Retrospective: Winter Storm 2021

We went almost 48 hours without power and then 5 days without running water during the winter storm that messed with Texas. On the worst night, it got down to 6°F (-14°C) outside which translated into 48°F (9°C) inside our house in southwest Austin, TX and that was cozy compared to our neighbors’ situations. We were spared from any major damage to our house and got back up to speed rather quickly, but I’ve been reflecting on how we managed to get through the storm relatively fine. So, I wanted to do a proper disaster retrospective: what we did right, what we did wrong, and what investments we need to make.

What we did right

• Two nights before the worst part of the storm hit Austin, we got food to eat within the next few days, food to freeze and water. I also bought extra dog food and treats.
• Speaking of water, I think it’s important to note that I was purposeful with my water prep: Bottled water was for drinking as well as brushing teeth and since I have issues with dehydration, I make sure to pick up electrolyte water too. Jugs of water and water stored in food-safe vessels was for cooking. Water in the tub was used for cleaning. And in this unique-to-the-South case, melted snow was used as wastewater. By assigning a purpose for each type of water, I knew how much to buy or store instead of just guessing (and most likely underestimating) how much we’d actually need.
• I charged multiple battery banks and gathered all of our lanterns and candles, a mix of big candles and many tea lights. We spent as much time as we wanted on our phones and surprisingly only depleted one of the banks in the two days without power. I started cooking around 3pm so that I wasn’t cooking in the dark and we ate by candlelight. To conserve the lanterns’ battery, we only used them when we washed the dishes and washing up before bed. We also happened to have a light that could be recharged by the battery bank, so we used it in our bedroom while we did puzzles or reading.
• I filled many large containers with snow — I even put a trash bag in a plastic laundry hamper to put snow in it. Heaps of snow doesn’t make as much water as you think and you need a few gallons of wastewater handy. By collecting it before we even lost running water, it had thawed in time for when we actually needed it. This was important because there could’ve been a gas outage at any minute and melting snow on its own takes a while. We always had the toilet tank filled for a proper flush with another few gallons ready for the next flush (yes I know it takes less water to just pour water in the bowl, but I didn’t feel like doing that).

• Alex wrapped all of the outdoor spigots and put foam insulators on top; he also put an insulator on the exposed pipe connected to our washer. We put a steady drip on all indoor faucets and opened the cabinets underneath the sinks. Thankfully our sink and washer are not on an exterior wall and since we recently renovated the bathrooms, we had the benefit of new pipes. We also had a pipe burst during that renovation (worst Halloween ever), so we knew exactly where the water main was and had the tool to turn it off.
• When we lost running water, we turned off the water main and flushed all of the pipes. We ended up helping many of our neighbors with turning off their water. When our neighborhood finally got water back, Alex turned it back on slowly while I was in the house checking for possible leaks.
• After we lost power, we unplugged every device. We’ve had devices get fried when power comes back on after an outage (even with surge protectors), so it was better to be safe than sorry.
• Wore two layers of clothes and made sure to wear socks (which I rarely wear). Alex insisted I change my socks if they got wet from being in the snow and we got a tip to not put on socks when your feet are damp. Since we visit Alex’s family in Philadelphia and upstate NY frequently, I already had snow gear: a proper heavy jacket, down gloves, snow boots, multiple ear warmers, etc.
• Rolled towels and put them at every door and window. We also covered the windows in our bedroom with plastic. Alex put pillows and a yoga mat behind the piano which is in front of a large window.

• Had lots of blankets that we piled on the bed. We learned that the down blanket should go on top; it’s not as effective underneath other layers.
• Not that we were going anywhere, but our cars had enough gas in case we needed to leave.
• Lastly, we had our grill and smoker ready along with a half cord of firewood. Thankfully it never came down to that, so we were happy to give wood to friends and neighbors who needed it.

What we did wrong

• We didn’t prepare Ollie for inches of snow and ice. He had a warm jacket, but no protection for his paws.

• We didn’t buy proper ice melting salt and should’ve cleared the sidewalks the morning after the first snow. Regular kosher salt and baking soda worked just fine for de-icing the sidewalks.
• We didn’t put enough protection on our recently planted trees and herbs. We especially should’ve taken better care of the lime tree which already suffered a huge blow from the freeze a few weeks prior.
• All of our disaster prep items were in different places (battery packs, candles, lanterns, matches, etc). Although we were fine, I should’ve checked the status of them in advance — are they empty? not working? etc.
• We forgot our coffee grinder was electric and we no longer have a hand grinder, so Alex ground his coffee beans (which he buys in bulk and roasts every few days) with a molcajete. (Yes we also have instant coffee, but I use that more for baking.)

