Danny Martin, originally of Quispamsis, N.B., now lives outside Houston, Texas. He and another Canadian helped people without power and burst pipes after a devastating snowstorm. (Photo supplied by Danny Martin)
A blast of winter in Texas a week ago caused major problems for a state not used to the impacts of snow, ice and losing power.
Danny Martin, who hails from Quispamsis, N.B., and now lives outside of Houston, had an advantage knowing the perils of a Canadian winter.
Martin said going several days without power is not something anyone expected.
“Once the electricity went, they lost heat and once they lost heat, they couldn’t keep their pipes from freezing in their attics. And then the pipes froze and they burst and when it thaws and the water comes back on, they are spraying water all in the attics of the homes,” Martin said.
Martin said the cold temperatures and power outages led to burst pipes and a lot of damage in people’s homes.
“All the hardware stores have no piping supplies whatsoever, no fittings, nothing to fix your house with. You call a plumber and it’s one to two weeks before they can make it to your house because there is such a huge demand for them they can’t possibly keep up,” Martin said.
Martin and a Canadian friend helped a few people patch up burst pipes.
He said it was hard to find fresh meat and dairy in grocery stores because a lack of power meant they had to throw away perishable food. Power outages also meant restaurant options were severely limited.
Martin drove on major freeways near his home in Berkshire in complete darkness.
Danny Martin’s family got a taste of Canadian winter during a recent storm at their home near Houston, Texas. (photo supplied by Danny Martin)
“For eight miles, there was nothing but complete blackness. It was really creepy. 8 o’clock at night and there’s not a streetlight on. All the signalized intersections aren’t working. They are pitch black,” Martin said.
The power came on and off so many times, Martin said his family created a game where they placed bets on when it might come back.
As of Friday, Martin said the power was restored for most people in the state.
Follow
