What do you do?

[Drinkthekoolaid]

Hypothetical

Right now, wherever you are reading this the power suddenly goes out. There are zero communications available, cell phones are down and no internet. Vehicles don't seem to be affected and function as normal but gas stations are down not operating.

This all happened suddenly and with no warning , there is no communication with anyone outside your immediate visual range. I'll assume HAM radios still work if you have one but. For this scenario assume only the grid and all communications are down for an undetermined timeframe. It could be an hour, it could be a year or longer, you don't know.


Disclaimer,
(But due to many signs, such as personal electronics still turned on, commercial airplanes still flying, cars still working we will assume it's not an EMP attack but some form of very elaborate grid down scenario possible from a hostile nation but unknown)

What do you do, where do you go, and why? Do you bug out? Bug in? Party?


Just curious. Trying to learn from others thought process.

 

[Darth]

What to do in a power orange?

We had one today.

Wait for it to come back on?

 

[Drinkthekoolaid]

What to do in a power orange?

We had one today.

Wait for it to come back on?

Just sit completely idle even if there are indications it's not a routine power outage?

 

[meketrefe]

I once asked Grandpa why they had 9 kids (my mom being one of them).
He told me they did not have TV and tonight shows those days. lol
So what it seems a disaster it might turn out to be a great opportunity!

I would just wait before we decide to go Amish.

 

[Darth]

Just sit completely idle even if there are indications it's not a routine power outage?

That's where I'm confused. You also said first the signs pointed to nothing like an EMP or anything.

 

[BDinPutnam]

Just sit completely idle even if there are indications it's not a routine power outage?

What indications?

You just described almost every not nefarious power outage I've ever been in.

 

[masterswimmer]

Without electric and means to communicate with others, or ability to receive news updates regarding said power outage, with autos still working (an indicator it's not an EMP attack), what indicators prey tell, do you see?

This scenario sounds like every other power outage I've ever experienced.

Hunker down and open the fridge only when needed. Run generator when needed. Engage the supplies I've amassed that specifically target this scenario.

 

[stokes]

Lock myself in and start shooting my neighbors from the upstairs windows.

 

[Criticalt]

I would walk to the kitchen and flip the "switch".
Our generator would immediately provide 100% power......fridge, freezer, microwave, toaster oven.
We would be unfazed.

 

[Doc8404]

We had this Saturday.
Because Verizon service sucks here. So when power goes out and the WiFi doesn’t work, we have zero coms.

 

[masterswimmer]

I would walk to the kitchen and flip the "switch".
Our generator would immediately provide 100% power......fridge, freezer, microwave, toaster oven.
We would be unfazed.

No way to reach family outside of yelling out the window to them. What's the plan for those not under your roof?

 

[spat]

Since I'm currently sitting in a building with backup generators I've heard described as "diesel locomotives without wheels" that are tested monthly, and a swimming pool sized diesel tank, and my job is literally to fix the internet backbone when it goes down, and that building happens to be the center of internet access for the whole Rochester area with multiple redundant connections to the rest of the network, I imagine I'd get very busy very fast trying to figure out WTF just happened.

What I would do after that would depend largely on the result of that investigation.

 

[Criticalt]

No way to reach family outside of yelling out the window to them. What's the plan for those not under your roof?

They have vehicles.

 

[Podmonkey]

Since power outages typically happen suddenly and without warning I'd just police up my flashlight and get the candles out and wait for the power to come back on. If it were for an extended period I would just keep my ears to the ground and listen to what the local scuttlebutt was and go from there. I'd check to see if the water was still running and if it did I'd fill up my bathtub water bag thing and then I'd be good for food for a couple weeks or so and again from there I would open my ears and see what the deal was.
Running trucks OTR these last few years I ran into the occasional situation and it all it takes is to ask around and talk with other folk to get an idea of what's going on.

So to summarize:
Secure lighting (I keep a flashlight on my bedside table next to a pistol and a another light on an entryway table)
Secure a water supply (I keep 10+ gallons on hand in surplus 5 gal water cans + whatever I have in water jugs, usually at least a 2 gal jug and I have my tub bag thing to fill if I can)
Secure food supply (again I keep a bucket of mountain house foods and I recently stocked some canned goods and some SPAM away)
Communicate with others to determine a plan of action.

 

[FrankenCub]

I'd turn on my ham radio in my truck to see what's up and otherwise just chill until I see how long it's going to be. If it turns out to be major, like grid down from solar storm and 6+ months out type, I'd be punching holes in oil pans and tranny pans on all the cars that are on the roads out of gas. My truck will drink it right up after some filtering and thinning. Other than that, plenty to eat around here, plenty of fresh water, and generator in the shed.

