By: Aarya Patil
In February of 2021, a major winter storm had started brewing over Texas, with the worst snowfalls expected as the state prepares for historic and dangerous conditions. Here, a Texas resident describes 48 hours without power in sub-freezing temperatures.
“All day Monday, we waited for the power to return, huddling in front of the fireplace while the temperature hovered in the single digits. We made tea holding a small pot of water at arm’s length over the fire. But our stack of firewood was running low. Firewood was sold out virtually everywhere. The customer service desk at Lowe's told me they had been out since the morning. A half dozen guys in line behind me walked out upon hearing the news -- apparently, they'd been waiting to ask the same question. I drove around Fort Worth, looking for firewood. A Spanish-language gas station off the beaten path had a couple of Duraflame logs left; those and the two logs back home would have to last. The temperature there refused to budge above 60 -- which was still 20 degrees warmer than our apartment. Our hosts were beyond gracious, but it was a strange feeling to be dependent on the generosity of others for basic necessities like coffee and heat. Our apartment still doesn’t have power and the hotel room where we're staying doesn’t have working water, but we have heat, electricity and Wifi -- and right now that's more than many of our fellow Texans have.”
Comments