Sandy +2, Wednesday, October 31, 2012 - The Halloween that wasn't

It's Halloween tonight but there is no way anyone is going Trick or Treating.  It's too dangerous outside at night with the downed power lines and trees that are around the neighborhoods.   Our street has a set of poles and lines down on either end of the street.  We we nearly trapped by these lines but one of them went down at an intersection leaving one way out of the neighborhood.

 I have heard another report that the wireless phone company is running
out of fuel for the generators powering the cell towers.  While at the
county EOC I received a request for fuel for the cell tower generators
so I know that this is a real possibility.

If they go down I will have no way of communicating with you.
To verify communications, as we discussed before, I will contact you
at 8pm (EST) and 9:30am (EST) every day.  If you don't hear from me it
will be because I cannot contact you.
Neighbors with land lines have no phone service.  All lined service is out.

No fuel in town.  Lines at a Costco fuel station eight miles away are
50 to 100 cars long.
Reports coming in of local shortages of food/goods in stores. On the
bright side the mall, ten miles away, is reported to be open.

I was prepared for this so we have plenty of food and water.  Fuel
will be an issue as I've got fifteen gallons and must ration it out
for the seven plus days of expected downtime.  Freezing temperatures
are possible this weekend. We'll deal with that when it comes.

Red Cross shelter is pretty busy due to offering phone charging and hot showers.

Looting and burglaries reported in areas.  Nowhere near my town...  As far as I know.  Intel reports police running out of fuel.  HQs are being shut down.  Patrols cut back.  They may run out by end of week.  Fights in lines at gas stations that are open.  Many are not open.  In my town of employment everyone is being ticketed for driving if not essential work personnel.
And this is just day two.