Law and order were put on hold, until the army got to us.I'm Canadian, grew up in the area, was living in BC during the ice storm, and returned soon thereafter.
No one I know would describe it this way. I've never heard the ice storm described this way.
Yes, many people were without services for extended periods of time. Yes, the Army was required to clear roads, removed downed trees, and was in play to help calm the public.
Yet "Law and order" on hold, paints a picture I do not believe as accurate. I sounds as if hoodlums and criminals were running rampant in the streets. Can you find any news articles, any info collaborating this, or some variation?
Certainly, I know of many people with snowmobiles, which made trips to get supplies and so forth for neighbours. I also know stories of people sharing, helping their neighbours.
I've been without power for 2 weeks where I live, due to a massive windstorm, and living in a very rural location.
Where I grew up, in the mid/late 1970s, our entire county's substation blew up, when covered with one of the largest snowfalls of the century (snow was literally to the top of telephone poles, I recall my father having to climb out of a second story window, and dig a path so we could get out of the back door and start digging out...).
The storm was already big, but it was coupled with lake effect snow in my area. Needless to say, it took weeks to get power back, clear the roads of 10+ feet of snow, which fell over a few days.
In none of these cases, did everything break down. People just stuck together.
NOTE: I fully agree that eventually, things will break down. If people have no food, and there is no food available, people will ensure they have food.
But none of these events seem quite like this.
Even a city apartment often has more than a week of something to eat. Even if it's old lima beans. :P