When the Wind Blows

Lynn Jaynes and Tyler Bacus of Asplundh Tree Experts remove a tree fallen on T Street in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011. (Laura Seitz, Deseret News)

We had a whopper of a storm in Utah yesterday.  Winds up to 102 mph knocked down trees, power lines, buildings, and left a path of destruction that caused millions of dollars in damages.  The Deseret News reported, “an estimated 50,000 customers were without power in Utah, and Rocky Mountain Power officials warned that some residents should be prepared to be without power for up to 48 hours” (Reavy & O'Donoghue, 2011). Layton fire prevention specialist Doug Bitton said “emergency responders were overwhelmed by downed power lines and blown transformers” (Reavy & O'Donoghue, 2011).   Have you given any thought to what you would do if you were without power for several days?  How would you stay warm if it was wintertime?  What do you do about all the food in your refrigerator and freezer?  How will you cook a warm meal for your cold family?  How will you get around in the dark?  There are so many things to think about and prepare for.  The advice Rocky MountainPower spokesman Dave Eskelsen gave to people yesterday was “"Get your emergency preparations out and organized and have an alternate place to go if the home gets too cold for you” (Morgan, 2011) You’ll find some good tips from the power company in this article, “Tips to prepare for an evening without power”.  In the coming weeks I’ll talk more about this subject, but for this minute, let me leave you with this thought.  Being prepared is not an all-or-nothing endeavor; being a little bit prepared is a lot better than not being prepared at all.  So go out this very day and buy a flashlight, a couple cans of stew or pork and beans, a manual can opener, and a battery-operated radio.  It’s a good start in case you’re in the path of the next big wind storm.

Works Cited

Morgan, E. (2011, December 02). Tips to prepare for an evening without power. Retrieved December 02, 2011, from Deseret News.com: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705395189/Tips-to-prepare-for-an-evening-without-power.html

Reavy, P., & O'Donoghue, A. J. (2011, December 2). Hurricane force winds wreak havoc in Davis County. Retrieved December 2, 2011, from Deseret News.com: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705395170/Hurricane-force-winds-wreak-havoc-in-Davis-County-cleanup-could-take-days.html?pg=1
Photo:  http://static.deseretnews.com/images/article/midres/676983/676983.jpg