I suspect there are many people in the area hit by Irene who would feel very lucky to have a "...petrol-fed generator..." available.
I recall being surprised ahwile back at reading a FEMA blurb on disaster preparaitions that suggested people have a "manual can opener". I should know better by now, but it still boggles my mind that people get so dependent on electical conveniences that they can't even open a can when the power goes off.
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"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas any more."
-Dorothy, in The Wizard of Oz