Here, in the North Georgia Mountains, our homes are total electric unless an owner or a builder chooses to have a propane gas tank installed (usually for the purpose of gas logs in the fireplace and possibly an occasional gas connection in the kitchen).
I found that when I came to live full time in the mountains, the security of having heat was a major priority so that I would not have to worry about whatever mother nature might deliver during
the winter months. I knew that I did not want to rely solely on total electric in an area that is sure to get its share of snow and power outages. So, I had a propane gas tank installed in addition to my wood burning fireplace and wood burning stove! See, I was a bit of a freak about making sure there was heat. Now, let me just stop right here and say- I despise propane gas tanks. They are ugly and I am petrified of them because I'm so afraid they will explode. Well, that "was" mostly in my head because as for the ugly tank, you can now have them buried and no longer have to look at the unsightly thing (see what I mean) and as for them exploding; extremely slim chance of that happening (there would have to be a gas leak of course). Still, when my tank was first installed, I was very uneasy.
Now, I am a Georgia native and I know the mountains better than most but I must admit, there was an occurrence in the Georgia Mountains that I had never heard of or experienced. Until...!!! I had my gas tank installed (what timing!) I was awakened that very night (tank was installed that day) to a shaking bed. I thought I was dreaming but no, my bed was really moving. I looked at my cocker spaniel and she was on all fours, stiff as a board. She didn't blink an eye or even glance my way, tail tucked between her legs, her body was not moving even when I called her. She looked like she was frozen and as if a shaking bed wasn't alarming enough, wait until you see your dog that way.
I jumped out of bed and felt the floor moving below my feet. I have a grandfather clock that hadn't chimed in over 20 years at that time and the clock was chiming like crazy. I immediately thought the propane tank was about to blow and launch me and my dog into orbit - "Houston, we have a problem!" I figured I had no time to get out of the house since there was a "whole lotta' shakin' goin' on" but I would have to try or at least get ready for take-off... 10, 9, 8 ... and then the shaking stopped almost as quickly as it started. There was an eerie silence that followed and then it hit me - we had just had an earthquake in North Georgia! What! An earthquake in North Georgia! Who would ever believe me when I tell them the story? As it turned out, the earthquake (or perhaps more accurately called an earth tremor - it was an earthquake to me) had been felt in Atlanta, Alabama and as far away as Missouri. Unbelieveably incredible, and for those who remember the Twilight Zone, that's exactly how it felt. Also, people reported their pets acted strangely and the most common reaction that I heard from pet owners was their dog barked and ran around in a frenzy, even cats acted funny.
Here I am a Georgia native and had never heard of tremors in North Georgia. The next day, several of the locals told me that we get a pretty good shake in this area about every ten years. Well, who knew! If I recall correctly, the earthquake originated in Alabama (4.6 Magnitude, April 29, 2003).
| Remarks | Slight damage (VI) at Fort Payne, Gaylesville and Valley Head. Felt (V) at Bryant, Cedar Bluff, Collinsville, Flat Rock, Fyffe, Geraldine, Henagar, Higdon, Ider, Leesburg, Mentone, Rainsville and Sylvania. Felt in parts of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. |
Remarks above copied from the United States Geological Survey - Alabama Quake, April 29, 2003
The unsightly tank that I so despise for it's ugliness held it's own during the quake and I no longer have the fear I once had of the tank. I guess I don't even worry about tremors, because there was another one in April 2004 and I don't even remember it. I must have slept through that one. It seems laughable to me now, but at the time, it was quite an experience.
More info:
- Slight earthquake causes disaster... on February 20th, 1914, earthquake shocks were felt throughout the Southern Apalachian Region: Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama
- South Carolina - another earthquake on September 22, 1914
- Georgia earthquake March 5, 1914
- Earthquake Safety Tips
- history of earthquakes in Alabama
Donna Yates, Georgia Realtor with Mountain Investments of North Georgia located in Blue Ridge. Primarily serving the North Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains, assisting home buyers and sellers nationwide. Thinking about a move to North Georgia? Looking for a Buyer's Agent in Blue Ridge - Contact Donna at 706-633-0644 cell or donna@ellijay.com
See great Georgia mountain homes for sale: www.move2northgeorgia.net (includes western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee)
Edited 2/11/08
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Donna, I would never have thought of a quake in your area although I know they've said New York has had tremors. I was in Beverly Hills during the Northridge quake--I didn't even realize what was happening. It is terrifying!
Carole: It was quite an experience in the middle of the night and if I hadn't had the propane tank installed that day, I guess I would have had a little more sense about what was going on. It's funny now when I think about it.
