When Do You React

[Leveraction44]

Question: What circumstances would cause you to take immediate initial steps for a wide-area long-term grid down event?

How would you make the determination that the power outage was really a grid down event and not a local failure soon to be repaired?

Here are a few thing that I would do in order to help determine if a grid down event occurred.

Indications: Power Outage

Determine how wide spread the power outage is and cause.

Use cell phone. If cell service is available check internet - FB and Twitter and news

No cell service: Use battery powered radio for broadcast stations - FM and AM

If Broadcast stations are working listen to news. NOTE: Most Broadcast radio stations have a backup generator and may be in operation during a power outage in their area. I need to have a list of radio stations that I can pick up from my house.

If Broadcast station are NOT broadcasting - Use Ham radio

Use Ham radio to talk with people in Alabama, north Ga, and Tenn - Rome Mtn Alto repeater has that coverage and has backup gen

Use Ham radio for radio to listen to Short Wave - Other countries may have info.

Check electronic equipment for failures. Will car crank?

 

[DanKATL]

Question: What circumstances would cause you to take immediate initial steps for a wide-area long-term grid down event?

How would you make the determination that the power outage was really a grid down event and not a local failure soon to be repaired?

Here are a few thing that I would do in order to help determine if a grid down event occurred.

Indications: Power Outage

Determine how wide spread the power outage is and cause.

Use cell phone. If cell service is available check internet - FB and Twitter and news

No cell service: Use battery powered radio for broadcast stations - FM and AM

If Broadcast stations are working listen to news. NOTE: Most Broadcast radio stations have a backup generator and may be in operation during a power outage in their area. I need to have a list of radio stations that I can pick up from my house.

If Broadcast station are NOT broadcasting - Use Ham radio

Use Ham radio to talk with people in Alabama, north Ga, and Tenn - Rome Mtn Alto repeater has that coverage and has backup gen

Use Ham radio for radio to listen to Short Wave - Other countries may have info.

Check electronic equipment for failures. Will car crank?

The more info you have ahead of time the better. I have scanners setup to listen to local PD, Fire, EMS, & air traffic control. Info gained from there would affect how and when to react.

 

[C ountry]

for those that are unprepared, the motivation is first, "uncertainty", then "fear", then "panic"

Bulk food prices riding a rocket

 

[C ountry]

All of this makes sense.
But my primary question is:

What triggers you into action?

1. A blinding flash
2. Word of mouth that I trust

 

[hunterofopportunity]

In case of an extreme emergency every county has a plan for inventorying all the resources within the county and appropriating anything the county manager feels is needed for the common good. A few years ago the plan for Pickens County was published and it included the ability for the county manager to have all the firearms confiscated. That caused quite an uproar in this county and that provision was taken back out of the plan. If you are a prepper and have stockpiled supplies you thought you needed in a severe emergency you damn well better be ready to defend your property.

Had a conversation with our county emergency manager several years ago about its role during a disaster. This was after hurricane Katrina and reports came out of firearms being confiscated. He tried to tell me if items were needed for the welfare and safety of the community they could take them. But he stopped short of saying they would take weapons.

 

[mountainmoped]

I hope things never come to the point where they have to come to individuals homes and take things. If that were to happen they definitely would have to take them because I would not willingly give things up my family needed in order to survive.

 

[Leveraction44]

A person who could beat the crowd in knowing a wide area grid down event had occurred would have a huge advantage over others.

If your plan is to bug out or buy additional provisions, etc.. You could use the interstates before they were parking lots ....