What did you do during the summer blackout of '04?

What did you do during the summer blackout of \'04?

Unfortunately during the blackout of 2004 during the summer, I didnt know about CPF or the other, better flashlights out there. I used m@glights and candles.... I want to cry when I think of all the fun I could have had... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mecry.gif For those who experienced it, did you have fun using your lights and telling your wives, "See, it is useful for something!"? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif When the next blackout comes, I'll be ready. Then nobody in my family will say that my hobby is stupid or useless.

Re: What did you do during the summer blackout of \'04?

I'd love to comment, but I didn't have a black out. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

edit: that's a bad thing /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Re: What did you do during the summer blackout of

hobby stupid or useless? of course it's stupid and useless. So is life itself. It's also great fun...

Anyway, to answer your question, our last extended blackout was from Hurricane Isabel. I guess that was last year, it seems like a long time ago. We were without power for several days. We bought candles and extra batteries after that.

I was always interested in flashlights. But I didn't know this whole world existed until a few months after that, so alas, I too missed this golden opportunity.

Recently we had a power failure and I was just getting my wife to put on a headlamp (she once called it "your lit up pimple on your forehead") when the lights went back on. That was the end of that /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Re: What did you do during the summer blackout of

I was traveling with my family so WE missed it. But a few months earlier I gave a CMG Infinity to an old friend who works in NYC. He EDC'd it that very day and was able to lead his co-workers down 11 flights of stairs in the blackened stairway of an older building. He couldn't thank me enough!

Re: What did you do during the summer blackout of

Our power didn't go out either here in South Jersey. Darn. But I'm ready for next time with 5 Surefires!!

Re: What did you do during the summer blackout of

I was at an Eddie Money concert in Windsor, a personal friend of ours.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
The band played via generators to a faily small turn out..go figure.
Got home and fired up the generator.. Wish then I had EDC'd a light or two, now I have to wait for the next blackout.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif

Re: What did you do during the summer blackout of

I used to work in an old Canadian Tire store with no windows except for at the front. The power grid in that neighbourhood is unstable for whatever reason, so I started carrying a Mini Maglite AA on my belt because the store went pitch black, especially if you were in the back of the store where the light from the front windows couldn't reach. In the summer of '04 I was still working there and still carrying the same Maglite, I had other lights but my Mag was the only one I felt comfortable carrying due to size and the handy pouch I bought for it.

Anyways, when the blackout hit, I was in a sense used to these kinds of things. Leading customers around the store (to the flashlight section /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif ) and getting them out safely. At night I just strapped my Mag 6D to my belt via a loop and carried that. I ended up walking to my girlfriend's house to make sure she was alright (I didn't want to burden the already overtaxed phone system with such a useless call...plus I wanted to walk...with my big flashlight) anyways, I too ended up using Maglites for most of the blackout.

I've bought many more (and better) flashlights, so I'd say I'd probably carry a different light with me when it happens again. As a point of interest, power consumption on the NYC/Ontario grid has actually increased since before the blackout of '04...the power conservation methods taken after the blackout only lasted about a week...sadly people just don't get it...you'll still see huge office buildings at night (after everyone has gone home) with every light on. Keeping some lights on so that planes can see tall buildings is fine, but every light? What a waste...

FYI: I just retired the EDC Mini Maglite AA for a Streamlight JR Luxeon and a Gerber Infinity Ultra /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Re: What did you do during the summer blackout of

There were lots of posts about the blackout at the time and you might enjoy finding them in the archives and reading them.

I was in NYC and the blackout was fun. Not too much serious inconvenience or crime considering the magnitude of the thing, and the whole city slowed down and became more like a small town. There was free food and outdoor barbecues because refrigerators had stopped working and people wanted to use up stuff. All the noise and hustle simply stopped, and at night you could go out and actually see the stars. I had a typical CPF handful of lights and my Arc AAA got the most use. I also had a few of the old Countycomm squeeze lights (the ones from before the current slide switch version) that I gave away, and they were much appreciated.

Re: What did you do during the summer blackout of

Didn't have any blackouts in "04, which was a shame since I want to give my lights a tryout. But ask me what happen to me in "89, though that was way before I found CPF and all these lights.

