I've just got a BAD feeling about today and tomorrow here in NYC - I don't trust ConEd to keep the lights on - sigh

Tossed an extra set of CR123s in my EDC bag, and extra battery pack for my HTs, and filled the camelback bladder, which I rarely do. I always carry a 20 Oz bottle of water - but today I wanted the extra whatever amount it is..

Last night, I gathered up the flashlights, reminded my wife where they were, put the extra batteries with them (and discovered that my son broke 2 of my minimags - including the one with the LED head (grumble))

Follow your feelings, prepare and be ready!
(and keep us informed!)

This afternoon I decided to go for a walk to get out of that "conditioned air" office, my eyes were watering and blurry, and I just needed a break. I stepped out into the warm breeze blowing down Broadway and took a stroll. Nearly an hour later, I had covered a big loop around three city blocks, stopped and had two slices of pizza and a small coke, and enjoyed the scenery, as many of the females today must've decided that less is more. When I got back to the office, I felt refreshed and invigorated, and ended one of my better days at this particular assignment.

Once you've been through a Baghdad summer, stateside is a cakewalk. Yeah, there's a little humidity, but the breeze still felt cool on my skin. That never happened in Iraq last summer, never. Walking in the heat there wasn't just uncomfortable, it was painful. Sitting in our connex boxes at night when the power went out, or the bunkers if things got bad, is misery.

Still, I am going to keep my water bottles handy. I do not yet feel it is time for the camelbak, but it is here with me if I decide it is warranted.

I am looking forward to the fall here.

RE Not ready for the camelback

There are 2 main reasons I went with the camelback - the first is it's cheaper than bottled water - and I already carry "Too much stuff", so a full camelback is no big deal, and free. The second is memories of the summer 2002 (or was it 2003?) blackout here in NYC. I got lucky - I was on the subway, but my train was in the station - Times Square in fact. Now, I live in about as far north eastern Queens as you can get - from Times Square, it's a 12 mile+ walk. Not one to sit around (even if I am massivley overweight), I set out for home. About 2-4 miles int the walk, in Queensboro Plaza, I stopped for a bottle of water, and a lifesaver (yes, I carry a 20 Oz bottle EVERY day). LOTS of folks wanted to know where I got the water. About 1/2 mile further (31st and Northern), I got to refill my water bottle, as a NICE company had opened their building front hose bibs. Then I got luck again, as I was walking away, I met my neighbors from my old hose, and they told me that they had called, and were about to get a lift, if we could get to 31st and Broadway.

My theory on this is - if we black out, there is a REAL good chance I've got a 14 mile hump in front of me, with the temps about 100 degs (I know quite a few folks who did that). That camelback will come in REAL handy

We had a small power surge here about 5:00pm - came close to losing it - I can tell - HVAC kicked out, computers all rebooted, and lost lights for a couple of seconds

The BAD news, I HAD four 12volt 7Ah gel Cells - turns out the power strip they were on failed, and they have discharged till dead - grumble. Means I have to lug the 90Ah if I get called out - which I would do anyway

My back is having a bad feeling too... I've been humping people up and down the stairs since monday with 103 fevers and hypotension. Why? According to some economics unknown to me $25 fan or $150 AC is more expensive than a $1000 (at least) ambulance ride.

I'm glad somebody is thinking of being proactive. I salute guys like you who take time out of their busy lives and do the right thing by being prepared. Stay cool my friend we only got few more days to go.

Matt,
Thank YOU guys - not an easy job (and you don't want to carry ME up/down stairs). On top of all us, I do voluntier work - if power goes down, I expect to be out on a ARC ERV or a SA canteen

Con Ed is reporting "many" customers without power. I called in to report low voltage (104), and they said that voltage had been cut 8%...

Can you say "hairy edge"?

We have all the lights off in the house, and have cut back to almost no AC - just 2 on, and they are the smallest ones - 90+ in the house right now. About to power down the PC - see you tomorrow

Sweet light... 104 on a wall outlet? I bet every computer in your region was feeling the pain. That isn't the hairy edge, that's the scary edge.

Matt, Pete, and everyone else, take care of yourselves and just remember that it should be over in a few days. And then a few weeks of more normal temps, but I don't think we are out of the woods quite yet.

That majorly sucks.
I'm soooooooooooo glad i don't have ConED up here.
national grid seems to be fairly well on the ball