 

[Acer-m14]

We had this Saturday.
Because Verizon service sucks here. So when power goes out and the WiFi doesn’t work, we have zero coms.

you need a genny or some battery banks and inverter's ..

when the power goes out .. it just tests me on what i need to do ..

back in the 90's from the ice storm .. my old 70's Duster was the genny running 12 volt house hold type bulbs in the house
we had the wood stove heat and cooking .. so it was just like a week or 2 of camping ..
old twisted pair phone lines were down ..
we either just walked or drove to friends in town to check on them .. come on over we got heat and lights ..

 

[Twogunwilly]

Sounds like a normal day where I live, happens at least once a week.

 

[Drinkthekoolaid]

What indications?

You just described almost every not nefarious power outage I've ever been in.

Ok

Apparently I suck writing up hypothetical scenarios.


Since I confused the majority of people in this thread, let's just say it's different than a normal blackout. However you determine that to be. It could be a few small things you notice.

For example
When you turn your vehicle on you only get one or 2 very distant radio stations from far away with a lot of static. Nothing local at all. You can also hear them mention sudden cascading power failures and a possible attack of some sort.

 

[BDinPutnam]

Sounds like domestic terrorism to me.

 

[Doc8404]

you need a genny or some battery banks and inverter's ..

when the power goes out .. it just tests me on what i need to do ..

back in the 90's from the ice storm .. my old 70's Duster was the genny running 12 volt house hold type bulbs in the house
we had the wood stove heat and cooking .. so it was just like a week or 2 of camping ..
old twisted pair phone lines were down ..
we either just walked or drove to friends in town to check on them .. come on over we got heat and lights ..

Yeah. I have a 4K and she runs two window AC units, well pump, refrigerator and chest freezer.

Unfortunately I have to run extension cords as I don’t have it hooked up as I believe in doing shit right

Thought about a whole house NG

 

[Doc8404]

Ok

Apparently I suck writing up hypothetical scenarios.


Since I confused the majority of people in this thread, let's just say it's different than a normal blackout. However you determine that to be. It could be a few small things you notice.

For example
When you turn your vehicle on you only get one or 2 very distant radio stations from far away with a lot of static. Nothing local at all. You can also hear them mention sudden cascading power failures and a possible attack of some sort.

1) yes you do suck at this. Almost as bad as me

2) did I lose Pandora?

 

[Drinkthekoolaid]

1) yes you do suck at this. Almost as bad as me

2) did I lose Pandora?

Yes no Pandora.

Assume the entire internet and anything internet related is down for you and everyone you talk to.

 

[Celt]

I'm sitting at work doing my normal thing before the day starts which is catching up on the forums reading a little news, Etc. If all of a sudden I saw all the lights go out and my phone went dead the first thing I would probably do is go check in with the crew and see if everybody else was having the same problem, and if anybody else had any idea what was going on. I likely wouldn't take it too seriously at first and we might try to get the day started. If the consensus from the crew was that we should get some work done I would probably be on board with that. But I could see myself, as the day goes on without any signs of electronics coming back, getting suspicious and I think I would just jump in the truck and head home.

At home, I have supplies and I live in a semi-rural / suburban area with some like-minded neighbors. I have fuel and a generator so it would be likely I would shelter in place for short time. If there was no signs of anything coming back on, I would have to make my way up to my location upstate. And my mind, I think I would look to make my way Upstate after about 4 days of no communication.

 

[Bob]

Chill for awhile. See if it comes back on after a couple of days.

If I'm home, it's time to crank up the tower, fire up granddaddy's Drake twins, and start spinning the dial.

If I'm at work, get home. See above.

After the ice storms in 91 and again in 03, we keep enough food and water for the whole family for several weeks. I have several like-minded local friends who have agreed to meet up in the event of a longer-term event. If need be, we have a larger location we can relocate to, with plenty of resources available there.

 

[tony]

Do you mean like what happened with tropical storm Katrina. Had no power for 11 days.

It might have been a little more difficult during the winter months but not a big deal.

 

[Drinkthekoolaid]

Do you mean like what happened with tropical storm Katrina. Had no power for 11 days.

It might have been a little more difficult during the winter months but not a big deal.

Complete and sudden loss of all power, phones, tv(even antenna broadcasts), almost all radio stations etc..

 

[Robin]

Internet is down? Well then, this my last post on the subject.
Robin

 

[masterswimmer]

Do you mean like what happened with tropical storm Katrina. Had no power for 11 days.

It might have been a little more difficult during the winter months but not a big deal.

You mean super storm Sandy?
We were without power for 11 days too.

 

[Drinkthekoolaid]

You mean super storm Sandy?
We were without power for 11 days too.

I think the biggest difference is the cause of the power outage was clear and obvious.

I'm my scenario it's sudden with no warning and no apparent cause.

 

[Darth]

Consider all a loss and give a little toot on...: