Emergency Contacts Puerto Rico

Submitted by lmcshane on Sun, 09/24/2017 - 03:24.
Emergency Contacts Puerto Rico
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Eric J Brewer on blackout 2003- Keep attention on Puerto Rico

Submitted by lmcshane on Mon, 09/25/2017 - 07:27.

Puerto Rico. No power. No communications. No usable drinking water. No food. No money if your cash is in a bank and money don't matter if there's nothing to spend it on. Not much medicine. People needing asthma treatments from a machine, along with those needing dialysis or on life support in hospitals? Forget it once the backup generators stop working.

We were without power here in Cleveland for three days or longer depending upon the neighborhood beginning on August 14, 2003. Actually, 50 million Americans and Canadians were without power from a "grid" problem that began in our area.

Some may remember Cleveland's water stopped working because it's pumped to us electrically. I was living in the darkened high rise at 13800 Superior Avenue on the 19th floor with my Son, Chase, in East Cleveland.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_blackout_of_2003

I remember filling the tub with water while it still trickled up. We found a store that sold dry ice before we got back home that day from delivering the Cleveland Challenger and people realized what was going on. Cell phones didn't work. My land line did. I called my brother, Jeffrey, in California and he told me what was going on.

Chase and I had small butane powered grill and about 10 days worth of food. Maybe. The dry ice kept meat frozen for about two days. We cooked the rest that kept us fed through the third day. By the 4th day the power returned. It was the day we would have begun eating our canned goods.

Some of the men and I sat nightly in the lobby with our handguns and shotguns to deter possible predators.

The difference between Cleveland Puerto Rico is that we expected power to be returned over a few days. They have no idea when it's returning in Puerto Rico. What I've read is that the wait will be long.

The picture with all the wood in the street is from Dominica. Imagine living without having a clue of what is going on to help you and if help is coming at all.