happythoughts 0 #51 September 10, 2004 You seem to be upset about the "bureaucracy". Given the volume of work and the way it is being addressed, what have you identified as being incorrect? How are they mis-allocating their work force resouces? Just not to you? What mismanagement have you specifically found? I worked with FP&L for 3 years during college. Their planning and management were excellent. If you have specific criticisms, please point them out. Is your only example of their ineptitude is your lack of electricity? BTW, my elec is back on and it is great. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites wmw999 2,446 #52 September 10, 2004 My contribution -- I lived in Houston for several summers without air conditioning. I have some experience in living in hot, humid weather without A/C. - Take as cool a shower as you can about 1/2 hour before bed. Don't do anything strenuous right before it or after it, just let your body slow down and cool off. It really helps. - Try to put your bed in a room with windows on two walls, or on a screened in porch. Even without a fan, the cross-draft really helps. Notice that a LOT of older homes have plenty of rooms with windows on two walls. If you can, have your bed be at the same level with the window, so that air is actually moving over your body. It does move. - Consider wearing really lightweight pajamas -- it can help prevent that clammy skin-sticking-to-itself feeling. - Make sure there are screens between you and the bugs -- it sucks to have a mosquito biting you and buzzing around you, and sleeping with sticky bug repellent on is almost impossible. - If you can, drink something cool or cold in the last half hour or so before bed too. It's harder without a fan, but it's definitely possible. Sucks to be without power, but trust me, folks in the power industry are heavily into the greatest good for the greatest number, while paying attention to safety. If they have to choose between helping 1000 people and helping 10 people, they'll choose the 1000 every time. Well, unless the 10 are a critical-care ward in a hospital. It's what they do for a living, and like anyone who works in a critical-service industry, most of the folks on the front line know that what they do matters, and they like it that way and care about doing well. Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites peregrinerose 0 #53 September 10, 2004 QuoteI posted only when the power was RESTORED, and then SHUT OFF DELIBERATELY because some fuckin' PUSSY down the street got all afraid of the leaning power pole. THAT is when FPL shut off our RESTORED power. And they didn't get it fixed -- which would be an easy fix since they know EVERYTHING ELSE IS WORKING FINE IN THIS AREA. We're entering our second day of NEEDLESS power loss. THAT'S what I'm pissed off about. So I got home tonight for the second night in a row to find no power. For all you know that 'fuckin' pussy' saved a life or some damage. Get over it. Other people are allowed to give a damn about something that doesn't sit right with them. If that person didn't complain and something happened you'd be bitching about how the power company is made of a bunch of morons who can't prevent problems. Find something more important to gripe about. The one thing I do agree with is comparing you to someone else. I always wondered how eating every bite of food on my plate was going to help the starving kid in Ethiopia. I agree on that point, but still think you are over reacting on the whole power thing. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites happythoughts 0 #54 September 10, 2004 When people don't understand the situation, it seems safe enough. I worked in a pumping station with 6 large (20K gal/min) pumps run by electricity. We had a 22 Kv substation just outside. On a normal dry day, your hair would stand up within 20 feet of it. On a rainy day, it would scare you. The cranes had to lower their booms around the transmission lines because a magnetic field exists around a power line. The lines would bend towards the boom. We were talking to the substation/transformer guys one day. Six were doing some work nearby. Statistically, they lose one every two years. They go out in storms and work in pairs for safety. Sometimes, the problem that is creating the power loss will create a dangerous situation. Just walking into the substation can kill someone. When evaluating danger, I'll go with the opinion of the experts. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites billvon 2,991 #55 September 10, 2004 >Well, now, bill, I have to grant that this is a completely fair question, since > I am a trained electric power technician, with a crew of four, and an FP&L > crew truck complete with one of those big augers and spools of cable and > everything... Well, good! Because every single other one of people with your qualifications are working 22 hour days to try to get power back on; they could use your help. >Tell me more about this system you're talking about (are you talking > about where you make your own electricity somehow and sell the extra > back to the company?) and what I should expect it to cost, and maybe I'll >consider doing it. Who knows? An "ultimate" UPS, that would give you 20 kilowatt-hours of backup at a max of 2000 watts: $1320 Same system with a backup generator (which you'd have to run a few hours a day to keep the batteries charged) - $2020 Plain 1000 watt solar grid tie system - $5100 1000 watt solar grid tie with battery backup - $7000 Solar hot water batch heater for non-freezing climates - $1000 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites tkhayes 348 #56 September 10, 2004 It's called a HURRICANE dude and it causes DAMAGE which takes TIME and RESOURCES to repair. jesus christ - stop yer bitchin' already. The powercompany does not make any money if your power is down - they actually have a vested interest in getting the power back. lighten up TK Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites slug 1 #57 September 10, 2004 Hi Bill Thanks for the bump, this is thread is very entertaining. So a UPS cost about $1300. I need to add that to my gun collection.R.i.P. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites billvon 2,991 #58 September 10, 2004 >So a UPS cost about $1300. A plain ol UPS (for a computer) costs around $80. You can get a really, really good one off the shelf for $1000 - one that will keep you up 30 hours or so. Or build it yourself and get a lot more capacity. It's not much more than hooking batteries up to an inverter. Interestingly, as hybrid cars become more commonplace, UPSes will get simpler - it will just be a cable that runs out to your car. The Honda Civic hybrid, for example, has a 10kW motor/generator attached to its gas engine. Turning that into a backup power supply would take nothing more than some cabling (and some programming changes to the car's computer.) I believe Dodge already has a truck that can be used as a power source. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites hungarianchick 0 #59 September 10, 2004 lighten up*** He can't, remember? "I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites sabr190 0 #60 September 10, 2004 I gotta know how you came up with "peacefuljeffery" as you handle If your not cursing them your wishing them dead Maybe you should change your handle to "PostalJeffery"...........I like the way that fits you Don't freak on me, just pullin your chain a little, I actually get a real kick out of most of your posts "The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few, or the one" - rehmwa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites SkydiveNFlorida 0 #61 September 10, 2004 QuoteI worked with FP&L for 3 years during college. Their planning and management were excellent. If you have specific criticisms, please point them out. I have a question... Why did my power go out before Frances even got close. We were having like 40mph gusting on and of, and boom, my power goes at 9am Friday 9/3. I'm just curious as to what crappy equipment can't withstand 40mph winds? My boyfriend is from Chicago, and it is hella windy there, and no problems. So, wassup w/Fla? BTW, Sorry you're w/o power Jeffery. Try to calm down a bit, read some, etc. I know I had a hard time w/o power, too... went kinda stir crazy, tho, for me, it was really lack of good food that got to me. Once I found out my Aunt in Deerfield had power, I went over there as soon as the storm winds were down on Sunday morning. My power was restored in the afternoon on Monday. This time, i'm gonna see about getting some food cooked up before Ivan hits:D Still can't find a 'D' battery in Fla, tho. Angela. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites happythoughts 0 #62 September 10, 2004 QuoteI have a question... Why did my power go out before Frances even got close. We were having like 40mph gusting on and of, and boom, my power goes at 9am Friday 9/3. I'm just curious as to what crappy equipment can't withstand 40mph winds? Tree limbs. Monday, I was talking to the two linemen that were driving by. They said that a tree limb cracked and fell on a transformer. The transformer was ok with the wind, but not the tree. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites PhreeZone 20 #63 September 10, 2004 All it takes is a limb falling on a line and it snaps. Watching lines snap from the weight of ice on them is cool in the winter here. If you want someone to blame on the early power outage blame your neighbors that let the trees grow over the lines and did'nt properly trim/maintain the branches.