four days without electrical services or heat. Word of Warning! I live in an over 55 community. When the power went out about 9 the night of the storm, we were abandoned by the personnel who normally run the place. People were in need of oxygen and were placed in hallways where generator power kept light in the halls and the elevators running. 2 days later, the personnel did a scant check on things and made calls for service. We did not get any for another 2 days.
What worked: An old Pepsi-Cola ice chest. Stocked with ice, it saved ALL of my food. Others in the building were told to pool their food into a communal soup and other meals, but the people working it wanted donations. By the 3rd day, they had run out with over 100 people in the building. The rich people up on the hill who have individual cottages came down after they heard there was food and wanted to be served by what the others had cooked. They were thrown out! Used "canned heat" with a burner holder to make breakfast each day of Turkey bacon and an egg. An Old drip coffee maker for coffee worked! A few Candles, etc. for some hours at night, I highly recommend "COAST" lanterns, it lasted on 4 "C" batteries the entire period and is still good. I had an Emerson radio that ran on 4 Double "A" batteries that lasted also.
A lot of people left the building to go with relatives because it was too cold inside. GAMES came in handy to pass time. Phones were dead, cable TV according to some in the building was still out even after restoration. I don't have cable. Drove a car out to see how bad it was. Many homes smashed, trees down, Power polls pulled out the concrete sidewalks and thrown into the street with all power lines attached. People just hanging outside of homes, garages open, no food, no heat, no help. 4 days! Area: Montgomery County, Pennsylvania