After the EMP/Solar Flare/Grid Hack

[Going_Supernova]

This post is not about Faraday Cages. Nor is it for discussing/debating the probabilities of an EMP, Flare, or Grid Hack.

Rather, it is to answer this question, "After a prolonged/indefinite power outage (emphasis on prolonged/indefinite), with many who will need illumination of various sorts, what will you share, distribute, give out, and will you be carrying some sort of bag from which to assist or help others?"

Over the past years, I have given out to family members and friends various lights of great utility. Initially, some laughed at my choice of a gift but they later thanked me after describing how the light I gave them came in handy.

Lately, in pondering this question, I have stocked up on the Nitecore Tube and batteries including rechargeable ones for some other lights I own. I could see myself giving out some Tubes here or there. I have one or two ways to recharge rechargeable batteries.

Honestly, I'm at a loss because with finite resources, the need for illumination at night will literally be infinite. My annual purchases of lights and related items are modest, and I'm ok with that, and perhaps one day I will be able to make purchases that are much more than that.

This post does not even begin to address that us humans cannot live on illumination alone-- a subject for other types of websites no doubt, which I see no need here to discuss.

I'm just narrowing the scope of this inquiry to the possibility of a quickly accessible go-to bag just with modest lights to provide family members, perhaps some neighbors, and some friends in the event of an indefinite or prolonged power outage. I do not have lights/batteries located all in one place for obvious reasons (and yes, I EDC several lights and have a few in my car as well).

So, in the event of an indefinite outage, without getting into geopolitical topics and probabilities of incidents or events, what are your plans ahead of time, if any, to provide illumination?

LOL! Nope! I'm not Santa Claus, or Uncle Sam, I won't be carrying a bagful of lighting goodies to hand out. I'll be lucky to have enough for me and mine.

I have been gifting flashlights to my family members for a few years now, until now I have one child begging me to not gift her anymore flashlights! I probably will keep it up, though, as lights get better and her needs change.

In a prolonged grid-down scenario, the only light I see myself giving out is a brief flash of light, followed by a loud boom and flash, freely given to someone threatening me or my family.

 

[moldyoldy]

bump: just to be complete, here is one more method to shut down an electric grid - graphite filaments across power lines.

These were used in WWII and in both Gulf Wars. very effective.
such a deployment is maybe not likely for the US, but if you live in more combative parts of the world.....check your flashlights - these outages will be long!

edit: to be technically correct, long aluminium foil strips were used in WWII. same effect.

 

[Going_Supernova]

bump: just to be complete, here is one more method to shut down an electric grid - graphite filaments across power lines.

These were used in WWII and in both Gulf Wars. very effective.
such a deployment is maybe not likely for the US, but if you live in more combative parts of the world.....check your flashlights - these outages will be long!

edit: to be technically correct, long aluminium foil strips were used in WWII. same effect.

Today's Mylar balloons equal WWII's aluminum chaff. I recently took a power company safety class at CERT training, and they demo'ed what Mylar balloons do when they contact power lines. They will definitely cause a power outage. Never do balloon releases with Mylar balloons! And be careful holding onto inflated ones--look UP to make sure you don't just "walk" one into an overhead power line, it could be the last thing you ever do.

 

[rjking]

72 hours Grid down Drill starting on November 4.

 

[TinderBox (UK)]

Dark Angle, Jessica Alba, Enough Said.