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites peacefuljeffrey 0 #64 September 10, 2004 QuoteWhat mismanagement have you specifically found? I worked with FP&L for 3 years during college. Their planning and management were excellent. If you have specific criticisms, please point them out. Is your only example of their ineptitude is your lack of electricity? BTW, my elec is back on and it is great. I photographed the problem pole from behind my block today -- for the first time, I see that it is indeed broken, about 1/3 of the way up, and leaning about 30 degrees toward the property on my block. We had power restored after a mere 15 hours on Sunday -- I was amazed and pleased it was restored in such quick time. We enjoyed normal power for three days, and then at about 4pm on Wednesday, it went out again. Now, bear in mind that it was restored DESPITE the condition of this pole. All was fine. My next door neighbor is the Palm Beach County Fire Marshall. He got information that reached me through my landlady (they're chummy) that the guy who has the pole behind his house called FP&L about it -- apparently AFTER the power got restored -- and they then SHUT off our power. Now, I can't really blame the guy for being alarmed at the state of the pole, to be honest. I have now seen it from a better vantage point and it is truly fractured. I'd be worried about it hanging over my property too. But if it is such a big deal, enough to warrant shutting down the power -- but if the power is turned on, it WORKS -- I think they should just come on by, fix the pole (whatever they have to do), and get us up and running again. There are no other apparent problems standing in the way of our power working, and in fact, if the power was not deliberately turned off, it'd be working just fine. My problem with the bureaucracy is that all over the news, during the weekend, they said, "On Thursday at 5:01 p.m. you will be able to call FP&L and they will have updates about when your power will be restored." You know what the updates say? They tell you -- no matter who you are and where you're calling from -- "Your power will likely be restored by Friday, September 17th." How much good does it do someone to get that information? There's no "schedule" of approximate restart times, which is what I think was implied when they said that after a certain point we could call about when we'd have power restored. Friday the 17th is, like, the date I heard them saying they expect ALL power to be restored!! It's a friggin' WEEK from today! That's not a prediction of anything useful! They might as well have said, "You're sure to have power again before October." For this "prediction," they made us wait until Thursday at 5:01 p.m. And their website was fucked up, too, telling my manager that his power had been restored (online search by account # or phone # for your specific residence). So he called his wife and asked if the power was on, and she said no. The website said,"Your power has been restored," and THEN below that ("In parentheses... Quotated..." ) it had YES/NO question: "Is your power currently operating?" or something like that. He answered "NO!" and when the screen refreshed, it had switched to saying, "We are aware of widespread power outages in your area." Now tell me, how was the initial statement "Your power has been restored" not utterly idiotic given that (a) it was wrong, and (b) at the same time they were telling you it was on, they were asking you if it was!? Look, the linemen may do a bang-up job and a necessary and appreciated one, and it's easy to get impatient at them in spite of the fact that they're working hard, but I really think that the company itself is a clusterfuck, and they shouldn't be making bullshit statements. All they should say is simply, "Look, we have every reason to want your power restored, and we're working around the clock, weather permitting, so please be patient, and in the worst case power will be returned likey by Friday the 17th." But instead, they are blowing sunshine up our asses. I do not appreciate the patronization. I just want the power that I had restored and then taken RE-restored, so I don't get 3 hours of restless sleep with my landlady's fucking generator blaring through the shooting earplugs I am forced to wear to my hot, sticky, sweaty bed. --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites peacefuljeffrey 0 #65 September 10, 2004 Wendy, thank you for an earnest attempt to help and alleviate my discomfort. See replies below, however. QuoteMy contribution -- I lived in Houston for several summers without air conditioning. I have some experience in living in hot, humid weather without A/C. - Take as cool a shower as you can about 1/2 hour before bed. Don't do anything strenuous right before it or after it, just let your body slow down and cool off. It really helps. Um, I have no choice but to take COLD showers. The water is heated by electricity, which is unavailable to my block. Quote- Try to put your bed in a room with windows on two walls, or on a screened in porch. Even without a fan, the cross-draft really helps. Notice that a LOT of older homes have plenty of rooms with windows on two walls. If you can, have your bed be at the same level with the window, so that air is actually moving over your body. It does move. Not an option. As it is, I have the adjoining bathroom's windows open, and the window right at the head of my bed is open -- despite the fact that it increases the suffering I endure from the generator 20 feet away. Quote- Consider wearing really lightweight pajamas -- it can help prevent that clammy skin-sticking-to-itself feeling. You can't get much lighter than sleeping naked with no covers at all. DID NOT WORK or make ANY DIFFERENCE AT ALL. Quote- Make sure there are screens