Slush Pile Essays: Slush Pile Essays, #2

By Bruce Anthony

The Slush Pile is Bruce Anthony’s repository of short reads. The fertile mind of an author is always sprouting opinions, viewpoints, observations, and sometimes simply thoughts of wonderment that are shown to friends who continually ask, “So, what have you written lately?” They are offered here for public interest, contrary opinion, and dispute. They are intended as engaging and informative short articles.

The Essays  contain an eclectic cocktail of opinions, thoughts, extrapolation, and perhaps even prophesy, gathered from a lifetime of learning, experience and practice. It is a compendium of lessons learned, observation of life, and expectation contrasted with actuality. It is sage advice intended for young adults venturing into independent existence in the World.

Volume 2  provides advice on preparing for emergencies; deep thoughts about atomic energy, time and music;  and a number of computer related articles written for information system professionals but perhaps of interest and knowledge broadening to computer appliance users. Subjects include:

Emergencies    E=MC2                          Time
Music               Computer Knowledge   Dvorak Keyboard
Business           Info Management          Info Assets
Contracts          Applications                  Development
Hiding Data      Encryption

• Language: English
• Publisher: Katie Books Canada
• Release date: May 13, 2015
• ISBN: 9780993729850

Book preview

Cover image for e-book.Title/Copyright page.

Volume Two

Cover

Title Page

Writing

Emergency:

Ice Storm,

Emergencies.

Deep Thoughts:

E=MC²,

Time,

Music.

Computer Systems:

Knowledge,

Dvorak,

Business,

Management,

Assets,

Contracts,

Applications,

Development,

Documentation,

Hiding Data,

Encryption,

Afterword.

Title/Copyright page.

Emergency

---

Are You Ready?

The Ice Storm

Did your electricity go off during the ice storm? It certainly seemed that cities fared better than rural areas. What was it like for you? For me the Hydro outage was a personal ordeal. It lasted ten days and I never want to experience anything like it again.

The main effect of the ice storm was to remove electricity from almost three million homes in Ontario, Quebec, and the State of New York. It was not a storm as you might think. It was four days of intermittent, gently freezing rain. There was a thick layer of -20C air at ground level through which the rain fell, super-cooling the moisture so that it froze instantly as soon as it touched anything.

It left a coating of ice everywhere. Trees were devastated. Ninety-five percent of my trees suffered damage. More than thirty percent were destroyed. Trees on my property with foot-thick trunks snapped like twigs. It will probably take two or more years to clean up the debris. I'll have to hire someone to trim all the broken branches on all the trees surrounding the house. Five hundred feet of my driveway was so blocked by fallen, ice-caked trees that it was impossible to negotiate on foot. For the last three of the four days of the storm, anyone standing outside could hear cannon-like shots every ten or fifteen seconds as first branches were stripped from the trees, then the trunks fell under thousands of pounds of ice. The nights were inky black without the least suspicion of light.

Basic Needs

Image of ice covered tree.

Fundamentals

I live in a rural farm area and I'm sure I was more prepared than most for an emergency. I had insulated internal shutters on my windows and a full stock of food. I had a gas engine driven 3500 watt electric generator and my water pump was modified to run from it. I had extension cables and fuel for the generator. I had two portable electric heaters, and a portable kerosene heater and fuel. I had a supply of batteries and an emergency AM/FM radio. I had a kerosene lantern. I had even just bought new winter wool clothing. But it wasn't enough.

My reserve of fifty litres of gasoline ran out after three days even though the generator was used no more than four to six hours a day. Previously, my generator was needed for less than two hours for any power failure—and that was only once. My 500 foot driveway was completely blocked by ice and fallen trees and there was no way to leave the property (the roads were still clear but icy). I was able to use my Citizen's Band radio, my emergency communications, to arrange a ride into town where I refilled my fuel cans with another fifty litres of gasoline.

Two days later, with half my fuel gone again, I couldn't raise anyone on the CB radio because the antenna was coated with ice and bent like a bow. I hitch-hiked into town, rented a truck, drove into the city and bought four more gas containers and filled them. I also bought some snack food—cooking was a major hassle and meant the generator wasn't being used to heat. As well, I telephoned two bush clearing companies to get on their list to clear my driveway.

Lo and behold, by the time I arrived back home three hours later with my supplies, one of the brush clearing companies was already at work. By the time I had made four trips on foot from the road to the house with my supplies, they succeeded in chopping a path up the driveway, pushing everything to either side and creating a path big enough for my truck to pass. The driveway itself was still littered with branches and fallen ice.

