The link below is in regard to a 93 yr old man who froze to death after an electric company put a "limiter" on his electricity. The man was evidently not told how to reset it, or probably that it was even installed. IMO, when shutting down utilities can put someone's life in danger in extreme weather, they should never be shut off.

The man was a WW II vet that most likely put his life on the line, and to die in this manner is something I can't understand.

http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2009/01/bay_city_raises_electric_rates.html

               / Promethius / Enigma / Wolfen /

"A man who has no skills can be taught, a man who has no honor has nothing."

Human nature and compassion in its finest form. NOT!!!

IMO, it should never ever happen. Here in our province we have hydro (electricity) and gas (heat). I need both in the winter to run my furnace. There are so many similar circumstances where people face this problem and the power/gas companies just don't care. Corporate greed at its finest. There are some places that will not cut your power/gas if the temperature is cold. By the power company's actions, they deliberately put this man's life in danger, and therefore should be held accountable.

It should never happen to anyone, especially a vet. I should contact the city and have the power company's management come here. Along with my SAR team we can take them into the mountains here during winter, where my team can show them what it's like to live with no heat or power. We can see if they will survive.

I knew a 70 year old woman that lived in the apt below me, she couldn't afford to keep her apt warm so she would run the hot water and stay in the bathroom. Eventually the water bill was too expensive. In the end she was forced to move out, her social security money just wasn't able to keep up. She wouldn't tell me where she was going, but none of her kids ever came to help. I suspect she ended up in a shelter, then probably a care facility, but nobody would tell me anything.

Many utilities do have programs that are available for ppl in these situations, the federal gov't (and several organizations) does have aid programs available as well. But none of these companies or organizations are proactive about looking for ppl in bad situations, and they sure don't ask the question before they start cutting people off.