A large segment of NYC has been without electricity for
days. This is due to POWER PLANT FAILURE.

I've read that aircraft carriers can generate sufficient
power to provide electricity for a small city.
I've also read they are frequently used in disaster zones
for such purposes. Presumably other smaller ships
and barges could also have ON-BOARD power plants and
generators.

CAN FEMA/USNavy SEND SHIPS/BARGES WITH POWER PLANTS TO
DISASTER ZONES LIKE NYC TO *RAPIDLY* MAKE TEMPORARY
ELECTRIC POWER AVAILABLE UNTIL THE EXISTING POWER
PLANTS ARE REPAIRED ?

In terms of FUTURE disaster response - wouldn't
it make sense to have several such POWER PLANT SHIPS
spread along each coast and the great lakes to
RAPIDLY RESPOND to any major blackout resulting
from Disaster-based power plant failures ?

Eg. WHILE the conventional land-based plant is
being FIXED, power could be provided by these ships
(probably within 24-36 hours).

We live in a 14-story building (W. 23rd) that lost power. Since we no longer have water the toilets no longer work and we cannot physically carry enough water up 8 flights to manually flush them. Because people remain in buildings with similar, unsanitary conditions can you tell us why the Department of Health has not declared them unsafe? If we were made to evacuate these unsafe conditions at least insurance would cover the dislocation expenses.

People that have water access and gas access can heat large pots of water to boiling and bring them into the house into a smaller room. The hot water will release heat like a hot water base heater. Keeping the room closed by a blanket will keep in the temperature.

I just wanted to let people know that if they have a landline with dialtone, that they should get an old fashioned dial or princess type phone. Cordless phones with plug-in basesets do not work in a power outage. After all this is behind us go onto ebay to find one and you can stay connected.

Isn't it thermocouple? (not thermocoupling)

With all the reporting about mass transit being out and streets tied up with motor vehicles as usual, not a single word from WNYC about the bikeability of the city. Is this not virtually the same situation as during the transit strike of 1980, when thousands turned to cycling (and walking, of course)? Get on your bikes and ride!