Summary: Storm Busters! - Who ya’ gonna’ call? That’s the question lots of us have about Sandy. Sure, we can go to Weather.com or Ready.gov to get storm information, but once the power goes out, it’s not so easy to stream videos or post pictures on Facebook. And with most folks getting their TV via cable or satellite, local news stories are pretty hard to find, too. That leaves us with that old standby, the transistor radio. Surprisingly, none of the government’s websites lists local radio stations or emergency phone numbers. The closest you can get to a phone listing on the FEMA website are instructions on how to get their monthly preparedness tips via text message. That’s a help. And while we’re on the subject of phones, remember landlines? It used to be that the phone lines would get jammed during a storm. But now that so few people remain on landlines, those lines are clear. If you can find an old-fashioned phone that hooks directly to the wall-jack, not a cordless job with built in caller-id, messaging, and call-waiting. Those need electricity. As we get increasingly high-tech, it takes some low-tech (or mid-tech) equipment to get us out of a jam: radios, landline phones, cars, and maybe a chain saw. And an old-fashioned list of important numbers: police, fire, the power company, and the local Department of Public Works. New Englanders pride themselves on their resourcefulness and readiness. But when things get dicey, it helps to know who to call. Douglas R. Tengdin, CFA Chief Investment Officer Follow me on Twitter @tengdin
