Hi folks. Just a quick check in from NJ. My family is fine, power was just restored tonight, and we were able to make due with our preps and a little help in between. Being inland and higher elevation saved us from the worst, but still plenty of wind damage, downed trees and wires. The one thing I had not counted on or adequately planned for was interruption of the fuel supply. The fuel supply I had stocked-up went quickly between the generator, vehicle and sharing with friends and neighbors, and even under ideal times one cannot simply load up a 55 gallon drum and drive to the local gas station to refill. Also, once again, I found myself under-supplied for propane and without a generator, but that's all been resolved.

Some things that might not have made mainstream news:

* Over 80% of the residents of NJ were without power
* Business and government buildings that have power have setup charging stations for phones and laptops
* Phone, internet and cable TV was out in many areas
* Cell phone service, particularly from AT&T, has been unreliable in most of the region due to overloading and damaged towers.
* All 3 oil refineries AND the major gas/diesel pipeline from the Gulf to northern NJ were shutdown causing major fuel shortages north of I-195.
* The average wait time for gas is 2 hours with a 1 vehicle/2 can limit.
* Fights and even small riots have occurred at many gas stations over people trying to cut in line or not get as much fuel as they wanted.
* Police have been posted at all gas stations and rationing is in effect throughout NNJ.
* Generators and 5-gallon gas cans are selling for as much as 4X their value on Craigslist and on the street. And they are selling.
* Much of the NJ coastline from Atlantic City up to Sandy Hook has been decimated.
* Boats and houses were pushed as much as a mile inland and deposited in the middle of highways.
* Some barrier islands were nearly scrubbed clean of houses.
* Entire communities were burned to their foundations by fires from ruptured natural gas lines
* A new inlet was formed in Mantoloking, NJ
* Storm surge up the Hackensack River breached the containment berm flooding the towns of Moonachie and Little Ferry
* Thousands of families will need to find new homes, at least temporarily. It is likely that some will not be able to rebuild because of permanent geographical changes to the shoreline and barrier islands.
* Perishable and frozen foods are scarce, as well as the typical French Toast staples, diapers, baby formula, etc...
* Looting is occurring in many of the devastated areas. Looters have actually been going into evacuation zones in boats to avoid roadblocks and patrols.
* Many towns have implemented a strict 6PM curfew
* FEMA and Red Cross response has not reached all of the heavily hit areas, particularly in the central coast areas. Our Jeep club just did a relief run delivering several trailer loads of fuel, water, clothing and food, and at one stop we were the first outsiders to offer any assistance.
* Military vehicles will be used as polling places on election day where normal polling centers are unusable.
* I found nothing to substantiate the reports of "bodies floating in the water." Typical causes of death are impact by falling trees, contact with live, downed wires, carbon monoxide poisoning and traffic accidents. There is one isolated report of two young children being swept away in storm surge after leaving a disabled vehicle.

Things are starting to improve, at least inland from the coast. One of the smaller refineries has restarted and about 1/3 of the pipeline has resumed flow. Tankers of fuel are starting to arrive from out of state. Truckloads of generators, gas cans, water, propane, etc are making their appearance. And the outpouring of assistance from other parts of the country is making its way slowly to the people in need. But for folks on the coast, it is going to take more than a generator and a warm jacket to recover.

I'll post up more when I can. For now I'm going to take a long, hot shower, change into some clean clothes and try to get some sleep before heading out on another relief run tomorrow.