between you and the bugs -- it sucks to have a mosquito biting you and buzzing around you, and sleeping with sticky bug repellent on is almost impossible. Roger. A-firm. Besides that, the frogs in the pool seem to take care of the bugs pretty well, when they're not busy croakin' and fuckin'! Quote- If you can, drink something cool or cold in the last half hour or so before bed too. LOL. Where do I get something cool when the problem is lack of electric cooling, and hot, humid weather?? --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites PhreeZone 20 #66 September 10, 2004 What do they have to do to fix your power? They have to first get a new pole (HUGE shortage of poles availble right now in FL), they have to disconnect the wires, remove the old pole, dig a hole for a new one, set the new pole, then reattach the wires. In Ohio thats about a 3-6 hour job depending on the wires and the pole. Its FAR eaiser to go re run wires and restore power to hundreds else where with good poles then it is to fix broken poles. Restoring the poser for a short time until the problem was reported was to be expected. Its like starting a car only to find a radiator leak. Unless the problem is noticved they think its fine but once its reported its a major issue. If there are no poles availble in the size thats needed for that location you'll end up waiting for one to come availble and be installed. Lake Wales airport was becoming a pole storage location from some news reports. Have you went and talked to your neighborabout restricting the hours her generator runs?Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites peacefuljeffrey 0 #67 September 10, 2004 The whole reason for the generators running is to keep my landlady's refrigerator and the neighbor's refrigerator running. (Mine's not that big a priority -- I don't have a family in my place, and they do.) To ask them to turn the generators off is to ask them to waste the utility of them, essentially. I can only imagine that my landlady had the same noise to deal with when she tried to sleep last night, too. If you heard how fuckin' loud this thing is, you'd wonder why she didn't shut it off of her own volition. I don't make waves with my landlady, for the simple reason that my rent is well below what she could get for the place, and hasn't been raised in three years. That's near to incredible. (Of course, it remains to be seen if she raises it in response to the increased insurance rates that are certain to follow...) --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites tunaplanet 0 #68 September 10, 2004 Here you go. Happy now? You got your wish. This happened yesterday morning. Figured this would cheer you up. Forty-two Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skybytch 273 #69 September 10, 2004 First rule of hole digging. Know when it's time to stop. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites peacefuljeffrey 0 #70 September 10, 2004 QuoteHere you go. Happy now? You got your wish. This happened yesterday morning. Figured this would cheer you up. You're late, Tuna. I've already retracted and apologized for the "wishing death" comments, and indicated that they were passionate and not in earnest. --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Duckwater 0 #71 September 10, 2004 I find this to be EXACTLY opposite. A big storm blew down my transformer pole a few months ago here in Texas. They IMMEDIATELY had 20 or so trucks and at least 50 people that dug a new hole, put in a new pole and RISKED THEIR LIVES with lightning, rain and wind to get my sorry ass power so I could pop my popcorn and watch South Park. They had all been working at least 20 hours that day.. These crazy bastards were up on a pole in a thunderstorm at midnight! They got me a temporary fix for the night, then came back the next day and spent all day making it pretty. Again, 20 trucks and as many guys. Then, they sent out a landscaping crew to fix the ruts in my yard!!!!! And, they did this in the rain too, laying sod like crazy. I have the utmost respect for the employees of Oncor Power here in Texas. Professional, dedicated Dude, 2 hurricanes hit and millions are without power. If you had any idea of the magnitude of the damage, you might be a little more thoughtful. I see only 1 moron in this situation. Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites peacefuljeffrey 0 #72 September 10, 2004 QuoteI see only 1 moron in this situation. Mike That would be me, then? You're calling me a moron? --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites peacefuljeffrey 0 #73 September 10, 2004 You're defending the absurd over-manning of this job, and saying that indicates good management on the part of the power company? "20 trucks and as many guys" to fix a single power line? Does that sound right to you? (First you said it was 50 guys, btw.) Maybe you also have one of those jobs where you lean on a shovel for $22.50 an hour while four other guys join you and two others do the work. Great system. --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Duckwater 0 #74 September 10, 2004 No me, for taking the time to make you think that the Power Gnomes are not out to get you and that some of them will (might of already) probably lose their lives so you can have a warm shower. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites tunaplanet 0 #75 September 11, 2004 QuoteYou're calling me a moron? We aren't allowed to actually say that on these forums. Forty-two Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next Page 3 of 7 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. 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wmw999 2,446 #52 September 10, 2004 My contribution -- I lived in Houston for several summers without air conditioning. I have some experience in living in hot, humid weather without A/C. - Take as cool a shower as you can about 1/2 hour before bed. Don't do anything strenuous right before it or after it, just let your body slow down and cool off. It really helps. - Try to put your bed in a room with windows on two walls, or on a screened in porch. Even without a fan, the cross-draft really helps. Notice that a LOT of older homes have plenty of rooms with windows on two walls. If you can, have your bed be at the same level with the window, so that air is actually moving over your body. It does move. - Consider wearing really lightweight pajamas -- it can help prevent that clammy skin-sticking-to-itself feeling. - Make sure there are screens between you and the bugs -- it sucks to have a mosquito biting you and buzzing around you, and sleeping with sticky bug repellent on is almost impossible. - If you can, drink something cool or cold in the last half hour or so before bed too. It's harder without a fan, but it's definitely possible. Sucks to be without power, but trust me, folks in the power industry are heavily into the greatest good for the greatest number, while paying attention to safety. If they have to choose between helping 1000 people and helping 10 people, they'll choose the 1000 every time. Well, unless the 10 are a critical-care ward in a hospital. It's what they do for a living, and like anyone who works in a critical-service industry, most of the folks on the front line know that what they do matters, and they like it that way and care about doing well. Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peregrinerose 0 #53 September 10, 2004 QuoteI posted only when the power was RESTORED, and then SHUT OFF DELIBERATELY because some fuckin' PUSSY down the street got all afraid of the leaning power pole. THAT is when FPL shut off our RESTORED power. And they didn't get it fixed -- which would be an easy fix since they know EVERYTHING ELSE IS WORKING FINE IN THIS AREA. We're entering our second day of NEEDLESS power loss. THAT'S what I'm pissed off about. So I got home tonight for the second night in a row to find no power. For all you know that 'fuckin' pussy' saved a life or some damage. Get over it. Other people are allowed to give a damn about something that doesn't sit right with them. If that person didn't complain and something happened you'd be bitching about how the power company is made of a bunch of morons who can't prevent problems. Find something more important to gripe about. The one thing I do agree with is comparing you to someone else. I always wondered how eating every bite of food on my plate was going to help the starving kid in Ethiopia. I agree on that point, but still think you are over reacting on the whole power thing. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #54 September 10, 2004 When people don't understand the situation, it seems safe enough. I worked in a pumping station with 6 large (20K gal/min) pumps run by electricity. We had a 22 Kv substation just outside. On a normal dry day, your hair would stand up within 20 feet of it. On a rainy day, it would scare you. The cranes had to lower their booms around the transmission lines because a magnetic field exists around a power line. The lines would bend towards the boom. We were talking to the substation/transformer guys one day. Six were doing some work nearby. Statistically, they lose one every two years. They go out in storms and work in pairs for safety. Sometimes, the problem that is creating the power loss will create a dangerous situation. Just walking into the substation can kill someone. When evaluating danger, I'll go with the opinion of the experts. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,991 #55 September 10, 2004 >Well, now, bill, I have to grant that this is a completely fair question, since > I am a trained electric power technician, with a crew of four, and an FP&L > crew truck complete with one of those big augers and spools of cable and > everything... Well, good! Because every single other one of people with your qualifications are working 22 hour days to try to get power back on; they could use your help. >Tell me more about this system you're talking about (are you talking > about where you make your own electricity somehow and sell the extra > back to the company?) and what I should expect it to cost, and maybe I'll >consider doing it. Who knows? An "ultimate" UPS, that would give you 20 kilowatt-hours of backup at a max