Re: What did you do during the summer blackout of

Wasn't it 2003?
I just worried about my friends stuck all over NYC. I was at my summer job (architect's office) when the lights went out. The lighted exit signs didn't have any batteries in them. (How ironic, my employer filed the papers for that building and got it to pass inspection)
I didn't carry a light then, but it would been fun playing with my 3D luxIII mod

Re: What did you do during the summer blackout of

I was in Newfoundland with my wife and her family. I missed out on all of the excitement.

Re: What did you do during the summer blackout of

I work for a large grocery firm, and was doing a cooking demonstration. I spent the next several hours alternating between moving product into freezers and escorting customers around the store, so my G2+KL3 came in handy. I had a couple of CMG Infinities that I lent out.

Most of the flashlights the departments in the store had were cheapo Everyready 2D's. Everyone who went to grab them found dead batteries and/or blown bulbs. Until that point I had often been asked why I carried a flashlight, and why it looked so different. Heard a lot of "Wows" that day. Never had to change batteries, either.

We had practice with power outages (the power utility here gives me plenty of flashlight play time), so we knew what to do and at which stages to do it. BTW, yes we did lots of quality control checks on the food to be sure it was safe. I don't take chances with my customers. Fun part is, after loading the last cart of food into the freezer (biigggg freezer) and having room for maybe three more carts, I turned to one of the guys I work with and said, "Well, that was a pain. Now we're done, so... 10, 9, 8..." Got to zero and less than three seconds later the power came on. We hurt ourselves laughing.

Re: What did you do during the summer blackout of

My wife and I were on the Nantucket Clipper, docked at Quebec City. We started hearing mention of the blackout on the satellite radio feed in our cabin. I used my ham HT to hear some local news broadcasts, and heard that "Quebec, as a distinct society, has a distinct power grid" and was thus not affected. So it didn't bother us a bit. Until the next day, flying home through Toronto. Oh boy!... Never got to use a flashlight though. --Bob

Re: What did you do during the summer blackout of

Should'a seen what happened during the last blackout. I was happily soldering up a Luxeon 3 and modding a Mag late in the evening when my mom asked me if there'd been a power outage. Turns out that on the way home, she had to drive through darkened streets - and just when she turned into ours, the street lamps were still lit. The blackout apparently stopped one street before mine.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I'm guessing this was probably a localized outage and it so happened my street may have been on a different substation or different supply grid (by coincidence) and was thus not affected, but maybe they knew..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Re: What did you do during the summer blackout of

Worked all night on the ambulance. FUN FUN FUN. First time I ever got to fully use and love the Pelican M6.

Re: What did you do during the summer blackout of

I mostly walked around the neighborhood enjoying the newly visible stars. I also rode my bike. Amazing how far 12 5mm LEDs throw when it's almost pitch black. I visibly lit up stop signs from half a block away. Given the level of normal nighttime lighting if I'm lucky I can barely notice a small patch of light where the beam meets the pavement 10 feet in front me. Usually the headlight is simply bright enough to be seen and that's about it. It was nice for it to be dark enough to actually need the headlight to see where I was going. I was most definitely in awe at how really dark it was. Car headlights which pretty much blend into the background on a normal night looked like lighthouse beacons. The solar garden lights on my front lawn looked ridiculously bright. I was further amazed that my eyes adjusted well enough to walk just using the starlight. I had no idea stars could seem so bright. Overall it was an amazing experience. Sometimes I wonder now why we waste so much electric lighting up outdoors at night when it's perfectly possible to function without all that light.

Re: What did you do during the summer blackout of

It was 2003 and it was a flashaholic's dream. I acted like a little kid at Christmas. I must have had 7 lights stuffed in my pockets and ended out using them all and lending a few out else(not my Surefire"s).

Re: What did you do during the summer blackout of

i went swimming! haha

Re: What did you do during the summer blackout of

I was taking pictures for my avatar.

Re: What did you do during the summer blackout of

Running around with ARES doing comms support for the Red Cross - in fact was in jtr1962's neighborhood with the canteen the first night (corner of Main and Roosevelt). After midnight doing fire calls with the same unit out in the Rockaways until 6:00am