Microburst - Whole Town Without Power

Last night, the area in which I live had a micro-burst/storm that blew through my tiny little town and up into the Phoenix Metro area. 80,000 people were left without power. Power is still out in my town.

We lost power from the grid, but my generator kicked on immediately and my microwave clock didn't even start to blink. We had full power to the house and to the A/C...etc.

BUT...my phone rang, and I got called in by the Sheriff (I am a part time deputy in my county since I retired from my full time LEO position) to help with emergency services in town. Yay.

I just got home. Power is expected to be out until 630 tonight (7/31/18).

So...solar with batteries (ran my barn), and the generator (Generac) ran the house. It is on natural gas, and we also have 2 large CNG pigs, so I don't expect any gas interruption.

Apparently a metal roof sheared off a house and cut two power lines.

I spent the night running calls which were all over the map from "I'm scared" to "Someone is breaking into my house"....which turned out to be a neighbor checking on a neighbor. No one got shot.

I made one arrest...it was an outstanding warrant...which if the guy would have kept his hole shut, I never would have had to arrest him. He was giving the clerk at a convenience store a ration of shit because the EBT/SNAP wasn't working (obviously...there was no power), so I arrested him for Disorderly Conduct. Possession Of A Controlled Substance, Drug Paraphernalia, and Failure To Appear, after he repeatedly refused to leave the store. Upon searching him Incidental and pursuant to arrest, I found a small amount of marijuana and a glass pipe containing what my training and experience is consistent with methamphetamine residue. I thought about tossing in a Criminal Trespass but that would have been gratuitous.

They couldn't lock the door because the owner makes them do cash transactions and write everything down...yeah...I know...security anyone?

I drew a POS motor pool cruiser...one of the last remaining Crown Vics which was a joy to drive through the flooded areas and over/through debris.

Next time...I am taking my Jeep or my pickup. I will just use my portable red/blue strobes and my hand held. I get paid a whole dollar a year to do this shit...lol.

Lessons:

When the shit show is ON...shut up, don't be an asshole, and DON'T give the clerk at the store crap because you can't use your food stamp card.

Don't have an active warrant.

Have a generator!

Have candles, or better yet...actual kerosene lanterns.

You would be amazed by how few people don't even have a flashlight.

Have some cash on hand.

Still, it was nice to get out and help the full time personnel and help keep folks in town safe.

BTW....we have 6 house guests. Some of our friends from town and their kids came for a "sleepover".

Now...I am going to bed.

 

Something Sad...I had been home less than 15 minutes when I got another call to help out.

2 Mobile Homes in a state owned MHP for employees were wrecked. The one immediately below was occupied by a dog...who didn't get a scratch. The owner of the MH was IN the Jeep when the mobile home came across the street. The roll bar saved him.

 

Mobile homes vary a lot from producer to producer. Mine has 2X6 walls and double windows. I also have a second roof above the roof that came on the place. Hurricanes with winds upwards of 70mph have not been a problem at all.

Those microburst storms might as well be described as tornadoes as far as the damage they cause. According to the weather service we have had several of them in recent years. To me if it twists the top out of pine trees and flattens other trees then whether they saw a tornado on radar or not is beside the point. These things track like a tornado and will tear the roof off a well made frame home in a flash. I've seen the damage from both and there really isn't any difference. I suspect it was like when the US Weather Service refused to issue a Hurricane watch/warning for Hurricane Sandy because it was too far north and to late in the year for a hurricane. They wanted to call it a cyclonic offshore winter storm and had no way set up for issuing warnings for those. Idiots come in all shapes and sizes.