Don't Use a Gas Generator for Emergencies!

For years I have preached the hazards of using a gas generator for emergency power. Now, unfortunately, there are many thousands of people in Florida and many islands in the Caribbean who could have used this important information.

The hazards are obvious; Noise, smelly exhaust, pollution, dangers associated with handling and storing gas, carbon monoxide poisoning, and the safety of your family because of predators.

I don't have time to go into all of the stories I have heard and read about the myriad of problems associated with using generators. Many people think they need an expensive gas generator to survive an extended power outage during or after a hurricane or similar disaster.

People are dying in Florida!

A few minutes ago I received a phone call on my toll-free line from Bob who resides in Florida. He told me that people are dying in Florida because of generators. I haven't done a search on media sites to confirm his story, but it always happens: Carbon monoxide poisoning, fires because of spilled fuel on a hot generator, and a host of other reasons.

Bob also told me that the noise and fumes from generators operating all nite has caused some neighbors in Florida to go to a motel just to get some sleep. Hey, gas generators are not only a huge safety hazard, they are expensive to operate and repair and often it is a hassle just finding gas! There is another way...

USE SOLAR!

A small solar panel with a deep-cycle battery with a 12 volt fan and a small 12 volt florescent light will get you by in an emergency. Get a larger panel and another battery and you can operate a special 6 cubic foot refrigerator too! No, not the one you have, but a special one invented by NASA: The SunDanzer.

If you want to continue this discussion (until I can put more on this blog) please read the articles I wrote that are listed on this page: http://vegastrailer.com/newsite/Solar_Living.html
Though I am not a writer, some of the information in these articles is critical for you to understand for the safety of your family! Please take the time to read these ways that solar can make life better during and after an emergency or disaster.

If you want to study more about using photovoltaics instead of gas generators you can find a lot of information put together on the Florida Solar Energy Center site. The fifteen articles are in the fifth group on the page, so scan down a little after the page opens. Bill Young has been trying to get the word out for many years as well. Though not as exhaustive, my articles look at solar for emergencies in a little different way than the FSEC: http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/pvt/Resources/publications/pubs3.htm

Please research it a bit. Isn't the safety of your family worth it? Wouldn't it be wiser to invest your hard earned money in quiet, reliable solar energy for emergencies? And, unlike generators, you can use them all the time to save a little bit of your energy bill too!

Call me.

If you want to order solar panels or the SunDanzer refrigerator please call me on our toll-free line: 1-800-640-0766. Feel free to call me just to ask questions or tell me a story or two as Bob did.

On the anniversary of the terrible 9-11 disaster, my thoughts and prayers go out to the many millions of people who are being affected by the many hurricanes of this season. As I write this, Hurricane Ivan is bearing down on many areas of the Caribbean. It is my hope that the little bit of information I put on this blog and on other pages can help you and your family during the stressful situations that emergencies and disasters usually create. God Bless! Your friend,

Michael Little