It’s time for a generator

The windstorms have come and gone and life is beginning to return to normal. But it was a tough few days. Two things really stood out about this experience. On Thursday, when all power was off throughout our city and not a single traffic light was working, it was heartening to see how considerate and safely everyone drove. Every motorist was cautious, polite and waited their turn to proceed through the intersections. At Foothill and Gould, it seemed as if traffic actually flowed more smoothly than when the signals are working.

The other thing, which should be a wake-up call to everyone, is how utterly dependent we are on the electricity working. How many people lost everything in their refrigerators and freezers? How many don’t want to go through another stint of sitting for hours in a dark house trying to read a book by candlelight because there’s no TV? How many have electronic-ignition water heaters and ended up taking cold showers?

And this was only a few days. Think what it’s going to be like when we have The Big One earthquake and the power is off for weeks, maybe even a month. I have an old generator, but it gave up the ghost and quit the first night. Woe was me! Time to invest in a new generator. As should you.

Trent Sanders

La Cañada Flintridge