Author Topic: Leslie....how did you fare in the storm? (Read 300 times)

Curval · « **on:** September 07, 2005, 05:47:25 AM »

I saw your posts in Seagoon's thread.

Everything okay? House? Family?

Leslie · « **Reply #1 on:** September 07, 2005, 06:24:03 AM »

Hi Curval. Thank you for your inquiry. We did ok, two trees down (both Christmas trees from 20 years ago) a Cedrus Deodora Himyalian Cedar (30 ft.) and a sizeable White Pine. A third Christmas tree survived but is at an angle and must be raised straight. It is small and should be possible, but it broke my heart to saw up the other two.

Power was out for 5 days and it was hot and humid sleeping at night but nothing out of the ordinary. Frederick in 79 knocked out power for 3 weeks, and I'm kinda used to it since that.

Anyway, I'm glad you asked and all is ok here. Now am working on cleaning up the yard and getting things back to normal. We live on a hill and don't have to worry about flooding, otherwise I would have evacuated, but the house weathered Frederick like a battleship, so wasn't worried about wind for any hurricane.

We were very lucky and I appreciate your asking. Things were not all that bad here in Mobile. Minimal damage in my neighborhood. Some pines down over power lines but that's about it.

The storm itself was not terrifying like Frederick was at my location, but 5 days without power is trying on the nerves. I ain't young and adventurous like I used to be.

Les

Nilsen · « **Reply #2 on:** September 07, 2005, 06:28:55 AM »

Glad to hear you and yours are ok Leslie.

Do you have a generator?

Leslie · « **Reply #3 on:** September 07, 2005, 06:52:50 AM »

Thank you Nilsen. Yes, bought a 8000 watt generator the day after. Only thing lacking was a window unit a/c which we didn't have and which the generator would have run. Gotta get one some day.

Les

Curval · « **Reply #4 on:** September 07, 2005, 06:52:52 AM »

Good to hear mate.

Looks like we may lose our power for a few days too....the lines running into our area have been touching even in moderate winds causing the breaker to go off on the main pole outside our house. About 7 or 8 houses in the immediate vicinity are affected.

Now this little storm is preparing to hit us losing power is an inevitability. We don't have a generator yet.

Nilsen · « **Reply #5 on:** September 07, 2005, 07:04:08 AM »

Are the powerlines hanging from poles into your house? or is it the lines going into your neighbourhood thats causing problems?

Curval · « **Reply #6 on:** September 07, 2005, 07:35:34 AM »

Difficult to describe. The line basically follows a road that enters our area and does a loop back onto the main road about a hundred or two hundred yards up the street. Where the little road runs parallel to the main road there is a bunch of trees that have grown into the power lines. When the wind is strong enough (rain usually makes the situation worse) the tree branches cause two of the lines to touch which throws the breaker and causes those 7 or 8 homes to lose power. The electric light company simply drives a truck over and uses a long hook to pull down and reset the breaker...problem is we end up as a very low priority after a big outage.

Toad · « **Reply #7 on:** September 07, 2005, 07:37:21 AM »

Time to get yourself a long hook.

The guy working for the power company probably isn't any smarther than you. I'll bet you can do it.

Nilsen · « **Reply #8 on:** September 07, 2005, 07:40:37 AM »

That wasnt so difficult to describe was it? I got all up until about "the line basically.." part.

j/k.. why not cut the branches yourself or demand the powerpeople do it? I know there is power in them but cant you shut down the box thingy for 5 mins while you cut the tree?

Leslie · « **Reply #9 on:** September 07, 2005, 07:45:07 AM »

Well, there is a broken power pole up the street that looks like serious business. There's debris on the street on both sides of the road, a residential street, and the top part of a power pole is about 5 feet off the ground right there, but is off the road. I can't believe he power is on with that there. It seems extremely dangerous within reach like that, but I guess it's ok. Hope no one gets killed at that spot, either bv auto accident or by someone going up and grabbing a hot wire.

That needs to be fixed soon, but probably will require power to be shut off before doing so.

Les

Nilsen · « **Reply #10 on:** September 07, 2005, 07:48:34 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Leslie
Well, there is a broken power pole up the street that looks like serious business. There's debris on the street on both sides of the road, a residential street, and the top part of a power pole is about 5 feet off the ground right there, but is off the road. I can't believe he power is on with that there. It seems extremely dangerous within reach like that, but I guess it's ok. Hope no one gets killed at that spot, either bv auto accident or by someone going up and grabbing a hot wire.

That needs to be fixed soon, but probably will require power to be shut off before doing so.

Les

I would mark it somehow if i were you.. find som red pice of cloth or something or put up a sign. Sucks if you know about it and something happens to someone. You may feel bad about it for a long time after.. Call someone (if you can reach someone that can do someting that is).

Leslie · « **Reply #11 on:** September 07, 2005, 08:03:58 AM »

I'm sure everyone in the neighborhood knows about it Nilsen. It's in someone's front yard. Last time I drove past it I saw two little kids not far away with their dad. I don't know if it's dangerous or not to be honest. It does look dangerous, but hell, I'm a wuss and everything looks dangerous to me.

Les

Get some sleep Nilson.

Nilsen · « **Reply #12 on:** September 07, 2005, 08:24:38 AM »

Sleep? Its 15:23 here and im a few years too young to take naps at work.

Curval · « **Reply #13 on:** September 07, 2005, 08:25:04 AM »

Toad: It is illegal to touch it unfortunatley and they are REALLY strict about that stuff. Besides, I'd probably electrocute myself in the process....electricity and I don't get along well.

Nilsen: The interesting part about this is that the trees (and vines) actually belong to a guy whose property backs onto the small road and he is on a different circuit than we are. As a result he never loses power because of this problem. He has refused to pay to get the trees cut. I tried to have a landscaper come and do it about two weeks ago and when they arrived they took one look and said "Call Belco...we aren't touching that". I called Belco. They said it is the homeowner's responsibility as the lines are not on a main road.

So...I called the CEO of Belco a few minutes ago.

Apparently the trees will be cut this afternoon and the guy whose property the trees are on will be getting a nice big bill for the work.

Nilsen · « **Reply #14 on:** September 07, 2005, 08:30:22 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Curval

Apparently the trees will be cut this afternoon and the guy whose property the trees are on will be getting a nice big bill for the work.

Yup.. thats they way its supposed to be. Congrats on solving the problem for yourself and the neighborhood. They should thank you with beer, and plenty of it.