Sounds very scary! When we lived in California, I remember being parked in a TacoBell parking lot with my two babies and I thought a war-protester was shaking my car (it would be the first time I was threatened during the Vietnam war, when driving a car with a Navy Officer's sticker on it while my husband was at sea). I was so relieved, when it turned out to be an earthquake!
Margaret: That time in our country was an unnerving time for sure. I can only imagine what you must have felt. I think, under the circumstances, I would have been relieved too, that it was an earthquake. Thank you for your comment.
Donna, when I lived in San Diego, "tremors" were almost an everyday occurrance. I can imagine how it must have felt to be in Georgia where that almost never happens. I could just picture your dog in my mind! Musta scared both of you pretty good.
Terry: I have never been to California and I've wondered what it is really like out there with the tremors. My imagination ran away with me that night and I was actually relieved it was a tremor and not my tank blowing sky high. Thank you for your comment.
Ha ha Donna! I feel the same way about propane. But then I have to think, when was the last time you heard of a propane tank exploding? As for So. CA? I can remember the tremors being hard enough to open kitchen cabinets and shake all the dishes out! I also remember our tether ball swing round the pole all by itself. But living there you get used to it. Unfortunately when the big one comes people wont be paying attention, not that theres much time, but enough to get out of buildings. Good luck with your propane!
Terry: You are right, I don't know if there has ever been a tank to explode but probably somewhere at sometime but again it would have to be a gas leak. I think it would be not knowing when the big one comes that would be difficult to live with. But then, there's plenty in life that we don't know so I guess it's just a matter of what we get used to. Good talking to you again.
Great post, I can just imagine your terror after just having the propane bomb installed. We've had propane all our lives, I can remeber playing king or should I say Queen of the tank and shoving my brothers off of the top of it. It was always base in the game of chase at the birthday parties. I don't know how you lived without one for so long! lol
I'm a fanatic about heat also that's why we have a monster heat machine on top of the hill. We have to feed the monster twice a day.
Bonnie
TheHomeInspectorsWife
Bonnie: I can't imagine playing on top of a propane tank. You know, I bet there is some group out there that I should belong to for help with my propane fobia! I like that you called it the propane bomb. I've never had to have propane gas until I moved to the mountains but now I hardly give it a thought anymore.
I know the worry that you have, we had a cabin that had a propane tank and when we camp there it scared me to no end! Our cabin was on Mt. Saint Helens, you might remember that mountain. It decided to blow before the propane tank did!
Todd: Mt. Saint Helens!!! and a propane tank, what a combo! I think I would have been more worried about the mountain though. Since the mountain blew before the tank, you've help me become less fearful of my tank. I'm wondering after the mountain blew, where is your cabin now?
Donna, this was a very interesting story and quite well written. I'm sorry I'm late to the party, I just discovered this. At any rate, I know what you mean. I too was awakened early one morning by just this sort of thing and also in a location which is only seldom affected by quakes or tremors. My first waking thought was that my dog had somehow gotten beneath the bed (he couldn't -- he was too big) and was trying to stand up. My first action was to jump from the bed and run to the living room where I saw the window treatments doing a hula for the world to see. A few moments later all was quite and still except my heart rate and temperament. I went back to the bed room awakened my husband and told him what had just happened. He said, "Go back to sleep. It was just an earthquake." JUST AN EARTHQUAKE? Are you kidding me? Because he had spent some early adult years living in San Francisco he did have experience I'd never before known with the big EQs. This was the quake which brought down freeway overpasses in Los Angeles. We felt it in our little corner of Arizona where we were then living. It is NOT an experience one forgets.
Yvonne: You are never late to my party dear one. I had to chuckle at the idea that your dog was under the bed and was trying to stand up. You really do imagine all sorts of things when an earthquake happens if you have never experienced one. Isn't it eery how quiet and still it seems after the shaking stops? I love your husband's response LOL I cannot imagine what it was like when that quake hit and brought down the freeway - I was watching it on the news and was just horrified. Thanks for sharing your experience. I really enjoyed reading about it.
Yes Donna, it is weird. I would rather live on solid ground -- thank you! My hubby tells some wild stories about his years on the coast. I'm glad he is through with that. :)
Yvonne: I've always thought Bodega Bay would be such a neat place to live but it's in California and so I worry about the earthquakes. Don't you just love that name, Bodega Bay. Sounds so cool to me. But the real truth is I'm just a Georgia Mountain girl at heart and always will be. I live in a nice cove on a lake in Blue Ridge so I just consider that my Bodega Bay and then maybe I'll only deal with an occassional earthquake every few years. Thanks for your follow-up.