so did my family. There are a lot of things that we could have had that would've made things a lot easier. We owned many flashlights, but didn't have any batteries stored, so many of them were useless. In this situation having a stored set of batteries is important so you can power the flashlights you own. Having emergency candles is important when needing light in a room. We had a couple 72 hour candles from a few years ago, but more would have been better. Water is another thing that we did not have. I personally have been storing water in the seven gallon Reliance water containers you can get at China-Mart, but my parent's had none (other than the fifty-five gallon barrel which was last minute). This could mean the difference in life and death in a survival situation. Getting the fifty-five gallon water drum made a huge difference when we needed to get a drink, flush the toilets, and cook a meal. Store water any way you can people; fill up old juice containers, buy the above mentioned containers from China-Mart or get a fifty-five gallon food grade barrel to store water in. Whatever you do, get a supply of stored water. Food is the next important thing. We had a decent supply of food for a couple weeks, but if this thing would've lasted any longer, we would've had to drive at least an hour to replenish our groceries. If you're storing food you want to store food that is easily prepared, highly nutritious, and doesn't need to be refrigerated. Warmth is another important factor. Everyone in the household needs to have a set of thermal underwear, wool socks, gloves, and a toboggan. If we didn't have the generator to run the heat on, bundling up and staying in one room would've been the best thing to do.

Even though we weren’t completely prepared, we made it through without having to spend a day without lights or heat. We could have used a few extra items such as batteries, matches, water containers or some emergency candles. But all in all, I think we fared pretty well considering that the majority of the people in the county went to bed cold and had no lights. More than anything this disaster was a wake-up call to my family, and that message was GET PREPARED! Disaster can strike at a day’s notice and could last for a while just as it did for us. Having storable food, water, a way to cook, heat your home and a light source, will give you a great advantage when caught in a disaster.

Guardsmen cut through fallen trees in ice-caked KY

More reasons to get prepared. You never know when it will be you in this situation.

LEITCHFIELD, Ky. – National Guard troops swinging chain saws made their way into isolated Kentucky communities Sunday to check on residents walloped by a winter storm that Gov. Steve Beshear called the biggest natural disaster ever to hit the state.
Some 4,600 guardsmen fanned out across Kentucky to distribute food and water, remove fallen trees, go door-to-door in hard-hit areas and provide security in communities that have been evacuated.
With high temperatures well into the 40s through the weekend, much of the ice that had clung to buildings, power lines, trees and roads has disappeared. And another winter storm that had been forecast to hit Monday apparently will bypass the state.
"Hopefully we will dodge the bullet," Beshear said. "We're keeping a watchful eye on that."
Kentucky was the hardest-hit by the ice storm that paralyzed wide areas from the Ozarks through Appalachia early last week. The storm wrapped a large part of Kentucky in an inch-thick mantle of ice that shattered utility poles, toppled trees and drove thousands from frigid homes to shelters, and the state had a long way to go toward recovery — authorities said it could be weeks before power was restored in some spots.
More than 400,000 Kentucky homes and businesses still lacked electricity Sunday, down from more than 700,000, a state record. Officials told those still shivering in dark, unheated homes to seek safe refuge in motels and places with power or generators.
"Too many people are trying to tough it out at home," Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo said.
The storm that began in the Midwest has been blamed or suspected in at least 42 deaths, including nine in Arkansas, six each in Texas and Missouri, three in Virginia, two each in Oklahoma, Indiana and West Virginia and one in Ohio. Most were blamed on hypothermia, traffic accidents and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Finding fuel — heating oil along with gas for cars and generators — was a struggle for those trying to tough it out at home. Hospitals and other essential services took priority.
In Lone Oak, a tiny community in rural western Kentucky, Angel Wyant has been eking out the days with the heat from a kitchen frier connected to a handheld propane tank.
"And a carbon monoxide detector," she pointed out, mindful of the dozens of deaths caused by the storm.
The makeshift heater isn't much good when night falls, so Wyant, 32, and her three children have been staying overnight at the home of neighbor Rita Kelly, 53.
"We huddle around the old wood stove," said Kelly, whose two-bedroom aluminum sided house now shelters six people.
___
Associated Press writers Malcolm C. Knox and Janet Cappiello Blake in Louisville, Ky., John Moreno Gonzales in Lone Oak, Ky., and Bruce Schreiner in Mayfield, Ky., contributed to this report.
(This version corrects that 700,000 was the peak outage figure, not Sunday's total.)

