In the case of an ice storm, it’s possible the heavy ice will drag trees down, pulling down power lines. Weisman remembers a storm in the Albany, N.Y., area that knocked down every single power line around his house. It took some rural areas almost a month to get their electricity restored.
One of the negative sides of power outages is that gasoline stations cannot operate their pumps. If it’s possible, Weisman recommends filling up the tank before the storm hits.
If electricity is knocked out, it might also knock out the pumps that fill a water tank or heat bath water. He thinks it is probably worthwhile to fill a bathtub to have water for hygienic purposes.
It might be worthwhile to have a hand-operated can opener since electric versions might not work. And, it will be wise to have extra food on hand in case it is not safe to make it to the grocery store for several days.
