I expected to hear at least one tale of a brave and prepared soul who led others to safety using nothing more than the Photon II he or she always carries.

Instead, all I hear is tale after tale of people walking through tunnels and down stairwells in complete darkness.

Does that mean that not one person in NYC carries a Photon II? Does that mean people are still as unprepared for emergencies as ever?

Please tell me I'm wrong.

I predict flashlights will replace gas masks as the new haute culture item for next season's fashion must haves. Photon 11 ear rings and tie tacks for that braided black evening paracord tie <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

It simply amazes me how unprepared people are for the unexpected when it's inexpensive to take simple precautions.

Hah there is a lady in my office who wears an Arc light around her neck. Everyone asks questions about it and talks behind her back how crazy she is. Since it kind off stands out next to her id card. I asked her about it because I have the same one. So we chatted for a while, I showed her my psk, fak and set of lights (arc, m6 and inova). She became a superstar in the office after lights went out. People went thru two wtc bombings, snow storms, heat waves and they are still unprepared. What will it take, nuclear blast?

Hi Craig - from what I saw, most people still don't carry anything. My snippet was from an aboveground subway stop - it was daylight, but the stairwell down was pitch black (something like six stories high). If I was to guesstimate, about 1 out of 10 people had a keychain light, Photon-size or thereabouts. I had an Arc LSH, so I was shining my light from the bottom of one stairwell/escalator to the top of the next one, and another guy walked by me and posted himself at the top of next stairwell and guided people down with light. That was totally spontaneous, I have no idea who that guy was, but he took on the role to help out because he had a flashlight.
So yeah, at least some people have them - and soon a lot more will. I have several friends looking to add some flashlights to their purses/pockets now.
Dave

I think part of it stems from faulty reasoning. If you believe the lights could go out, then they will.

If you don't feel like carrying one, you rationalize your unpreparedness by thinking, ah, the lights won't go out but if they do, they'll be back on in a jiffy.

If you carry a flashlight, then you believe the lights may go out. If you don't carry one, then you don't think the lights will go out, but that person who is carrying one believes in the frailty of the system.

People don't like seeing the system's potential shakiness manifested by anyone's being prepared. To them, it seems as though they are unprepared and that makes them nervous, which they act upon by joking about or making light of the prepared person.

I don't know if I've explained my thoughts clearly here, but I sure have experience with that sort of mindset. Grin.

I love how people prepare AFTER something happens.

When I was in the Boy Scouts (a long time ago in a galaxy...well you know) the meaning of "Be Prepared" was drilled into us.

The concept of not being prepared was kind of humiliating. It showed a lack of planning and foresight on your part. I usually felt as though I had failed in some way.

The kid who did not plan was odd man out. Now that I'm an adult, that seems to have turned around.

people just think that nothing can happen to them. SO they are un-prepared. Uncle sam is gonna help us if something happends, in there mind.

It's funny on how being prepaired is so unfashionable.That is until the prepaired One comes through in a tight spot.I get the same jeers from friends or coworkers.But when I pull out exactly the thing they need most they are most apreciative. One time a coworker tore his pants open in a rather embarassing location. <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> he was all smiles when I pulled from my wallet a needle and thread...

-Like buying a bike light, vest and helmet after crashing
-Like buying radar detector after speeding ticket (kinda)
-Like putting your seatbelts on after a ticket (kinda)
-Like buying the flashlight after the blackout
-Like buying a Personal Floatation device after near drowning
-Like getting a tetnus shot after you went tar surfing on your bike
-Like taking malaria pills after comming back from the trip
-Like putting sun screen lotion on after you got burned
-Like changing and checking engine oil after you got hit with overhaul bill
-Like using anti conception pills and condoms after you got pregnant


I'm too tired to write more...

Matt

NYC 911 and EMS radios went down for 30 minutes when power went out. And they kept going out for the rest of the night. Uncle Sam couldn't get fuel to generators and ambulances because nobody knew where everyone is. Anyway even if uncle sam was ready to take care of all the unprepared I will do my part and ease the load by being ready.

Matt

Would an ARC AAA and an ARC LS count? I was in the subway when the power went out - Got lucky, the train was in the station. I helped folks out of the station with my ARC LS. The AAA is on my keys, but I figured I'd be better off with the LS

Bravo! That is truely what it takes for a society to be prepared! It isn't enough to realize our individual needs for preparedness - we also need to look around and see what impact we can have individually on the level of societal preparedness!

Firstly, be individually prepared - that will ease the load on the overall society in every case

Secondly, As possible / reasonable help others by shining your preparedness light in the stairwell of surprise and fear when the unexpected becomes reality. This may be the light of reason and education shared over coffee at work while discussing the recent news or it may be the light of your innova X5 lighting the path out of a subway and providing an example for others to pick-up on the value of helping others with your personal preparations. Who knows if the other-guy would have bothered to help others if you hadn't. Perhaps he would have used his little light to get home without waiting for others to be helped by shining it down the stair.

I applaud all who bothered to use their preparations for the general good rather than holing themselves up with their own.

