Gas-tastrophe

Early Thursday morning as I made coffee and prepared for the day, I kept track of the temperature outside here in Taos.  It had dropped to minus 20 degrees when I first checked.  The last time I checked it was minus 25 -- yes, that's 25 below zero.

It was an unusual occurrence to be sure.  Record low temperatures here in Taos tend to range in the minus 10 to minus 15 area.  Only a few occasions in the past have there been recorded lows as far below zero as they were on Thursday, February 1.

During breakfast we got a phone message -- we are rarely able to answer our phones while serving what we're so famous for.  The message, from a concerned friend, said something like this:  "All the natural gas in Northern New Mexico has been cut off and you're going to be out of gas soon."

It sounded like a joke at first.  We looked at one another and said, "Really?"  What else, the Zombie's are coming?  We had no context for the words and we had no understanding of what was about to come within a few short hours.

According to the folks from New Mexico Gas Co., somewhere upstream in their production network, gas pumps were being turned on and off by "rolling blackouts" and "brownouts."  Turning these pumps on and off had reduced pressure in the distribution system such that it had become unsafe (or such that it had run out of gas!).

At the end of the distribution network, in other words HERE in Taos and vicinity, the gas could not reach the customers and was being shut off somewhere south of here.

Gas stoves, heaters, and other essential appliances relied upon during dangerously cold weather were now inoperable.  The entire Taos region was suddenly cut off from a basic necessity -- the primary source of residential and commercial heat -- during record low temperatures.

Individuals and businesses were not told about this by New Mexico Gas Co.  Word of mouth was the primary means of communication about the impending gas-tastophre.

As the crisis became apparent, individuals began to panic in Taos.  There were runs on the grocery stores and hardware stores.  People were seeking water and heaters primarily.  As the official response came slowly at first, the word-of-mouth panic spread.  People were told that the power grid was going to go out next, then the water supply would be cut off.  It was pandemonium, frankly.

Here at La Posada de Taos we began the process of assisting our guests with finding alternate accommodations.  Without the ability to take a hot bath or shower, we feel our guests would simply never have the quality of experience they demand and deserve.

We started following advice to conserve electricity by turning off lights and computers, setting electric heaters at the minimum required to heat a room, and by making sure we turned off the lights that adorn our rooftop during the winter.  Thank goodness the power grid hasn't failed yet.

As darkness descended on our town, we posted items on Facebook letting our friends and contacts know that we will be available to assist any way we possibly can.  A few locals called up and booked rooms with us.  We have a couple of small families staying here.

We've taken food to the shelters and we're getting ready to do some more volunteer work.  Fact is that I want to RAGE in this blog about this situation, but I'm simply too busy to think about it.


New Mexico Gas Co isn't off the hook, by the way.  But we're in full crisis mode here in Taos and I'm not going to think any more about stupid people.

Can't spend too much on the computer, by the way.  Can't even really proof this before I post it, but I just wanted everyone to know:  Taos is doing OK for now.  We'll make it because we're a community that knows how to pull together.

If you want to donate some food or other items, please let me know.  I can help arrange that. . .