• I delayed filling a prescription, thinking that I could fill it after the storm. I didn’t anticipate the pharmacies being closed. Thankfully 1) a local pharmacy was open, 2) I just happened to have an actual slip I could bring them, and 3) it was a commonly stocked medicine, so it turned out ok.
• We ran out of fresh produce and going to the store wasn’t an option for us. I’m not a fan of canned veggies and our frozen veggies turned to mush, so we had a few days without food that could provide necessary nutrients and fiber.
• Although I knew to fill the tub, I didn’t properly bleach and sanitize the tub first, so it limited our options for the water. (Accidentally boiled pasta with the tub water and it smelled of soap lol)
• And lastly, we didn’t have a bug out bag ready.

On a more serious note, the main thing we did wrong was trust the government/utilities company. We got a text at 2am on Monday that we would only have an outage for under 40 minutes, so we went back to sleep. By the time we woke up and realized we still didn’t have power, our food in the fridge was past its safety point. We were able to salvage the freezer items and put them in our trusty Yeti coolers, but I know now to immediately transfer fridge items regardless of what we’re told.

We kept hearing about ‘rotating outages’, so we waited for another text saying that it was someone else’s turn. After almost 15 hours without power, we got a follow-up email from the electric company that said the outages were “lasting longer than expected.” They didn’t explain what was going on. It was only through the news that we learned the severity of the power outage. The whole grid was about to collapse and it would’ve taken too much power to turn ours back on and turn somebody else’s off, so they just kept ours off. The lack of communication and transparency from the electric company was frustrating.

I no longer had confidence in the utilities companies. The minute I saw a nearby neighborhood had low water pressure, I immediately started boiling lots of pots of water, topped off the tub and took a shower. We woke up to low water pressure and hours later, had no water at all. And the crazy thing is that the water company said there’d be no disruptions; that didn’t age well.

What I also did wrong was not make my friends and neighbors take this storm seriously and prepare better. Thankfully I’m in a few groups that discuss weather throughout the state of Texas, so I had an idea of what was coming. But I was shocked the news/government didn’t make a bigger deal out of this. Then again, even the group that oversees Texas’ energy grid didn’t think it was a big deal, spending less than a minute in an almost 3-hour meeting on the incoming winter storm.

I asked Alex if I should text friends and politely suggest they buy food or fill up their tub, but I didn’t want to seem overbearing. Snow in the South barely lasts a day and I was sure they could get by with a day or two of the major roads being shut down due to ice. I thought I was overreacting by doing some prep, but apparently I wasn’t. As I posted updates on my Instagram stories throughout the whole ordeal, people seemed impressed by how “well-prepared” we were and I don’t know that I like that. It’s weird feeling embarrassed about preparing and then feeling guilty for being prepared. I should’ve been a better friend and neighbor by insisting they do even the smallest preparations like knowing how to shut off your water. I’m trying not to be too hard on myself…

Investments we need to make

• We were planning on renovating our kitchen later this year, but we’re now prioritizing updating our windows. They are single paned and over 30 years old. We could see the cold air seep through the window cracks. The condensation on the window behind the piano refroze causing the curtains to get iced over. Thank goodness we put some sort of barrier between the window and the piano. If we don’t get the windows updated before the next winter storm, then I know to put bubble wrap over the windows to act as an insulator. We will also update our deck, add more gutters and get our roof inspected again.
• Although the battery packs were great, we should get a proper generator. My parents have generously offered to give one to me (and my siblings) as a Christmas gift. Our generator was a lifesaver during hurricanes in Louisiana, so I missed having one during the storm. With hurricane season supposedly starting earlier this year, we may need it sooner than later.
• Switch to battery powered candles over traditional candles.
• Buy wire structures to put on the young trees so that the weight of the snow or ice don’t topple the tree.

• Buy a camp stove, a fire safe kettle and handwarmers. I’ve heard about small propane heaters, but I’m not comfortable with them in the house.
• Buy a simple hand-powered coffee grinder or remember to buy pre-ground coffee. We’re bougie and if it’s freezing in the house, then yes, I’d like the comfort of high quality coffee over instant. And can’t forget to have powdered creamer on hand. The non-fat powdered milk wasn’t cutting it.
• Remember to buy more frozen fruits and veggies, produce that doesn’t need to be refrigerated, and if that doesn’t work, look into supplements. I’ve been thinking about trying Kencko out, so this may be a good excuse.
• Start training Ollie to wear shoes. This will also be helpful in the summer when the pavement is too hot even at night.
• Assemble a bug out bag. Put it and other disaster prep items in one easy-to-access location.

Image from Hayleycakes and Cookies

As I’ve seen on various memes and cookies, I’m ready for precedented times. But I hope reflecting on this unprecedented event will help me be better prepared for the next inevitable disaster. What did you do right or wrong during the winter storm and what are you going to do differently next time? What does your disaster preparation look like?