Those who enjoy learning new things will greatly enjoy this and
hopefully can access it. I got to it using a Google search with
the term
NCAR +superstorm
in case people need to duplicate that route to get there.
https://www2.ucar.edu/atmosnews/opinion/8243/hybridization-sandy

Highly recommended:
when people get new gas water heaters make SURE that the water heater
does NOT need an external electrical source for thermostat or pilot
and you will at least have hot water when power is out for an extended
period and that can be a life saver.

Being able to get into hot water not only helped us stay safe during
our week without power but also did so for the ferrets. Pivot got her
fur matted so with the home at 55'F at that time she was at risk at
hypothermia since she also ha never had a dense undercoat in her whole
lifetime. We had to fluff her up and warm her. Hot water heater that
does not need an external power source for its thermostat and pilot to
the rescue!

We live in multiple unit housing in NJ and because of that there are
fire, explosion, and asphyxiation prevention laws to follow, as well as
common sense, so propane camp stoves, gas grills, charcoal grills, etc.
can not be used anywhere close to buildings. Not many years back a gas
grill exploded in this state with horrible consequences for all in that
building. I can not help but wonder if after this storm it will become
a selling point in large condo communities to have public grills set
away from the buildings with limitations on what fuels types can be
used and how they must be stored.

It is also possible to have expertly installed natural gas generators,
even in multiple dwelling housing where gasoline generators are banned
due to fire and explosion hazards. Another plus is that when gasoline
is made harder to come by due to a disaster (which happened here mostly
because of something like seven major facilities -- refiners and
distribution centers -- terribly damaged by the storm) a properly
installed and operational natural gas generator can keep going. We
do not have one but it sure is a tempting idea these days...

There are some other basic fire and explosion safety aspects which I
wish some neighbors had known beforehand. Two sets filled auto gas
tanks inside the communal garage, spilling quite a bit and then putting
the rags in the dumpster. For a while that turned the garage into a
fire and explosion hazard had anyone driven in with a car that had a
hot catalytic converter, and also turned the dumpster shed into a fire
and explosion hazard. Both were vented by other residents. All they
needed to do was to roll the cars out of the garage, then preferably
also put an oil changing pan below to catch drips, and then put the
pan on the lawn to have the gasoline evaporate.

The ferrets are still somewhat nervous. We were worried that Pivot
might pop and ulcer for a while there but a little Carafate resolved
the issue. There still is fallen tree clean-up going on and that noise
bothers the ferrets. (It's not just that there are hundreds of trees in
our condo community down, nor that there are many thousands of trees --
most likely tens of thousands of them down in the yards in our town,
but entire sections of the woods came down. We've lived here in our
condo atop this ridge for almost 30 years and have never been able to
see the ridge to our south from our windows. Now we not only can see
its outline through trees in what is currently the most wooded section,
but can see the ridge clearly for an long swath because no trees in
that large section of that wooded preserve remain which are tall enough
to block our view.)

Thank goodness we were not in one of the areas that were hit even
harder.

DO go to the NCAR UCAR site and see why Sandy was a Superstorm when it
hit here.

Sukie (not a vet) Ferrets make the world a game.

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html

"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)

A nation is as free as the least within it.

[Posted in FML 7614]