Tough question but at times like these it shows what your community is made of.  You have already written about Friendly House and Kiwanis Club and other groups/associations that help people out.  I am sure your community is providing assistance to those who will ask.  The problem is many people don't ask and that's when tragedy can happen.  Deaths in conditions like this usually result from, as you mentioned, using other fuels to burn in portable heaters and risking carbon monoxide poisoning.  Also, fires from these alternative heaters.  In times like these everyone needs to check with their neighbor to see how they are doing and offer to help or provide numbers to where they can get some help.  Let's pray the winds die down and the utilities can get power restored soon.

OMG - that's scary!  how do you keep warm?  I can tell you we've been without power for over 2 weeks after the last hurricane here in Miami, but it wasn't freezing - quite the opposite, it was scorching!  We have a generator and share power with neighbors, but not enough for our A/C....we're thinking of getting a small portable a/c for one room to power it with the generator.

Ines

Ines,

Some people are fortunate to have wood burning stoves.  Even a fireplace would help even though not as efficient of a heat source.  Some people made it to a hardware store early enough to buy one of the generators before they sold out (I'm sure you saw this after the hurricane as well).  Stuff in the refrigerator as well as freezer pretty much had to be thrown away.  Some of the more expensive stuff you put into coolers outside where it is cold.  You just have to be mindful of critters (mice, racoons, etc.) tearing into it.

The two biggest problems are heat and water.  A lot of people just had to abandon their homes for motels and deal with broken water pipes when they return.  Bad deal!

Lucky :)

I can tell you we suffer like crazy here with no power in the Summer - it's like being inside an oven - you can't even sleep and there is no chance to eating anything that needs refrigeration.  But I had not thought of no power in the winter - a totally new perspective for me (not a pleasant one), but thank you anyways.

My inlaws had power out for several days and had to stay in a hotel. Luckily thier water pipes didnt freeze and break, that would of been even more of a mess.  Power is back and running in Cambridge and all is well... another winter survived (Well, lets at least hope its over).