Also in Syracuse for that, it was like camping... but in your own house.. with people stealing from grocery stores... and live downed power lines everywhere

I still have traumatic memories of driving over power lines because there was no other option.

At the time, my wife and I were living in Camillus right next to a power substation, so we had power by morning. The other side of the street did not. And continued not to have power for a full week.

The apartment complex was, essentially, a brick bunker. We didn't suffer much. Our friends who'd just moved into an old Victorian house near the university, on the other hand, had a less good time of it. When we realized the extent of the damage we immediately went over and brought them back to our place.

It was on the way there that we really got a sense of how bad it was. Three full city blocks and only two trees still standing. Cars were smashed everywhere. And of course, the power lines. It's a minor miracle the city didn't burn down.

Oh wait, no it isn't. That requires dry weather.