This morning I made coffee for my brother-in-law before he started a long commute into New York City, then set out breakfast for my two nieces and sister, who were all sleeping in our guest room.
Scenarios like this are being played out in homes up and down the East Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. As millions of people remain without power, there’s only so long people can remain camped out in their homes with no heat or lights.
But there’s another utility whose absence is causing huge problems, albeit on a less life-threatening level: Internet.
After breakfast, I fired up my laptop and logged in to work. My house was fortunate enough to have the trifecta intact — power, water and internet — and I can work from home. Some houses are missing the first two (and by extension the third), while others have power but no connectivity.
No Internet is a huge problem for high school seniors who are working to complete their college applications by the looming deadline, and for students whose schools are actually posting assignments during the extended break. Some with closed offices in New York City are trying to work from home. Others just want as much information as they can get on what the situation is.
Towns are sending out Facebook updates and texts on where to go to get gas, and what time to come to the police station or local school to charge devices. But you need need power and you need to be online to access that information.
The homes and spare bedrooms of friends and family have become safe havens for those in need of a shower and an outlet to charge up. For many it’s the first opportunity to watch a newscast and see video of the devastation Sandy left in her wake.
While my extended family cooked dinner, my niece was busy at work at the kitchen desk filling out her applications. She and her sister couldn’t wait to plug in their iPad and laptop and catch up with their friends. Mashable co-worker Todd Wasserman, who lives south of me and was equally as lucky in terms of power, wound up with a houseful of people too.
Some Mashable staffers without Wi-Fi walked dozens of blocks to work in the apartments of connected co-workers. And we’ve heard stories of this happening all over.
Tell us your story. Did you pack up and go to someone’s house in search of power to charge devices and connect to the Internet? Did you take in a digital refugee? Let us know by taking the poll below.
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How are you connecting after Sandy?
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The Aftermath of Superstorm Sandy
Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/11/01/digital-refugees-internet/
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