COLLIN COUNTY, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Some North Texans have spent so much time without power outages, they have resorted to living in their cars.
It was a frustrating struggle to stay warm.
RELATED: Dallas and Fort Worth FDI cancel courses in next 2 days due to widespread power outages, winter weather
There have been warnings about short and temporary power outages in neighborhoods to handle the overwhelming demand, but some say they have been caught off guard by how long they have been denied electricity.
“I wear several layers of clothing to keep my body warm,” said Clint Cash, a Collin County resident.
The 44-year-old lives in Nevada.
He is packed and leaves the bitter cold in his car parked outside his house.
“About 5:30, from 5:30 to 6 last night, the electricity was turned off,” he said.
Clint Cash lives in his car during a power outage. (credit: Clint Cash)
Cash is one of many northern Texans who have no power in their homes due to continuous interruptions.
He said his house darkened on Sunday afternoon.
RELATED: Oncor says it is responding to 2 emergencies regarding the reactivation of electricity
“I think maybe he came back around seven-thirty and then I went back down. I tried to stay in my bed, but it’s hard to eat a lot of things, because I took microwave meals that I had bought in case I got stuck and couldn’t use the microwave, ”he said.
These microwave tables are now stored in the snow.
Cash says the streets around his country house are dangerous.
So for now, he feels more comfortable using the heat from his vehicle, which is parked in an open area, to stay warm.
“It was very cold and of course I caught a cold, but honestly I slept in all my clothes, about what I’m wearing now I slept. I take it minute by minute every day. I don’t intend to drive, “he said.
Also, cash cannot use the blood pressure device you use at night to monitor a heart condition.
However, try to stay positive and warm.
“It is miserable, but it is not the end of the world. We can take it, “he said.
MORE: Bitter cold, combined with power outages, has caused northern Texan resources
For now, Cash and others like him rely on their vehicles, fireplaces or lots of extra layers of clothing to stay warm until power returns.