Our Friends in The Dark Until Almost Thanksgiving!

[Sean in New Orleans]

WE can identify. Although I wasn't home, my home was in the dark for over 4 weeks. Unbelievable as it may seem, the day I returned home, my power was restored about 2 hours before I arrived. Over half of New Orleans is still dark from Katrina and it's been over 8 weeks. WE understand. Hang in there and Godspeed.
Here are the estimates of a return to power:

http://www.fpl.com/storm/contents/wilma_etr.shtml

[HurricaneQueen]

Thanks, Sean:

We were just informed it will be Nov. 18th before power is restored to all of our area. That doesn't include the East Coast of Fl. We were fortunate to be one of the first back online as it came on very early this morning. A hot shower was such a luxury!!!

I am amazed at how little media play this is getting after the fact. I know the damage is no where near as drastic or dramatic as Katrina but it's very real. On one road alone almost every huge banyan tree has been uprooted. They have been there for as long as I can remember and were gorgeous. Many of the larger condos have significant damage and we were north of landfall. The smaller communiities south of here and the eastern part of town are in much worse shape. We are all on curfews until further notice and IF we have water are under boil water advisories.

I just had a PM from one of our members whose family is on the East Coast and they have no utilities at all including cell. Airports are closed, hospitlas are on generators, etc. So even though the media isn't playing it up the damages are real.

Lynn

[Sean in New Orleans]

Hang tough. We're still under curfew. Almost 2/3's of New Orleans is still 8:00 PM, although, the 1/3 of the City that is re-populated, the curfew is 2:00 AM.

[ericinmia]

Hang tough. We're still under curfew. Almost 2/3's of New Orleans is still 8:00 PM, although, the 1/3 of the City that is re-populated, the curfew is 2:00 AM.

I feel your pain... curfew's are so detremental to me. Storm2k has made me a night person. So i'm not able to deal with not leaving the house.

[dhweather]

WE can identify. Although I wasn't home, my home was in the dark for over 4 weeks. Unbelievable as it may seem, the day I returned home, my power was restored about 2 hours before I arrived. Over half of New Orleans is still dark from Katrina and it's been over 8 weeks. WE understand. Hang in there and Godspeed.
Here are the estimates of a return to power:

http://www.fpl.com/storm/contents/wilma_etr.shtml

You ain't kidding. It's pitch black at night in many parts of New Orleans,
far from the "normal" New Orleans I know and will likely never be the same.

[cinlfla]

Do you know if there are generators needed down there, I don't know how I can help, but I feel bad for those people we went without power off an on last summer and it was terrible I can't imagine going for a real long time without it.

[HeatherAKC]

Here's hope....I'm not supposed to get power until Nov. 22 the latest. I got it back (it still comes and goes..it was out most of the overnight last night) 1am on Oct. 26.

[Canelaw99]

I saw on the news this morning that residents in Dade County south Of SW 88th St. (Kendall) can expect their power on no later than Nov. 8. For residents north of there and Broward County, it's no later than Nov. 22. FPL said most likely it will be back on before then, but they wanted to give the latest date, just in case.

As for needing generators down here, gas stations need them. Poor hubby had to get up at 5:30 this morning to get to a gas station to fill up. It took him over an hour and a half just to get gas, and it's worse in other places.

[sunny]

I talked co depotoo Cindy last night - they are expected to be without power for 30 days

[Seele]

For those curious, just saw a note a work showing that almost 3 mil people were without power in Florida. Of those, only 850,000 have power back so far

[Canelaw99]

That was 3.2 million without power just in SE FL. I don't know what the total is for the whole state.

[cinlfla]

I know of a company up where I am, they special in yard equipment but also sell generators and have plenty in stock I know we used them last year when we couldn't find a generator and they are honost unlike some people that try to take advantage of people when their down. If anyone would like you can PM me and I can give you there number or address. Or post it if I am allowed to by the mods. I wish there was someway we could get the gas and generators down there ouselfs but I just don't know how.

[WxGuy1]

That was 3.2 million without power just in SE FL. I don't know what the total is for the whole state.

And that was 3.2 million households, with estimates being about 6 million people affected.

[CharleySurvivor]

Some of you might be lucky and get power back sooner then the predicted dates. They always give a later date to cover their behind.

After Charley, we were to wait 24 days before getting power back and it was back 14 days later.

I hope y'all get your power back quick. It's nice to have a generator but it gets old and the noise gets annoying after a while.

I envy those of you without power to have this nice cool weather as it was always around 98 degees and 100% humidity after Charley...a nightmare!

[HurryKane]

Some of you might be lucky and get power back sooner then the predicted dates. They always give a later date to cover their behind.

You might get lucky and have a power company that pulls out all the stops to get power back on like Mississippi Power did. Here's a great article about how they did it:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies ... usat_x.htm

[CharleySurvivor]

We need more companies/corporations with such business ethics and values!

Nice report to read, thanks for sharing.

[SeaBrz_FL]

I share your pain, South Florida (and New Orleans) for those of you still in the dark. My grandmother passed away early last Sunday in Ft. Lauderdale and we have no idea when we can hold the funeral. Like the rest of the area, the funeral home is without power and also suffered lots of damage.

My aunt lives in north Lauderdale and FPL came around door to door yesterday explaining the damage and plans ... and gave them an estimated turn-on date of November 18.

[Vandora]

We're lucky. We're just north of Kendall Drive. We got power on last night around dinnertime. We lost it again this morning, but got it back just a few minutes ago. My other friends and family aren't so lucky, yet. FPL is doing a wonderful job, though.

[T'Bonz]

My power is back, as of last night.

We were one of the last ones to go out (thought we would escape it) and in the first 1% to be restored. Yay!

I'm in eastern Coral Springs.

Very few have power in my county. Some spots never lost it (2%, I heard that the rich *$#@ in Weston kept theirs, figures :p) but 98% were out.

FPL is making good progress, they got 90,000 back up already.

It was fantastic to take a hot bath, have coffee without having to fire up the propane burner, SEE at night.

P.S. Our power lines are underground, that prolly helped.

[simplyme]

Last I heard worst case scenario is November 22nd for everyone to have power back.