In the past I have volunteered through the local ham radio group to help with things like this. But this was the first time that I've ever seen the National Guard dispatched. They were actually repairing downed power lines. They had a few special groups with old utility company trucks and Huvees that were painted white.
At one point, I saw them come through my neighborhood in a personel carrying style camo humvee, being followed by a New England Cable News minivan.
Luckily I have a wood stove and was only without power for a day and a half, and afterwards without water for a day. Cable TV was out for 2.5 days, so I don't know
if the cable news people were talkin' shit about my neighborhood or not.