of 2000 watts: $1320 Same system with a backup generator (which you'd have to run a few hours a day to keep the batteries charged) - $2020 Plain 1000 watt solar grid tie system - $5100 1000 watt solar grid tie with battery backup - $7000 Solar hot water batch heater for non-freezing climates - $1000 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tkhayes 348 #56 September 10, 2004 It's called a HURRICANE dude and it causes DAMAGE which takes TIME and RESOURCES to repair. jesus christ - stop yer bitchin' already. The powercompany does not make any money if your power is down - they actually have a vested interest in getting the power back. lighten up TK Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slug 1 #57 September 10, 2004 Hi Bill Thanks for the bump, this is thread is very entertaining. So a UPS cost about $1300. I need to add that to my gun collection.R.i.P. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,991 #58 September 10, 2004 >So a UPS cost about $1300. A plain ol UPS (for a computer) costs around $80. You can get a really, really good one off the shelf for $1000 - one that will keep you up 30 hours or so. Or build it yourself and get a lot more capacity. It's not much more than hooking batteries up to an inverter. Interestingly, as hybrid cars become more commonplace, UPSes will get simpler - it will just be a cable that runs out to your car. The Honda Civic hybrid, for example, has a 10kW motor/generator attached to its gas engine. Turning that into a backup power supply would take nothing more than some cabling (and some programming changes to the car's computer.) I believe Dodge already has a truck that can be used as a power source. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hungarianchick 0 #59 September 10, 2004 lighten up*** He can't, remember? "I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sabr190 0 #60 September 10, 2004 I gotta know how you came up with "peacefuljeffery" as you handle If your not cursing them your wishing them dead Maybe you should change your handle to "PostalJeffery"...........I like the way that fits you Don't freak on me, just pullin your chain a little, I actually get a real kick out of most of your posts "The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few, or the one" - rehmwa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveNFlorida 0 #61 September 10, 2004 QuoteI worked with FP&L for 3 years during college. Their planning and management were excellent. If you have specific criticisms, please point them out. I have a question... Why did my power go out before Frances even got close. We were having like 40mph gusting on and of, and boom, my power goes at 9am Friday 9/3. I'm just curious as to what crappy equipment can't withstand 40mph winds? My boyfriend is from Chicago, and it is hella windy there, and no problems. So, wassup w/Fla? BTW, Sorry you're w/o power Jeffery. Try to calm down a bit, read some, etc. I know I had a hard time w/o power, too... went kinda stir crazy, tho, for me, it was really lack of good food that got to me. Once I found out my Aunt in Deerfield had power, I went over there as soon as the storm winds were down on Sunday morning. My power was restored in the afternoon on Monday. This time, i'm gonna see about getting some food cooked up before Ivan hits:D Still can't find a 'D' battery in Fla, tho. Angela. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #62 September 10, 2004 QuoteI have a question... Why did my power go out before Frances even got close. We were having like 40mph gusting on and of, and boom, my power goes at 9am Friday 9/3. I'm just curious as to what crappy equipment can't withstand 40mph winds? Tree limbs. Monday, I was talking to the two linemen that were driving by. They said that a tree limb cracked and fell on a transformer. The transformer was ok with the wind, but not the tree. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #63 September 10, 2004 All it takes is a limb falling on a line and it snaps. Watching lines snap from the weight of ice on them is cool in the winter here. If you want someone to blame on the early power outage blame your neighbors that let the trees grow over the lines and did'nt properly trim/maintain the branches.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #64 September 10, 2004 QuoteWhat mismanagement have you specifically found? I worked with FP&L for 3 years during college. Their planning and management were excellent. If you have specific criticisms, please point them out. Is your only example of their ineptitude is your lack of electricity? BTW, my elec is back on and it is great. I photographed the problem pole from behind my block today -- for the first time, I see that it is indeed broken, about 1/3 of the way up, and leaning about 30 degrees toward the property on my block. We had power restored after a mere 15 hours on Sunday -- I was amazed and pleased it was restored in such quick time. We enjoyed normal power for three days, and then at about 4pm on Wednesday, it went out again. Now, bear in mind that it was restored DESPITE the condition of this pole. All was fine. My next