My exciting time during the blackout!

adymarie

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Hi everyone. I will just be online long enough to update you with the situation in Toronto as we are experiencing rolling blackouts still. I was on the subway when the blackout occurred. Trust me, that was not a fun place to be (I am slightly claustrophobic). We were stuck underground for 45 minutes before they decided to evacuate us. We had a long walk to the surface. At that time, there were no shuttle buses so I had to walk between stations until I got to a bus route I could take home. It was very hot and humid. Fortunately the direction I was going (after climbing up to get out of the subway) was all downhill. The bus actually came fairly quickly and was very crowded. It was slow going to get home due to all of the traffic lights being out. In spite of everything, people were in good spirits. Our subway driver was even telling jokes over the loud speaker to keep us calm. He tried to start a round of 99 Bottles of Beer on the wall, but it didn't gain momentum. After 2.5 hours I arrived home. I couldn't even call my hubby as the phones were out - he was a little worried as he knew I would have been in the subway when the power cut off. We spent that evening in the basement trying to keep cool and we got power back about 6:30 Friday. As most of the city was without power and the transit trains weren't working, I had the day off work. We were just trying to keep cool, as they are asking people not to run their A/C until full power is restored. They now say the problem originated in Ohio. I hope this never happens again. We will still be affected here in Toronto for at least the next 2-3 days.

I just wanted to let everyone know I am ok and I hope everyone else affected (LDG, Christy, Sherral to name a few) are also ok. I will catch up with you next week.
 

mzjazz2u

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I'm glad your safe at home. Sounds like qute the ordeal! And good for you for trying to conserve by not running your air! They are going through the same thing in Detroit, as far as the rolling blackouts. I'd go nuts if I didn't have power for that long. But this has made me think and I'm going to be putting together an emergency kit with things like flashlights, candles, water, battery run fan, ready to eat, non perishable foods etc.
 

sammie5

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Ady, I am glad you are ok. I heard about people in the subway, and was very happy that I live and work in the same building. I stayed home until I knew that the traffic lights were all working again. I was in the Toronto subway just once when the power went off, and it was really really scary, as well as hot and humid. I didn't think I would be able to breathe!!!

And I was very frustrated that our "rolling blackout" started just three hours after we got power back. But at least we are all stable here today - in Hamilton - the blackouts ended at about midnight. So today, I finally dared to put the AC on again. I was having trouble breathing with the hot humid air. And I am also thankful that our water system survived well - the reservoir held up nicely, and its almost all gravity fed, so we had few problems with water pressure. I feel really sorry for the folks who had no water, or who had to boil water. That is kind of difficult with no power, I would guess.

Now I want a battery operated house.
 
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adymarie

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We have to start thinking along clean power lines - solar, wind, etc.

Just wanted to mention that you should avoid using candles in a blackout - Toronto firefighters had to respond to many calls. They are pushing for flashlights, because you can never be sure with candles.

Sammie - I am glad everything is getting back to normal for you. We had to turn on the air this morning - we were so hot. We have not made the temperature as cold as normal trying to conserve. It really makes me angry that Toronto City Hall was ablaze with lights at 2 am this morning - they should be trying to conserve as well!
 

sammie5

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Gah! Do you get the impression that Mayor Mel is just about hopeless as a leader in this situation? I heard a couple of his press conferences, and the IMO and the emeergency response team kept having to correct him on important facts.

I was really pleased to see that at the grocery store, they were running about half the lights they normally use. Of course, after throwing out all of their frozen food, dairy, meat and fish, they had about half the product to sell as well.

And as for candles; we had a fire in town, someone had lit a candle, then went out, and their cat knocked it over. Safety, anyone? How stupid can some people be????

And to the people who are asking how could this have happened? I say, its simple. The demand for power was much higher than the supply. And because we have moved away from local power sources, a shortage in one place causes a shortage everywhere in the grid.

That's really oversimplified, of course. But local power sources to supplement the big "corporate" power sure would help. As would everyone, including city hall, being more conservation minded.
 

cabbie

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I was one of the "essential" workers who did more hours than usual due to the blackout, I basically worked 24 hours in two days to help ease the backlog of stranded air travellers at our 2 hotels. Must have been 300 people holed up. We did I don't know how many trips to Hamilton Airport.

Getting fuel for our cabs was a challenge that is for sure.... I have never seen such mayhem in my life... I never witnessed 9/11 personally, but the last 2 days here must have been similar, traffic gridlock, 6 block long lineups to get gas, I angered one passenger by suggesting getting beer was not a necessity! LOL LOL. He ended up paying $30 taxi fare to get a 12 pack of beer.
 

mzjazz2u

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Originally posted by adymarie

Just wanted to mention that you should avoid using candles in a blackout - Toronto firefighters had to respond to many calls. They are pushing for flashlights, because you can never be sure with candles.
Very good point indeed! Flashlights generally give better light anyway!
 
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adymarie

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Yes Mel is an idiot and I can't wait for the election in November!

I was off work today as I am not deemed as essential staff - I wonder if I will be off tomorrow as well.
 

mzjazz2u

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Originally posted by adymarie
Yes Mel is an idiot and I can't wait for the election in November!

I was off work today as I am not deemed as essential staff - I wonder if I will be off tomorrow as well.
Do they still pay you? (I hope)
 
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