Hurricane Irene: Yikes!!!

[Trek420]

You can listen to Irene here:

http://youarelistening.to/irene

[ny biker]

My poor cousin was going crazy on Tuesday after the earthquake. She was on Long Island, her husband and brother at work in lower Manhattan, her son and in-laws in Virginia near the epicenter. And she couldn't reach anyone by phone. I texted her, she tried to call me and was able to leave a voice mail even though my phone never rang and the call never showed up in my call history.

I just emailed her and asked for her son's cell phone number, and told her she could give my phone number to him and her in-laws. Hopefully it will never happen, but in an emergency if they can't reach her maybe they could reach me and I could get a message up to family members on Long Island.

[Trek420]

My poor cousin was going crazy on Tuesday after the earthquake. She was on Long Island, her husband and brother at work in lower Manhattan, her son and in-laws in Virginia near the epicenter. And she couldn't reach anyone by phone.

When there's an emergency we instinctively reach for the phone. Phone service whether traditional dial tone or cell is really not designed to handle every mothers son of the users in the area all at once. Plain ol' telephone service shuts down to protect the network for 1st responders if enough people dial all at once

Which is why we all (yes, self included, I need to revisit this) need an emergency phone plan. One person you call or contact outside of your area, that person calls everyone else to let them know you're ok ... or not.

Also in an emergency stay off the line unless you have an actual emergency. If you must call and you have no dial tone don't hang up and try again ... you just make matters worse. Wait, it may come on in a few seconds or a minute or two, make that one call and hang up.

http://www.att.com/gen/general?pid=1325

[jessmarimba]

I haven't heard from my mom yet - I hope her house is ok. She had to work today and her new store is pretty far from home. I have no idea if she had to work late b/c of all of the people at the grocery store, or if she can't get home b/c of fallen trees, or if she's just home already but not answering. Argh. I'm not desperate enough yet to send my BF to check on her but I'm getting a little worried.

[ny biker]

I haven't heard from my mom yet - I hope her house is ok. She had to work today and her new store is pretty far from home. I have no idea if she had to work late b/c of all of the people at the grocery store, or if she can't get home b/c of fallen trees, or if she's just home already but not answering. Argh. I'm not desperate enough yet to send my BF to check on her but I'm getting a little worried.

Where is she?

[jessmarimba]

Richmond, Va.

[tulip]

Power went out in my part of RVA about 3-4 hours ago (I'm reporting by iphone). It was a series of dramatic transformer explosions. Lots of big branches down in my yard; they are loud when they hit and roll off the roof. Lots of rain and wind and gusts.

I am glad I still have a landline and regular (corded) phone. Cordless phones don't work with no power and cell phones need to be charged. It's nice to know I can call out if needed. I also found a 1980s-era Walkman with radio in my shed out back. It even has a weather radio!

I heard that I-85 at Petersburg is completely blocked by trees. The Fan also apparently has lots of trees down, but I'm not in that part of town so I dint know the extent. VCU area bars are doing a great business, apparently.

If your power goes out and you have an automatic icemaker in your freezer, it's a good idea to fill up water bottles/pitchers/jars with that ice and turn off the ice making switch. Otherwise your freezer will be a wet soggy mess.

[ny biker]

I'm hearing that 70% of Dominion customers in Richmond have no power.

There is a tornado watch for the NY metro area until 5 am. Tornado safety info:

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/safety.html