door neighbor is the Palm Beach County Fire Marshall. He got information that reached me through my landlady (they're chummy) that the guy who has the pole behind his house called FP&L about it -- apparently AFTER the power got restored -- and they then SHUT off our power. Now, I can't really blame the guy for being alarmed at the state of the pole, to be honest. I have now seen it from a better vantage point and it is truly fractured. I'd be worried about it hanging over my property too. But if it is such a big deal, enough to warrant shutting down the power -- but if the power is turned on, it WORKS -- I think they should just come on by, fix the pole (whatever they have to do), and get us up and running again. There are no other apparent problems standing in the way of our power working, and in fact, if the power was not deliberately turned off, it'd be working just fine. My problem with the bureaucracy is that all over the news, during the weekend, they said, "On Thursday at 5:01 p.m. you will be able to call FP&L and they will have updates about when your power will be restored." You know what the updates say? They tell you -- no matter who you are and where you're calling from -- "Your power will likely be restored by Friday, September 17th." How much good does it do someone to get that information? There's no "schedule" of approximate restart times, which is what I think was implied when they said that after a certain point we could call about when we'd have power restored. Friday the 17th is, like, the date I heard them saying they expect ALL power to be restored!! It's a friggin' WEEK from today! That's not a prediction of anything useful! They might as well have said, "You're sure to have power again before October." For this "prediction," they made us wait until Thursday at 5:01 p.m. And their website was fucked up, too, telling my manager that his power had been restored (online search by account # or phone # for your specific residence). So he called his wife and asked if the power was on, and she said no. The website said,"Your power has been restored," and THEN below that ("In parentheses... Quotated..." ) it had YES/NO question: "Is your power currently operating?" or something like that. He answered "NO!" and when the screen refreshed, it had switched to saying, "We are aware of widespread power outages in your area." Now tell me, how was the initial statement "Your power has been restored" not utterly idiotic given that (a) it was wrong, and (b) at the same time they were telling you it was on, they were asking you if it was!? Look, the linemen may do a bang-up job and a necessary and appreciated one, and it's easy to get impatient at them in spite of the fact that they're working hard, but I really think that the company itself is a clusterfuck, and they shouldn't be making bullshit statements. All they should say is simply, "Look, we have every reason to want your power restored, and we're working around the clock, weather permitting, so please be patient, and in the worst case power will be returned likey by Friday the 17th." But instead, they are blowing sunshine up our asses. I do not appreciate the patronization. I just want the power that I had restored and then taken RE-restored, so I don't get 3 hours of restless sleep with my landlady's fucking generator blaring through the shooting earplugs I am forced to wear to my hot, sticky, sweaty bed. --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #65 September 10, 2004 Wendy, thank you for an earnest attempt to help and alleviate my discomfort. See replies below, however. QuoteMy contribution -- I lived in Houston for several summers without air conditioning. I have some experience in living in hot, humid weather without A/C. - Take as cool a shower as you can about 1/2 hour before bed. Don't do anything strenuous right before it or after it, just let your body slow down and cool off. It really helps. Um, I have no choice but to take COLD showers. The water is heated by electricity, which is unavailable to my block. Quote- Try to put your bed in a room with windows on two walls, or on a screened in porch. Even without a fan, the cross-draft really helps. Notice that a LOT of older homes have plenty of rooms with windows on two walls. If you can, have your bed be at the same level with the window, so that air is actually moving over your body. It does move. Not an option. As it is, I have the adjoining bathroom's windows open, and the window right at the head of my bed is open -- despite the fact that it increases the suffering I endure from the generator 20 feet away. Quote- Consider wearing really lightweight pajamas -- it can help prevent that clammy skin-sticking-to-itself feeling. You can't get much lighter than sleeping naked with no covers at all. DID NOT WORK or make ANY DIFFERENCE AT ALL. Quote- Make sure there are screens between you and the bugs -- it sucks to have a mosquito biting you and buzzing around you, and sleeping with sticky bug repellent on is almost impossible. Roger. A-firm. Besides that, the frogs in the pool seem to take care of the bugs pretty well, when they're not busy