I live in the "Holler" in WV. Whenever the power goes off we are usually the last ones to get it turned back on. I have had a few 2 week stretches without power, so I did something about it.

First I switched to propane fuel(along with a wood burner for emergencies only). I then went with the ventless propane wall mounted heaters, and I also ordered the propane lights and put one on the wall above every heater. I also purchased a generator and bought the kit that switches them to propane fuel. I had a friend who is pretty mechanical do the adjustment to my generator that needed done so that my generator works on propane.

I went as far as putting in a Direct TV satellite.

So now when the power goes off my place becomes the party pad. It is as if the power never went out. The best thing is all this did not cost very much money.

I wish you the best and hope your power comes back on soon. Tom.

Sounds like you got a heck of a set up. My in laws in Southern Illinois have a natural gas generator that automatically kicks on when the power goes out. I think (and don't quote me on this) it's 20,000 watts?? it's for a whole house, runs everything. My MIL has a stair lift and other medical eqiupment so power is pretty important to have for them.

A neighbor that lived back in the woods had no power up here. No phone either. He was a old fellow, dead now by his own hand,and most said not too friendly, although I talked to him from time to time when I would see him walking the roads (he hunted grouse in the mornings and so did I). He had a propane generator and that thing ran his whole house. But the way he explained it.. and I could be wrong as he never let you in his house.. was it was a "on demand" generator. The way he explained it to me, you turn a switch and the light "will" come on after the generator starts. He had a propane refrigerator from a motor home,I knew that. And gas lights in the house, and heated with wood. He also had a satellite dish, his own well and septic, he was kind of off the grid you might say. Strange old dude. Never knew how to take him....

Actually the set up I have is very simple and actually inexpensive. I have less than $2,000 in the whole set up. And that includes all the heaters in the house(3), all the propane lights(3), The generator and the propane kit to run the generator, and all the wiring needed. However I did have a good friend do the work for me.

I looked into one of the whole house generators, but they were way to expensive for me.

You really do not need a big generator. All I run on the generator is my refrigerator, TV, and a light or two. Everything else runs on the propane. However you do need to keep the propane tank full. Tom.

Well I went by the power company this morning and they told me they were putting 100 men on my line sat morning and hopefully I would have power by sunday afternoon. I sure hope so. He said there are 56 broken poles between my house and the substation. Its only 4 miles. I know on thing, I am putting 2 plak heaters in my house this summer and getting a gas hot water heater to. Have you ever tried taking a shower in 40 degree water. That sucks. We have had ice storms before and been out of power for a few days, but nothing like this. They have crews here from all over the country. I have seen trucks from ILL, LA, NC, AL, TX,GA and COL. They told me today that the people that live out in the boonies might take 2 months to get there power restored. I live in a rural part of Arkansas there are no big hotels around here and there transporting the men 75 miles by greyhound buses to hotels for them to stay at and then bringing them back the next morning. Thats got to be miserable. Maybe I can go do some shooting this weekend after I get the trees and limbs cut up in my yard.