More Snow in the Forecast--Get Ready Now !!!

There is more snow in the forecast for Kentucky over the next few days and now is the time to get prepared. Another round of snow is also in the forecast starting Monday night that could bring additional accumulation to the area. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO YOUR WEATHER STATION FOR MORE UPDATES!!! We will continue to update this site as news comes available on the path of this system. Please come back often and leave a comment as to the conditions in your area, it's a great service to us all. Click here to find your area and weather statements.

Some things to consider now that you know what's possibly heading our way:

-Get extra food that can be prepared by heating and eating.
-Extra batteries for your flashlights.
-Fill your vehicles up with fuel and your extra gas cans too. If worse comes to worse your vehicle can be used as a shelter and heat source.
-Get out those extra blankets.
-Catch some extra water or buy some for drinking and cooking needs.
-Make sure your propane bottle is full. If you have a gas grill this is a way to cook. I have slipped out on to the back deck many times and prepared a nice meal when there was now power.
-Keep some extra cash. During a power outage debit and credit card machines will not be in service.

And most important, know where all these things are and make sure everyone in the home does
too. Don't do much good to have it and not be able to find it.

My good friend and contributor to the network, Matt, has been without power for 3 days now and may not have power restored for 3 more weeks. Matt has a generator and preps in place and is doing just fine. I'll let Matt tell you more about his adventure during this ice and snow system in a later post. I am in constant contact with him and he and his family are warm and well fed. Now that's some good prepping Matt.....Way to go!!!

The Scavenger Update from London

Hello everyone, The Scavenger here just checking in. The biggest part of the ice is just north on me here in London but there's still more than enough to make it hazardous to travel. Mostly rain here now at 2:30 PM with more snow, rain and freezing rain in the forecast. Ice is hanging on branches and roadways. If you have to leave your home please use extreme caution.

Stay Safe !!

Kentucky Ice Storm 2009 Photos

Day 1. We have down tree limbs everywhere, and everything is coated in a thick layer of ice. Seems like the roads are alright, people are out driving on them. The power lines are heavy with ice. Current forecast is that it's supposed to be clear today, then this afternoon more freezing rain and ice. If we get any more ice we should see more power outages and more downed trees. Our power went out last night but came back on. Here are some photos from around my house.

Day 2. We lost our electricity at around 4:30pm 01/27, along with the rest of the county. There are countless power lines and trees down. Cell phones are completely useless, the towers are down. This morning we woke up to very low water pressure, so I started filling everything up with what water we had. We ended up filling up everything we could find. Also filled up our 55gal drum that we don't have a cap for just in case. That's mainly for toilet flushes because we haven't cleaned it properly. We are running our home on our generator right now. It's expensive but we're staying warm and have lights. We have a 5000watt generator and we're running all our lights (CFL's) my laptop, the router/modem, deep freeze, 1 of our refrigerators, 1 television and 1 satellite box. We have a natural gas hot water heater, stove and furnace, so all we need to run our heat is power to turn the blower. All in all we're doing fine, but gas is important when running the generator all day. We go through about 10 gal a day to keep it on from wake up to sleep. We keep it off at night and run the gas logs. Honestly we could be conserving a lot more energy but we're housing my great grandmother, grandmother and an aunt. I got the chainsaw out today and cut up the huge limb in the front yard, I'm going to split it all and let it season out.

Funny thing is that now my parent's understand why I stayed on their asses for getting prepared. They now wish that they has listened to be earlier. Even if this isn't the end of the world, it's still a disaster and there are many who are sitting in their homes cold and in the dark due to lack of prepping.

The water pressure came back at the end of the day but that could be temporary. I work an at-home online job so I won't be able to work until the power and telephones are back to working. All my classes are online so there won't be any classwork or homework being done.

It's sad how we're all so dependent on someone else to provide us with practically everything. I will not post all the pictures I took today, but I uploaded them all to my Photobucket account and if anyone would like to view them feel free to take a peak.

Winter Storm Survival Tips

*UPDATE: Looks like we finally have the official word on the storm. Parts of Kentucky (including the area I live) have an Ice Storm Warning. The National Weather Service is calling for up to 1 inch of ice Monday night, and another inch of ice Tuesday night. Ice accumulations of this magnitude will cause significant damage to power lines and trees. Roads will be heavily impacted, and travel is not recommended. Last minute preparations should be completed TODAY! Prepare for the possibility of extended power outages.

