Wind Storm Mass Hysteria

I will never understand it. Maybe I do understand, but I am ashamed to admit it. How did everybody get so worked up about a power outage? I have to admit, I was drawn into it momentarily, but I found my way back to reality quickly. I also want to say that some people have a reason to get worried [but they are the ones keeping their cool]. Let me give some illustration as to the depth of the hysteria.

I live in an area that was moderately affected by the windstorm and subsequent power outage. I live on a hill over looking a valley. The valley was largely unaffected. Almost every business had power, as did the gas stations and grocery stores. Now, mind you, we had at least a weeks worth of warning this storm was coming. It lived up to every prediction that was made. It was the worst storm we have seen since 1993. what was unbelievable was the hysteria that FOLLOWED the storm. Bread was a hard-to-find commodity. I was trying to make my way across the valley, and it took me an hour [when it usually takes me about 20 minutes]. The reason for the slow going was NOT that the intersections were dark, and every stop was a four-way stop, it was because there was an UNBELIEVABLY long line into an Arco station. C'mon! Give me a break. There are SEVERAL gas stations in operation in the immediate vicinity, and people were FRANTIC to get gas.

Let's examine why.

The media has been spouting the dangers of having no power. And, they have been telling people that the power won't be restored for 7-10 days. I am sure those were "official" numbers. But, what ever happened to walking out your front door, and looking for yourself. Why let the media dictate your situation? Why not call the power company for yourself to find out when your power might be restored? And why, for the love of God, do you need to gas up your car at ONE gas station when there are several stations within a mile of the Arco. I went to the store to buy normal dinner groceries, and I couldn't find bread [which doesn't surprise me...it kept the Egyptian Empire going for hundreds of years], and I could not find chips. Chips?!?!? You can't go a couple of days without chips? And futhermore, why weren't these things bought in advance? It is a power outage people.....not Armagedon.

Finally, I am tired of hearing that line crews restoring power are "Heroes". This term has become TOTALLY diluted since
9/11. I mean, these people are doing a great service to the community by doing their jobs well, and as quickly as possible. But heroes? What about the doctors, policemen, and firefightrs that do their jobs in unfathomable circumstances EVERYDAY...not just after a storm. The electric company, and its service people are to be commended for sure, and probably paid double wages. But let us not throw this term around to willy-nilly.

Let me repeat myself. There are plenty of people in dire straits because of this storm. But the guy who rushes down to the grocery store to buy 20 loaves of bread, 15 gallons of purified water, and goes to gas up his Mercedes SUV at the gas station, ISN'T in a bad situation.