I think the "life threatening" is referring to the lack of heating oil in some places, shortages of heating oil will be a PITA for those folks up that way. Maybe even "life threatening" for old folks and others who have no other means to heat their homes.

Living elsewhere all my life, I can't imagine no way to heat my home in winter. We have never used heating oil around here, so I'm not sure how that factors into it all, but it's gotta be a mess. FJB.

You can roll a turd in peanuts, dip it in chocolate, and it still ain't no damn Baby Ruth.