The rest of the state, including where Bullseye is located, is under a Winter Storm Warning. Tonight, 2 inches of snow and sleet accumulation is possible, with up to 1/4 inch of ice. Total snow and sleet accumulations should be around 1 to 3 inches, with a 1/2 inch of ice. Residents should prepare for possible power outages, and travel will be extremely hazardous or impossible.

Bullseye and myself wanted to give everyone a heads up about the winter storm that the National Weather Service is predicting will hit most of Kentucky from Monday night to Tuesday night. Tonight should be mostly clear, I just got out and there is a slight dusting on the roads but they are okay to drive on. Tomorrow night will be a different story though. We are under a Winter Storm Watch now through Tuesday night; this means that there is potential for significant snow, sleet or ice accumulations. For most of Kentucky sleet and freezing rain are likely, and possibly some snow. Although it is uncertain, we could see significant sleet and ice accumulations. As of right now they are calling for 0.1 – 0.3 inches of ice, with little or no snow. This will make travel very difficult and dangerous.

*On a side note, two years ago I went out to get a bite to eat in icy conditions and ended up getting rear-ended by a Dodge Durango. I would consider myself a good driver, but it’s the other motorists that you have to watch out for.Here are some tips from FEMA on how to deal with a winter storm.

If you are indoors:
-Listen to your radio, television, or NOAA Weather Radio for weather reports and emergency information.
-Eat regularly and drink ample fluids, but avoid caffeine and alcohol.
-Conserve fuel, if necessary, by keeping your residence cooler than normal. Temporarily close off heat to some rooms.
-If the pipes freeze, remove any insulation or layers of newspapers and wrap pipes in rags. Completely open all faucets and pour hot water over the pipes, starting where they were most exposed to the cold (or where the cold was most likely to penetrate).
-Maintain ventilation when using kerosene heaters to avoid build-up of toxic fumes. Refuel kerosene heaters outside and keep them at least three feet from flammable objects.

If you are outdoors:
-Avoid overexertion when shoveling snow. Overexertion can bring on a heart attack—a major cause of death in the winter. If you must shovel snow, stretch before going outside.
-Cover your mouth. Protect your lungs from extremely cold air by covering your mouth when outdoors. Try not to speak unless absolutely necessary.
-Keep dry. Change wet clothing frequently to prevent a loss of body heat. Wet clothing loses all of its insulating value and transmits heat rapidly.
-Watch for signs of frostbite. These include loss of feeling and white or pale appearance in extremities such as fingers, toes, ear lobes, and the tip of the nose. If symptoms are detected, get medical help immediately.
-Watch for signs of hypothermia. These include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, and apparent exhaustion.
If symptoms of hypothermia are detected:
1. get the victim to a warm location
2. remove wet clothing
3. put the person in dry clothing and wrap their entire body in a blanket
4. warm the center of the body first
5. give warm, non-alcoholic or non-caffeinated beverages if the victim is conscious
6. get medical help as soon as possible.

If you are driving:
-Drive only if it is absolutely necessary. If you must drive, consider the following:-Travel in the day, don’t travel alone, and keep others informed of your schedule.
-Stay on main roads; avoid back road shortcuts.
-If a blizzard traps you in the car:
-Pull off the highway. Turn on hazard lights and hang a distress flag from the radio antenna or window.
-Remain in your vehicle where rescuers are most likely to find you. Do not set out on foot unless you can see a building close by where you know you can take shelter. Be careful; distances are distorted by blowing snow. A building may seem close, but be too far to walk to in deep snow.
-Run the engine and heater about 10 minutes each hour to keep warm. When the engine is running, open a downwind window slightly for ventilation and periodically clear snow from the exhaust pipe. This will protect you from possible carbon monoxide poisoning.
-Exercise to maintain body heat, but avoid overexertion. In extreme cold, use road maps, seat covers, and floor mats for insulation. Huddle with passengers and use your coat for a blanket.
-Take turns sleeping. One person should be awake at all times to look for rescue crews.
-Drink fluids to avoid dehydration.
-Be careful not to waste battery power. Balance electrical energy needs - the use of lights, heat, and radio - with supply.
-Turn on the inside light at night so work crews or rescuers can see you.
-If stranded in a remote area, stomp large block letters in an open area spelling out HELP or SOS and line with rocks or tree limbs to attract the attention of rescue personnel who may be surveying the area by airplane.
-Leave the car and proceed on foot - if necessary - once the blizzard passes