It is too bad that there are so many in need of so much so often. It is great that there are some - like those who frequent this forum - who are well enough prepared to offer so much to so many when the need arises!

thats what i used to try to tell people, but it is a waste of tme... they think i'm paranoid or something. Wenn i said that thing on mine keychain was a led light, after someone asked what it was, she replies: oh, just in case the world ends.... ( in a sacastic way )

Sure, they count! Excellent.

Seems as though we humans specialize in closing the barn door only after the cow runs out.

I guess being prepared is close to being a nerd, or maybe Boy Scout-mindedness is passe. Anyway, no one wants to be compared to a nerd. My preparedness must be well known now. Whenever something happens, I usually hear, "Go ask Craig, he'll have one."

I agree with you entirely. I simply don't understand reasoning like that. Yes, the Fed will help or at least try, but they are not omnipotent. They cannot be everywhere and do everything. Only Superman can. Grin.

My outlook is more like, okay, help is probably on the way or it's being organized. Until some help arrives or the situation resolves itself, I'm on my own.

Carrying a Photon II, which I always do, may become moot if the trend toward cell phones with built-in flashlights continues. BTW you can use a cell phone's illuminated screen as an emergency light. My Nokia gives off a barely usable light if I keep on hitting a button every minute. This is enough light in very dark rooms or stuck in an elevator.

Some cell phones are bright. The people in the movie theater at the end of the row I was in Sunday sure had a bright one <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I saw the Nokia with the built in LED light and thought it was a great idea. I believe that this would cost the manufacturers pennies to incorporate into all phones.


Chris

yeah, i get the same, ask steve, he might know how to fix it/he might have something to help.......

its ok the first time but then when people start to depend on you for the solution it starts to [censored] me off. what happens if you're on your own? people who borrow stuff don't think to themselves, "that's a useful gadget, i might get one myselfe for next time" what they think is "that guy's a bit weird, but i know he's got a set of pliers(gerber multi tool) in his bag..."
had a refit of our building recently, most of the lights apper to have battery backup, enough to get us out if the power go's down.
still got a torch thou

I find everyone depends on me for one things: analgesics.

As I get headaches every day, I carry a multitude of pain killers. From Exedrin to Motrin to prescription stuff, I usually have a lot on me. I don't mind sharing.

I always feel better when I can help someone alleviate their own headache.

Other than that, the things people ask to borrow the most are a flashlight (to see behind/under desks) or pliers (to deal with recalcitrant network cables, etc.).

My loaner light is my Princeton Tec 20. As for the pliers, people smile when I hand them my Leatherman Wave. They love having an excuse to use/play with one.

I beg to differ.

You may not always have your cell phone on you, like maybe if you dash off to the men's room. I always have my Arc flashlight AAA with me, however.

Carry a Photon II, moot? Never! But then again, I'm a Photon fan.

I wouldn't trust any light on a cell phone. Don't trust cell phone batteries. And the light from my cell's screen is not enough to light anything but the screen.

Craig:

I think that the idea of carrying a flashlight and/or a cell phone with a light are both good ones.

You, as someone with a survival mindset, will go out of the way to carry a dedicated light.

The general public, on the other hand, may not. In today's society it is, however, likely that a person will make the effort to carry a cell phone while out and about. It may not be the best solution from a technical standpoint but a mediocre light is better than no light.

My $.02

Chris

They were using their cell phone in the theater, and you let them LIVE? Just kidding ... sort of ...

Well I knew that at one point some theaters were trying to install jammers but got scared of possible law suit that 911 calls could have not been made if needed. I didn't really follow up on that matter so don't know how it went.

Matt

Part of the problem is that many people think that bad things happen to other people only. Many people also think that in a social community someone should offer a helping hand if things go wrong. They simply forget that there´ll be no helping hand to reach if everbody relys on somebody else.
By being prepared and helping when it´s needed we may even make this worse <img src="images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />. I´ll rather risk that than being caught without my preparation.

That's all I aim to do: Be ready. I want to be prepared enough to take care of myself until things return to "normal" (whatever normal is, these days).

I wrote too hastily. I meant the general public won't need Photon II''s if phones with built-in lights catches on.

I EDC an ARC LS, ARC AAA and a Photon II on my keychain. I rarely use the Photon, and never count it toward the lights I carry because I consider it my last ditch, final backup, which I'll always have with me. My greatest fear, after 9/11, is being trapped under building rubble in complete darkness.

If I bought a cell phone/flashlight combo, I'd probably stop carrying either the ARC LS or ARC AAA depending on the situation.

I'm a big Photon fan too, and BTW, I sleep with an ARC AAA clipped to my shorts.

I had my EDC Mag lites in my pocket, I was tempted to do a "my light is brighter than yours" and shine it at their phone.

Well, you're one up on me, because I don't sleep with anything clipped to my shorts!

I don't like combination gadgets because if one implement malfunctions, and you take the thing in for repairs, you can't take in just the part that failed. You must turn in the whole piece.

Speaking of cell phones, I got a Nokia 6200 last week and was surprised to find that it had an FM radio. I carry a radio in my camelbak in the car, but having one in the cell phone is nice.

On another note I first learned to always carry a flashlight about 20 years ago after a "routine" three hour rock climb turned into a 14 hour epic. After summitting under patchy cloud covered moonlight, we used the light on my watch to get off the peak. It was hairy.