Power outage at my school!

Today, while I was at school, the power went. I was in the library which has *NO* windows, and thus became pitch black. Everyone was pulling out their cell phones trying to see what was going on by their backlit displays (note: this really doesn't work), meanwhile I whip out my terralux'd minimag (I know, I'm waiting to get some brighter lights) and illuminate a good portion of the small library. I ended up standing at the entrance, as per the request of the librarians, and guided everyone out of the library into the rest of the school, where it was brighter.

Would you believe that the library had absolutely no hardwired emergency lighting, and not even a flashlight or two?

This definately made my day as it was the first time I have used by EDC in any practical situation outside of my home.

The symptoms of a flashaholic - my hands were shaking with excitement after the fact. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

-Brad

Glad you had fun /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Tell me, what grade are you in? Im in 7th.

Hi Mags.

I'm just finishing up High School - Grade 12.

P.S. I hope you too have the good fortune of a power outage at your school.

Hi Mags.

I'm just finishing up High School - Grade 12.

P.S. I hope you too have the good fortune of a power outage at your school. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Sounds like a safety violation at the school to me...

Good job.

Good job, Brad!

You can always spot a flashaholic during a power outage; just follow the bright light and the big grin! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif

Thanks everyone! Now I can't wait to get some good lights to REALLY impress those non-flashaholics by lighting up the entire room.

BatteryCharger, you're probably right, quite likely this IS a safety violation. I heard the library staff talking afterwards about how they should have some sort of emergency lighting, whether they be hardwired or *just* flashlights.

-Brad

The Fire Inspector was at work today checking our emergency lighting, and where I am flashlight's don't count. .

Nice work. At minimum the librarians should have a few cheap flashlights around just in case. There are some Energizer 2D lights that are $8.95 at Walgreens including two alkaline D cells, that have a blinking LED that makes it easy to find the light in the dark. They could get a couple of those and mount them on the wall behind the checkout counter or something. That should be enough to guide people out of the library.

Walking around by the light of a cellphone screen actually DOES work once you're dark adapted. Dark adapted vision is an amazing thing--it needs incredibly little light. But it takes at least a full minute of acclimatization to start working (and much longer to be completely effective), and I think most people wouldn't have wanted to wait that long.

I'm waiting for next power outage wherever I am (home/office/on the road/whatever).... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

So far the only light of mine that's actually been used in an emergency scenario is my E1e, and back then it didn't even have the LED upgrade. It's surprising how much light that little beast puts out! A particularly heavy rainstorm knocked out power for a few minutes that night and it sure was good to have the E1e.

The rest of the lights have been used in routine 'dark' situations, looking for stuff, looking in dark corners, looking at cables, fixing stuff, but hardly anything pressing.

Congratulations on actually being able to make a difference. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif cell phone lights just don't cut it, yes, believe it or not I have used them before.

Yep, it's great to have a light handy when there's an outtage

I remember during the construction of our school, we would have the lights go out every once in a while. I used an Inova Micro keychain light; pretty strong for it's size. It needs new batteries now though.

Too bad, now my school has the biggest UPS system (Uninterruptable Power Supply) that I've seen and a large diesel generator but some teachers still have flashlights (Cheap Everready 2Ds) as a backup

nice going, Bradlee!

last saturday the main lights went off in the office , on my first day there. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I immediately deployed the belt light (sharper image 1x123) , and later gracefully transitioned to the inova x5 (carried in knapsack). ok, it wasn't total darkness, but still.......... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/party.gif

btw, both lights I mentioned were purchased second-hand, via cpf's B/S/T section.

watt4, they must have known you were comming /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif. I hope I end up working somewhere that I can wear a flashlight on my belt!

Yuandrew, I agree, the Inova microlight is remarkably bright for its size, however I stopped carrying mine since the switch would accidentily get activated and drain a set of $5.00 batteries. Even so, I'm surprised you don't hear very much about them, as many use photon keychain lights.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/party.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Good job!


Maybe that'll happen to me some day as well! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Update: The school is installing emergency lighting in the library this comming week. (Unfortunately /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif for me)