After Wilma's punch, the pinch

Such problems are usually averted by the swift restoration of power. As of Thursday morning, local utility FPL had restored electricity to slightly more than 1 million of the 3.2 million of its customers whose power was knocked out by the storm.

But the strength and magnitude of Wilma's winds have overloaded the power companies' ability to quickly respond. Significant damage to transmission lines and power substations stretches from St. Lucie County in the north to Miami-Dade County in the south. But nowhere is the damage more extensive than here in Broward County, officials say. Estimates are that many residents are facing two to three weeks before their power will be restored.

What that means for homeowners with freezers full of thawing food is that they can feast. As their frozen food turns to slush, propane grills are being wheeled out into driveways and fired up to sear all manner of steaks, chops, chicken, and even lobster. On any evening, in any neighborhood, simply follow your nose (except in those neighborhoods with sewer backups).

The manager of an Outback Steakhouse in Sunrise, Fla., invited much of his neighborhood - 14 in all - to his home for a poststorm steak-a-thon.

So did Bob Sausner. He offered steak and soup. "We had to start cooking it because it was starting to thaw out," he says. "Instead of letting it go to waste, we shared it with the neighbors."

Many longtime Floridians say that big storms seem to bring out the best in people. Chappy Coldwell is captain of the 105-foot motor yacht "William I." After riding out the hurricane at his home in Plantation, he needed to check on the yacht and his crew. But fallen trees blocked every road out of his neighborhood.

"I had to chain saw my way out," he says. When his neighbors heard the saw, they came out and helped. "This is a big deal," Captain Coldwell says, holding up his chain saw. "Right now I'm real popular."

Coldwell has another advantage. If conditions at home get too grim from lack of power, he can move the family onto the "William I," which is outfitted with a generator and a well-stocked galley.

Swann says he has enough food and water to last two weeks, but he needs a bag of ice every two days to help keep baby formula fresh. He uses his propane grill to heat water to sterilize baby bottles and prepare formula. But if power isn't restored by this weekend, he says he'll take the family to Atlanta to stay with friends - or buy a generator.

As for Lily, she sleeps through pretty much everything, including her dad being interviewed. Swann's neighbors suggested that they should consider renaming their daughter Wilma.

That won't happen, Swann says. "My wife's pretty content with Lily Rose."

• Material from the Associated Press was used in this story.

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