croakin' and fuckin'! Quote- If you can, drink something cool or cold in the last half hour or so before bed too. LOL. Where do I get something cool when the problem is lack of electric cooling, and hot, humid weather?? --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #66 September 10, 2004 What do they have to do to fix your power? They have to first get a new pole (HUGE shortage of poles availble right now in FL), they have to disconnect the wires, remove the old pole, dig a hole for a new one, set the new pole, then reattach the wires. In Ohio thats about a 3-6 hour job depending on the wires and the pole. Its FAR eaiser to go re run wires and restore power to hundreds else where with good poles then it is to fix broken poles. Restoring the poser for a short time until the problem was reported was to be expected. Its like starting a car only to find a radiator leak. Unless the problem is noticved they think its fine but once its reported its a major issue. If there are no poles availble in the size thats needed for that location you'll end up waiting for one to come availble and be installed. Lake Wales airport was becoming a pole storage location from some news reports. Have you went and talked to your neighborabout restricting the hours her generator runs?Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #67 September 10, 2004 The whole reason for the generators running is to keep my landlady's refrigerator and the neighbor's refrigerator running. (Mine's not that big a priority -- I don't have a family in my place, and they do.) To ask them to turn the generators off is to ask them to waste the utility of them, essentially. I can only imagine that my landlady had the same noise to deal with when she tried to sleep last night, too. If you heard how fuckin' loud this thing is, you'd wonder why she didn't shut it off of her own volition. I don't make waves with my landlady, for the simple reason that my rent is well below what she could get for the place, and hasn't been raised in three years. That's near to incredible. (Of course, it remains to be seen if she raises it in response to the increased insurance rates that are certain to follow...) --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunaplanet 0 #68 September 10, 2004 Here you go. Happy now? You got your wish. This happened yesterday morning. Figured this would cheer you up. Forty-two Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #69 September 10, 2004 First rule of hole digging. Know when it's time to stop. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #70 September 10, 2004 QuoteHere you go. Happy now? You got your wish. This happened yesterday morning. Figured this would cheer you up. You're late, Tuna. I've already retracted and apologized for the "wishing death" comments, and indicated that they were passionate and not in earnest. --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duckwater 0 #71 September 10, 2004 I find this to be EXACTLY opposite. A big storm blew down my transformer pole a few months ago here in Texas. They IMMEDIATELY had 20 or so trucks and at least 50 people that dug a new hole, put in a new pole and RISKED THEIR LIVES with lightning, rain and wind to get my sorry ass power so I could pop my popcorn and watch South Park. They had all been working at least 20 hours that day.. These crazy bastards were up on a pole in a thunderstorm at midnight! They got me a temporary fix for the night, then came back the next day and spent all day making it pretty. Again, 20 trucks and as many guys. Then, they sent out a landscaping crew to fix the ruts in my yard!!!!! And, they did this in the rain too, laying sod like crazy. I have the utmost respect for the employees of Oncor Power here in Texas. Professional, dedicated Dude, 2 hurricanes hit and millions are without power. If you had any idea of the magnitude of the damage, you might be a little more thoughtful. I see only 1 moron in this situation. Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #72 September 10, 2004 QuoteI see only 1 moron in this situation. Mike That would be me, then? You're calling me a moron? --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #73 September 10, 2004 You're defending the absurd over-manning of this job, and saying that indicates good management on the part of the power company? "20 trucks and as many guys" to fix a single power line? Does that sound right to you? (First you said it was 50 guys, btw.) Maybe you also have one of those jobs where you lean on a shovel for $22.50 an hour while four other guys join you and two others do the work. Great system. --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Duckwater 0 #74 September 10, 2004 No me, for taking the time to make you think that the Power Gnomes are not out to get you and that some of them will (might of already) probably lose their lives so you can have a warm shower. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunaplanet 0 #75 September 11, 2004 QuoteYou're calling me a moron? We aren't allowed to actually say that on these forums. Forty-two Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
