No More Power

[NS1]

So for fun and stupid arguments 
What would you do, if the power went off
and never came back on?

Do you have the skills to survive?

[andrewfi]

No, I don't.

[AvHdB]

Depends, for a week yes. For a month perhaps, though I am far from certain. For a year, no.

I am assuming that no one has power and delivery of essentials such as fuel and food ceases.

[Olga_Mouse]

Do you have the skills to survive?

No, unfortunately. But I presume it would be much easier somewhere in the countyside (where things haven't much changed during last century) as in Moscow... 

[BillyB]

Do you have the skills to survive?

As long as I got toilet paper, I've got the supplies to survive! Some people can't live without their phone. No phone = End of the world.

An Iraqi friend of mine said when power went out for long periods of time, people clear cut the forests to generate heat in their homes. If power goes out for people forever, the environment and animals will get hit first and then we'll turn on each other. Most jobs require electricity. Without it most of us will be out of a job. No job, no money. No money, no honey or food. MAN is just 3 meals away from anarchy.

[NS1]

Ok, I will help you out.
Power goes out and
NEVER COMES BACK ON.

thats the question, can you survive?

I will add a twist,
what would happen?
what would you do?

You realize it would take, maybe a week
then things would come unhinged.
Just staying alive from people would become your immediate Challenge.

So, really think about it, what would you do?

[Manny]

You realize it would take, maybe a week

I did a week with no phone and no internet and media in North Korea. It freaks you out the first day or two, then it becomes quite serene.

As long as there was food and basic necessities, I'd be fine. Might be another kid at the end of it, though. 

[NS1]

You realize it would take, maybe a week

I did a week with no phone and no internet and media in North Korea. It freaks you out the first day or two, then it becomes quite serene.

As long as there was food and basic necessities, I'd be fine. Might be another kid at the end of it, though. 

Where would you get food and necessities ?
No power, stores closed, no trucks and planes.

I am sure at some point, those who survived would grow food
or buy from locals, but short term, food would be gone in weeks.

[Manny]

You realize it would take, maybe a week

I did a week with no phone and no internet and media in North Korea. It freaks you out the first day or two, then it becomes quite serene.

As long as there was food and basic necessities, I'd be fine. Might be another kid at the end of it, though. 

Where would you get food and necessities ?
No power, stores closed, no trucks and planes.

I am sure at some point, those who survived would grow food
or buy from locals, but short term, food would be gone in weeks.

Well for a week I'd have enough in the cupboards.

Once that was running out, I'd hope money still works.

[NS1]

You realize it would take, maybe a week

I did a week with no phone and no internet and media in North Korea. It freaks you out the first day or two, then it becomes quite serene.

As long as there was food and basic necessities, I'd be fine. Might be another kid at the end of it, though. 

Where would you get food and necessities ?
No power, stores closed, no trucks and planes.

I am sure at some point, those who survived would grow food
or buy from locals, but short term, food would be gone in weeks.

Well for a week I'd have enough in the cupboards.

Once that was running out, I'd hope money still works.

Money would't be worth much in the beginning.
Ironically likely best thing to have is a
Gun and a place you can actually defend from those who would try
and take your weeks worth of food.

[Texan77]

We have a political wing of the democratic party who think this is a good idea. Just get rid of all gas, coal, and oil and the planet will be much better. The thinking was people survived before these things and we will do it again. USA congresswoman A.O.C. is very happy that the USA oil industry might go broke. She wants laws to prevent fracking, band all gasoline cars in five years and so much more to save the planet. She want the USA government to keep any body else from drilling on lands of bankrupt companies until we get USA oil production to zero. She want to shut down all coat immediately and phase natural out gas power plants and replace them with green energy. Tax all businesses until they are out of business and pay all people a wage for just being alive.

[Manny]

Tax all businesses until they are out of business and pay all people a wage for just being alive.

