Transmission & Distribution, a trade ‘zine for the power and electric industry, just released an interesting account of PSE&G’s response to Hurricane Sandy.  The power company is New Jersey’s largest investor-owned power company.

During Sandy’s landfall, many of PSE&G’s substations and switching stations -- often located adjacent to major rivers -- were inundated by the unprecedented storm surge (up to 8ft. in some areas).  Coupled with high winds, downed lines and blown transformers, the storm was the worst in the company’s history.

In the aftermath, over 1.9 million people (NJ has a population of 8.9 million) were without electricity; for some, the outage lasted almost two weeks.  The article gives a comprehensive overview of the logistics necessary for such a massive restoration effort.

Last week we mentioned the deadly coronavirus that’s been making the rounds in the Middle East.  This week we have some unsettling news from the land of pandas...and SARS.

Last month, you might have heard about the thousands of dead pigs found floating in China’s Huangpu river, a 70-mile long tributary that flows through Shanghai.  You probably didn’t hear about the thousands of dead ducks and swans that followed the pigs (it wasn’t reported as widely as the pig story).  Now it’s being reported that several people have contracted the H7N9 strain of avian flu.  At least two people have died.

Foreign Policy’s Laurie Garrett published a great article that asks the fundamental question: are we witnessing the mechanism by which a pandemic is born?  The good news is that an article like this can be written; China is under much greater scrutiny for potential outbreaks since SARS.

Google Street View has captured some amazing images of Namie, Japan. The town was devastated by the 2011 Japanese Tsunami and subsequently evacuated.  Due to the town’s proximity to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, residents are unable to return.

More images on the Google Maps Blog.

If you don’t follow emerging disease trends, you might not be aware of a new deadly virus that’s been puzzling researchers and experts since early September.

The virus is a coronavirus, a type of virus that was brought to worldwide attention with the SARS outbreak in 2002 (SARS is also a coronavirus). According to the WHO, there have been 16 confirmed infections since September, with 10 deaths.  While this 65% fatality rate is troubling to experts studying the outbreak, there are likely many unreported infections (meaning the reported fatality rate is likely higher than the actual rate).

However, the potential for the outbreak to worsen definitely exists.  Helen Branswell of The Canadian Press writes about the potential of “superspreaders” exacerbating transmission of the disease.  Superspreaders - people who don’t exhibit normal transmission trends for a virus and infect many more than average - were the main cause of SARS global spread.  The article notes that the new coronavirus is an RNA virus; RNA viruses tend to mutate rapidly, especially as they remain in the human population.

This new disease warrants monitoring.  You can follow Helen Branswell’s Twitter for more info here: @HelenBranswell.

Sometimes all the preparation in the world can’t prevent the inevitable.  If your family was affected by Hurricane Sandy (or any of the multitude of natural disasters that have occurred recently), you might be interested in this article from Fox Business.  It gives a solid list of tips for renovating your home after a disaster strikes. We’re not contractors, but the advice seems sound and practical, and it’s geared towards preparing for any future emergencies.

Here are the seven tips:

• Repair the basement...better
• Buy a generator
• Strengthen interior walls
• Get rid of poor flooring
• Beef up windows and exterior walls
• Improve your roof
• Take the time to do it right