After the storm and during the blackout

Djarum

All-Pro
Location
Huntsville, AL
Name
Jason
I posted a few weeks ago that I experienced sever whether and tornados in my area which lead to a power outtage for 5 days. I thought I'd post a few pictures. Keep in mind that I'm not presenting these for any real technical merit. Just figured I'd share a few pictures.

This is the day after the storm. The guy on the right works for the apartment complex and also lived in the complex. He spent a good deal of time with my girlfriend and I. One of the great things about things like this is you get to meet people that you didn't even know live close by.

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One of the things I did during the power outtage was basically grill for a bunch of folks. Lots of people had food going bad that they had no way of cooking, or had canned food they needed heating. This photo was taken on the third night without power. I didn't take many pictures because 4-5 hours during the day I was manning the grill.

The young lady and her daughter facing the camera hadn't had a hot meal in two days. She was also 8 months pregnant. Sadly, I can't remember their names. They left the next day to spend time with family in Arkansas. We had plenty of food left in the freezer and fridge so we cooked it up for them.

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This was the 4th night without power. Lots of people knew I had a grill and plenty of gas to cook with, so we had a pretty good turnout that night.

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Just one comment on this picture. While the picture is dark( really expresses how dark it was getting), there are two dogs sitting between a couple who lost their house in the tornado. They came down earlier that day to rent an apartment. We invited them to come out for the festivities.

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And just one more. It was about 8 or 9pm. The picture is pretty crappy, but it was plenty dark. Normally their are security lights on at this time. Even the large lanterns didn't help that much. This was a group shot trying to get most of the people sitting around.

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And of course, no gathering around a grill in pitch black darkness is complete without smores.

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Jason, I am so glad that you've posted these. These pictures are always going to bring back both the good and the bad memories, but I hope more good than bad since you clearly connected with so many people there where you live. One can take all the pictures in the world but it is the deeply personal ones that will mean the most over time.

Thank goodness you and your girlfriend were so prepared with that grill and the supply of propane!!
 
BB,

We weren't. We were lucky and two days later we were able to get a tank from a place that usually only deals with commercial businesses. They were only taking cash. After we got the tank, we were good to go. Most of the apartment dwellers don't have grills. Some went out and bought charcoal but they were getting into trouble with the apartment management for not knowing what to do with them. We offered up our grill and we cooked lunch and dinner for alot of folks. I truly wish I had more pictures, but I was just so busy and my girlfriend isn't terribly inclined to pick up the camera.
 
Well, you did a fast job of getting it together, Jason. I always "lecture" my daughter about how important it is to have a stash of real cash because when something happens, you can't count on an ATM, or power and cash is always taken. You and your girlfriend were integral to your community members making it through this.
 
Yeah, my parents tought me with all the hurricanes when I was living in Florida to always have some cash "stashed" away for just in case. I just thought of something too. My girlfriend did take some pictures but she used her camera. I'll have to go look at those. She has an older Canon A560. I really need to get her a new camera, lol.

Thanks for posting BB.
 
What a wonderful thing to do. Just goes to show that in hard times, generally, people will look out for each other. the looters and otehr psychopaths are actually few and far between, its just that they make better press (which probably says more about us, than it does about them)...

I have a question though... being from Australia, not entirely familiar with your "stuff". What on earth is a smore???
 
S'mores are descrubed as:
"A s'more (sometimes spelled "smore"[1]) is a traditional nighttime campfire treat popular in the United States and Canada,[2] consisting of a roasted marshmallow and a layer of chocolate sandwiched between two pieces of graham cracker."
I got that from Wikipedia:S'more - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The story goes that it began with someone who made them with the Girl Scouts...and then I think taste buds took over.;) Although I did grow up in the states, and spent a couple of months as a Girl Scout, I only ate my first S'more in about 1997. With dark chocolate they're intense.:D
 
Some of them I may convert to black and white. The black and white Images of the high ISO shots though, don't express how really really dark it is outside when the power is out. Those who live in the country probably already know this.
 
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