2021 Texas Winter Storm Tips from a dude in an apartment

I'm just explaining how I'm doing in the Texas Winter Storm of 2021. I'm including tips and tricks that I have used to stay nice and safe if anything like this happens to you. I have seen so many people in my community really suffer and if I can offer one thing to help people then my video is a success.
I'm in the Austin, Texas area (Pflugerville) and live in an apartment. I don't have a fireplace, grill or gas appliances. I also didn't have electricity or water. What did I do?!?!?! It's in the video and it's all simple. Biggest problem is the length of the days and boredom but that's nothing. I'm healthy and relaxed.
Stay safe,
Tom
Example Ham Radio chatter that I mentioned in the video:
• 2021 Texas Winter Stor...

[@laser31415]

Wisconsin here, there has been a couple of winters that my city has had us keep the water running (pencil thick stream) for a week or more. It helps keep the water and sewer lines from freezing and bursting. On the rare occasion when they we have to do this they just bill you what your bill was the previous year instead of what the meter reads. I am much better prepared for power outage in the winter than I am for it going out in the summer. There is a great video out there Canada Ice Storm of 1998 that should be a must watch for everyone in the more northern states showing how bad bad can get. I appreciate your video.

[@christimartin8512]

As to your “TMI” suggestions for urination, for women, in a no-water emergency, the shower drain works better than the sink. Just squat and go. You don’t normally brush your teeth in the shower, so it’s more hygienic.

[@lizcarter6938]

This is obviously WAY after the fact. I have watched every video I could find regarding the experiences on the Texas Freeze. I am in the Nevada Desert and like Texas we are not built for the extreme cold. I guess I would consider myself a prepper and that started after watching news footage of Hurricane Katrina. There was one video I saw ONE time... Never on repeat like so many news stations show the SAME story over and over.... this one was only shown ONCE. A young lady had just given birth (less than a week ago) she had to evacuate in a hurry with no diapers, no formula etc. She was at the stadium and we all know what a tragic, chaotic mess that was! She said her baby was no longer waking up and crying to be fed. I am convinced that poor baby lost it's life due to starvation in the Shhhhh*t show that followed the hurricane. I made the decision right then after watching that interview that I would never leave the well being of myself or my child to anyone but ME! That being said I feel I am much more prepared than most but never as prepared as I would like to be. Watching everyone's videos I was AMAZED and just shaking my head at some of the decisions people were making. Being in an apartment you can not have enough fire extinguishers, The stupidity of some was off the charts! IF a fire had broken out there was no way for the fire dept to respond on the icy roads, no water due to frozen pipes it would and could have very easily turned tragic for soo many!! People were desperate to stay warm and making poor decisions. I even went back and asked some what changes they had made to be better prepared and many said they sadly hadn't made any more preparations they would be in the same boat again. WOW talk about not learning ........ SMH I am a MAJOR fan of Ryobi cordless items, Fan (ok not needed for a freeze but I'm in the desert in the summer it's a life saver) The 150 watt power inverter that runs on the 4 amp hour batteries, (I have quite a few and purchase more every year during Ryobi days at home depot) Ran lights, charged my grandkids handheld Nintendo Switches, charged the phones, AND was able to heat up a bottle with a small electric bottle warmer and also run the sound machine the kids are used to having when sleeping. Amazing how LOUD it is when everything is silent lol yeah think about that one! I got the grandkids sleeping bags and a small dome tent that can go in the living room floor to help contain the heat and allow them to stay warm and sleep better. A butane stove for cooking it was crazy how there was a warning this was coming I know NO ONE EXPECTED the extent it turned into being but people still ran to the store for bottles of water and when it was out one said they paid over $20 for 4-1 liter bottles of water at a gas station. WHAT?!?!?! I saw NO ONE go into the home section of their walmart and purchase a 5 gallon reusable water jug and go to the machine and fill it up. OR the 5 gallon buckets that are food grade under $5 and that could have been filled with drinking water. Saw some taking and breaking apart furniture to burn in the fireplace they had tried to get bundles of wood but it was all sold out. At Tractor supply and stores like them they sell compressed firewood bricks they are SOOOO cheap and easy to store for emergencies (they take up much less space than the bundles of firewood do). Buddy heaters are awesome, moving blankets from harbor freight to hang over sliding glass doors or large windows to help block out the cold drafts. Hind sight is always 20/20 but to have so many respond with they had NOT done anything to prepare in case of something similar happening again was just stupidity in MY eyes!!! So easy to use or repurpose things you already have at home. Taking a plastic laundry soap container and putting water in it and storing under each sink to use just for hand washing. I made it a point to get the lights that look like a light switch and put them up in the obvious spots because it's just automatic to flick the light switch 20 times even when you know the power is out. This results in you KNOWING where the light is and it can't be misplaced. I only gift my adult children prepping items now for Christmas and birthdays, they are old enough now that they need to be prepared in their own homes for situations beyond their control. sorry for the long comment, I too like to talk lol

[@sageduff4747]

Im not a prepper, but have started buying things to be more prepared since the storm. I’m in DFW area. I had gas and water, but no power. To keep warm, I layered clothing and wore a hat inside. I created a tent structure in front of my fireplace so I was warm when sleeping. I closed the seams on my exterior doors and windows with painters tape. And covered stairwell with a painter’s tarp to keep the air from rising from level where I wanted it. I had an issue with the air being extremely dry, so I simmered water on the stove to act as a humidifier. My BIL, a plumber in Midwest, recommended a slow but steady stream on the faucets. Almost all of mine are on exterior walls. One froze and busted, but rest were ok. The temp in the house dropped into 30’s on lowest level, so it could’ve been worse.

[@TyraC-vg7di]

Yep you nerded out but I really appreciate that. I'm hoping to get to that level at some point. I'm starting my ham technician class tomorrow, hoping to take the test in a few weeks. Also hoping they drop the cost of the GMRS license soon. I will apply for that license as soon as the cost drops to $35. Thanks for sharing your perspective as an apartment dweller. I'm in the north in an all electric apartment so the probability of experiencing a power outage is high. I've been watching all kinds of people talk about their tips from Texas but they all live in big houses or homesteads. Any suggestions on how to maintain power for longer periods of time? Happy belated birthday!

[@tombraselton]

That's excellent! Best of luck on your test! Let me know how you did, please. As for additional power? I did hear one person running a generator. Optionally, you could get an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). That could keep a computer running a couple of hours or charge a laptop a couple of times. Not really for a refrigerator or anything. While the power was out, I never opened the fridge again to keep in the cold. It worked out as my ice cubes were still in tact. Thanks for the birthday wishes as well!!!!

[@robertchambers5821]

Monitor 146.520 simplex frequency. This will give you great local coverage. We have simplex nets once a week with net control noting stations he communicates with from each location. This is in anticipation of the repeaters going down. Stay safe. 8P6RC

[@tombraselton]

Thanks, Robert! Great addition. That call frequency is certainly in my scan list. The repeater that I listened to also gave a simplex frequency (147.430) to monitor every three hours in the event it went down. Luckily it stayed up the entire time.

[@spencerkamdyn5980]

i realize Im kinda randomly asking but does anyone know a good site to watch newly released movies online ?

[@arianares5014]

@Spencer Kamdyn flixportal xD

[@spencerkamdyn5980]

@Arian Ares thank you, I signed up and it seems like a nice service =) I really appreciate it !!

[@arianares5014]

@Spencer Kamdyn Glad I could help :)