Many thanks for the after-action reports, folks. We were unaffected here in South Carolina, but it was a good learning experience still.

How does the saying go? "The smart man learns from his experiences. The wise man learns from the experiences of others".

I will now be adding backup batteries to the EDC items in my briefcase. I've had a SureFire E2e and a small AM/FM radio on hand every day since 9/11, but have never packed spare batteries. Seeing all those hardy New Yorkers hiking home, I thought about adding a one-liter Platypus water carrier to my briefcase. It folds flat, weighs about an ounce, but would add good extra water capacity for a situation.

Seeing and hearing about purchases made during the blackout at hardware & convenience stores, I suspect that having cash on hand proved worthwhile to quite a few people.