This isn’t dissimilar to what the UK are trying at the moment. The government is paying 80% wages of a lot of people to stay at home.

[NS1]

What do either of the comments above, have to do with no power?
( way off topic)

Folks with large stock piles of oil, could run generators for a bit.
But with out producing more, not for long.

I am surprised folks can't give a good answer.

[Steveboy]

What ever happens.. no power, sun light, internet, food I will survive I already have a plan to head off to Finland by the sea should the worse happen.. bag packed in cupboard with supplies and important stuff..

[Markje]

Do you have the skills to survive?

No, unfortunately. But I presume it would be much easier somewhere in the countyside (where things haven't much changed during last century) as in Moscow... 

Nope, I can't butcher anything alive (yes, I am a hypocrite) and I don't know enough to live on plants-only.

[BillyB]

Folks with large stock piles of oil, could run generators for a bit.
But with out producing more, not for long.

Without power, refineries can't make gas. Gasoline pumps can't pump gas. Gas would be available for a few weeks after everybody siphons gas from tanks at the gas station. Food supply chains will be cut off.

I am surprised folks can't give a good answer.

Your question is actually complicated. Skills to survive the loss of electricity may depend on the ability to hide, steal and shoot a gun. If nobody bothered me, and I had plenty of time, I would removed the gas engine off my generator and connect the generator to a bicycle to produce power when I need it.

[NS1]

This was said to me at a get together last year, to start a conversation.
Amazing how people view it, without much real thought, after a bit, really made me think.

So after a bit of thought, realizing, once people clued in,
the power wasn't coming back on, normal jobs and life
would cease to be the way we know it.

People would panic like never before, food being first.
Idiots would start lute and steal, a 60" big screen not worth much

Your abilities and tools at hand would be number one.
If you grew up hunting, fishing, taking care of garden, you have a small chance.

First and foremost, you have to be able to protect yourself, your family and what little you have.
Could you protect your current home. Mine would be easy to take if some one wanted.
To think people would not shoot you just for your food, you would guess wrong.

So I would pack up, all that is useful and ever bit of food, fuel and supplies I could get my hands on.
I would get out of city and fast, this would be the craziest place to be, as the less able will try and take what they want.
Go to a place, you can defend, have water, shelter and hopefully be able to hunt and fish at least short term.

The crowd would thin relatively quickly, few months. Before you go, have a quick plan to try and get
some long term supplies, one might laugh, seeds for planting, fish gear, more bullets etc.
One other thing, be careful who you decide to take with you or join up with.
They have to bring something to the table, just nice folks or your bringing someone who will want your food or get you killed.

Now, think about it again, what would you do, if the Power went out and never came back on?

[yankee]

This was said to me at a get together last year, to start a conversation.
Amazing how people view it, without much real thought, after a bit, really made me think.

So after a bit of thought, realizing, once people clued in,
the power wasn't coming back on, normal jobs and life
would cease to be the way we know it.

People would panic like never before, food being first.
Idiots would start lute and steal, a 60" big screen not worth much

Your abilities and tools at hand would be number one.
If you grew up hunting, fishing, taking care of garden, you have a small chance.

First and foremost, you have to be able to protect yourself, your family and what little you have.
Could you protect your current home. Mine would be easy to take if some one wanted.
To think people would not shoot you just for your food, you would guess wrong.

So I would pack up, all that is useful and ever bit of food, fuel and supplies I could get my hands on.
I would get out of city and fast, this would be the craziest place to be, as the less able will try and take what they want.
Go to a place, you can defend, have water, shelter and hopefully be able to hunt and fish at least short term.

The crowd would thin relatively quickly, few months. Before you go, have a quick plan to try and get
some long term supplies, one might laugh, seeds for planting, fish gear, more bullets etc.
One other thing, be careful who you decide to take with you or join up with.
They have to bring something to the table, just nice folks or your bringing someone who will want your food or get you killed.