It wasn't until two days later that I was able to hire a front-end loader to make the driveway passable. I was very lucky to get my driveway cleared of trees so quickly, and even though I telephoned the company, they haven't been around to discuss a price and get paid. One of the workers mentioned that his boss had thought the job would cost around $650 but the worker thought that since there wasn't as much work as first thought, it should be less. I had telephoned at 11:00am and they were finished by 2:30pm so they weren't on the job too long. The front end loader cost another $40.

Although I could get out as needed, waiting for the restoration of power was painful. For the first four days after the loss of electricity the hot water tank still had enough heat to shower and keep clean, but laundry soon piled up, and then clean clothes ran out. Heating kettles full of water to sponge bathe and to do essential laundry was a tedious and tiring exercise. A long, long, hot bath became a powerful obsession.

As the days passed, and the mass of the house cooled, night-time temperatures inside fell closer and closer to the freezing point. It took hours using all my resources, just to get the interior temperature up to ten degrees Celsius. I was lucky to have a sleeping bag but my dogs were starting to suffer even though I used all my blankets to make them beds and kept them covered. We were all very tired of the cold. If the generator had failed we would have been in dire straits and forced to abandon the house. Where to go with four dogs and a cat.

On day nine, my dog Clayton started having internal cramps and was rushed to the Veterinarian, but there was no specific diagnosis. I was very concerned because his symptoms were the same as my dog Tinker before he died two years previously. I was right to be worried because the next day Clayton started bleeding internally and it was decided to put him to sleep. Another friend lost.

The power finally came on at 1:00am on day eleven. By morning the house was warm and I had my long awaited hot bath. The next week was spent dealing with Clayton and preparing for his burial. Most of the week was spent cleaning, washing and putting things away and writing this report. Overall, with the exception of Clayton, I was able to cope with this crisis. I was well prepared, but not for something so prolonged.

I have learned a few lessons. The kerosene heater was much better than the electric heaters, so I have ordered two more. Hot water is an essential item and in the summer, when the panic is over, I will buy another, larger generator capable of powering the hot water tank and I will modify the tank's electrical connection to use it. My present generator will remain as a back-up for additional needs. I will stock a lot more fuel (200L) and kerosene (100L). Although my toaster-oven and my microwave proved adequate, I will buy a dual hotplate appliance and stock a supply of packaged dinners. I will buy warmer slippers. I will modify the plumbing to allow the selective draining of the plumbing system and reduce the area of the house needing heat. I will add internal doors to divide the house into smaller areas. Next time, I will be better prepared.

For the rest of the winter, and for as long as it takes, I'll be cutting wood to clear up the mess as much as possible.

Postscript

Over the next seven years, I implemented all the changes mentioned above. I renovated the lower level of the house and changed it into a small suite, with a bed-sitting room, a two-piece bathroom, and kitchenette. I moved into this suite, and ceased using the rest of the house except for the upstairs bathroom and laundry facilities in the kitchen. I made several modifications to the plumbing to improve efficiency and make it possible to turn off water to areas of the house and drain the unused pipes. I replaced the hot water tank and prepared wiring so I could run it from my new gas generator. I designed and installed a solar system to provide even more emergency electric power. I repaired the existing solarium and expanded it to more than twice its size. I spent close to $30,000 on improvements.

In return, I have reduced my electrical usage by half. On a sunny day, the solarium can heat the whole house, regardless of the outside temperature. The solar system provides emergency power for light loads at the flick of a switch. The other measures ensured I could withstand a loss of electricity for an extended period of time. I have not heard of anyone in the area doing anything at all; they will suffer again.

Story end spacer.

Staying Alive

Image of multimeter.

Emergency Preparations

Very few people are ready for an emergency serious enough to drive them from their homes. It may never happen, but if it does, everything may be lost—including lives. Everyone should be ready to abandon their home on fifteen minutes notice.

By nature I am self-sufficient and self-reliant. I have lived in my present location for many years and understand the problems associated with living in a rural, all electric home, without electricity. Here then, is my advice for emergency preparations for situations less than a natural catastrophe.

The Basics

The fundamental emergency areas that need preparation are:

Food;

Shelter;

Clothing;

Transportation;

Communications;

Medical; and,

Energy.

Preparation in each of these areas is necessary to survive an emergency.

Food

Stock four to six months of food/grocery items in a safe, cool, dry, dark location. Choose food you normally eat that