Now, think about it again, what would you do, if the Power went out and never came back on?

There are a few of us god fearing people that are capable of defending what we have.  I would guess that 60% of my   neighbors  are military vets. Medical issues would be my first concern and is my weak point.  My first line of defense is a Mossberg 500 and my neighbors.

[Steveboy]

You realize it would take, maybe a week

I did a week with no phone and no internet and media in North Korea. It freaks you out the first day or two, then it becomes quite serene.

As long as there was food and basic necessities, I'd be fine. Might be another kid at the end of it, though. 

Where would you get food and necessities ?
No power, stores closed, no trucks and planes.

I am sure at some point, those who survived would grow food
or buy from locals, but short term, food would be gone in weeks.

Well for a week I'd have enough in the cupboards.

Once that was running out, I'd hope money still works.

Once that was running out, I'd hope money still works.. And exactly what would you do if money never worked again.. it all went tits up over night! No power, no money.. would you have a plan to survive?

[NS1]

Well we couldn't post and update here anymore,
but I suspect better than 80% of these folks would be the first to go 

[Steveboy]

Well we couldn't post and update here anymore,
but I suspect better than 80% of these folks would be the first to go 

It would be interesting what would happen if suddenly there was no power, no money, no sunlight hardly and a virus all chucked in at once and on top of that some people had already started to use mob rule, there was no police to help you out!

What would you do? Stay at home? Or head some where safe?

[Texan77]

It would be interesting what would happen if suddenly there was no power, no money, no sunlight hardly and a virus all chucked in at once and on top of that some people had already started to use mob rule, there was no police to help you out!

What would you do? Stay at home? Or head some where safe?

No very interesting. Most of us would soon be dead and the rest would follow in a couple of weeks. No food supply and it would get very cold in a couple of days. The mob and the virus would be the least of our worries.

[Steveboy]

But in reality for example in the last 100 years we already had 3 big events now! WW1 and WW2 now a virus.. all in last 100 years..

Our cosy lives are not as cosy as they may seam in reality.. soon enough something bigger much bigger will happen to us fleas sat on a molten rock orbiting a nuclear reactor ..this is if some idiot doesn't press a wrong button in the next few years.. plenty of nutters about Adolf Hitler .. Hilary   on.. sorry I mean clinton  ..Pol pot..

[NS1]

But in reality for example in the last 100 years we already had 3 big events now! WW1 and WW2 now a virus.. all in last 100 years..

Our cosy lives are not as cosy as they may seam in reality.. soon enough something bigger much bigger will happen to us fleas sat on a molten rock orbiting a nuclear reactor ..this is if some idiot doesn't press a wrong button in the next few years.. plenty of nutters about Adolf Hitler .. Hilary  on.. sorry I mean clinton  ..Pol pot..

this is far more true than most like to admit.
I could not survive an Nuclear war, but I could pretty much anything else.
not mush fun, but could do it.

[Lord of the Dance]

Well I spent the first three weeks after our house fire sleeping in a folding patio chair in the kitchen of the guest house... point being that I think we’re all more capable of adapting to adverse circumstances than we realize (until such a time as we’re actually faced with them).

Electricity isn’t too challenging to generate (in small quantities) via solar, wind or hydroelectric means for such conveniences as LED lighting, high-efficiency DC appliances and even audio / visual entertainment (assuming you have pre-recorded music and movies). Aboard the sailboat I have a sat-com data link, but for the purpose of this discussion I’m assuming all means of communication and data download are out.

A fuel oil (or LPG / NG) generator is a wise investment, assuming you have an adequate supply of fuel available. Although it sounds archaic, a steam-driven generator is perhaps the most versatile means of electric power generation due to its ability to run on virtually anything that’ll burn (from fuel oils and gases to wood, coal or even garbage).

As important as electricity is to society today, I’d be far more concerned about adequate supplies of food, water and medications. Collectively I think we really under-appreciate all three.