Northeast Blackout 20 years ago tomorrow Aug 14, 2... - Page 2

Snowpuppy · ‎03-09-2010

Oh, I remember it well in 2003.

I worked in a high rise office building. We lost power at work and I hiked down the steps. All the traffic lights were out.

DS and I had a meeting place at the library in an emergency after 9/11 if anything like that happened again.

I was listening to the radio on the interstate heading home. Power out as far north as Toronto. I passed by cars on the interstate, drivers stranded, out of gas. Truly surreal.

Power was out for 3 days. No water at home as the city pump stations were out. Good thing we had bottled water and a 50 gal gas hot water tank.

CalminHeart · ‎03-09-2010

It's been 3 years since a huge derecho hit - 140+ mph winds and a huge storm. Many were without power for 2 weeks. Luckily, I got mine back in 5 days. But the damage to homes, trees, and fields was massive. It took 243 person-hours to clean up just my back yard and then I had to wait 4 months for the tree service to finish fixing the trees.

Eileen in Virginia · ‎08-25-2010

I also remember the 2003 blackout. We were visiting my in-laws in North Jersey and had just dropped DS off at their house before going to the hotel where DH and I were staying. We were about halfway back to the hotel when the traffic lights went out (it was in the afternoon). I couldn't believe the chaos that ensued on the roads. It was as though they'd never encountered traffic lights going out before. We made it back to the hotel safely and confirmed that the in-laws and our son were okay. I don't remember how long it lasted, but things got back to normal before we went home. Luckily, the power was back when we got home, too.

ruthbe · ‎05-05-2016

when I saw the head line I was going to mention if anyone remembers the big one in the east coast in the 60's? I was a little girl in Syracuse. As a kid we had fun...camped out in the living room. I'm guessing not so fun for my parents.

ID2 · ‎06-25-2012

Yes, it was in 2003. It was a few months before my mom died.

"Pure Michigan"

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

I remember it. Just 20 years? Feels longer.

debfau · ‎03-25-2010

I do remember it well as I was on an airplane from DC to Toronto and we had to circle the Great Lake up there several times, they finally let our plane land and sent a bus out to me us to bring us back to terminal - no one knew what happened until we got into Terminal.

Worst thing was I was staying out in burbs and trying to get there, shared a taxi with someone else and once I got to hotel, management was using flashlights to show people to their rooms. On the second day out there I was able to get through to Expedia and get transferred to a hotel in Toronto itself (which had power back, but suburbs were still going to be a day or two).

Oh, my reason for going to Toronto - co-worker was getting married so 10 of us from office went to show our support (my former co-worker is now one of the co-owners of Georgetown Cupcake).

I am still oxox · ‎03-09-2010

I am the OP and I knew it was 2003 not sure why I wrote 2004. I remember the blackout of 65 I was in 5th grade and the one in 77, it was Summer and I was working for a day camp and lost my job since I did not show up, we lived on the 17th floor I was not going to walk down and possibly up 17 floors in the dark.

Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and start being positive what could go right.

docsgirl · ‎03-09-2010

@Zaimee wrote:
@felixmom @docsgirl

I remember the 1965 blackout in NYC. I was also in 8th grade in junior high school (JHS 185) in Queens, NYC!

I remember reading a book, Death Be Not Proud, by candlelight.

And, my father worked in Manhatten in the garment center and had to stay overnight since the elevator and subways stopped working.

Zaimee, my dad also worked in the garment district. I wonder if they knew each other. That's where my parents met. Do you recall if there was a mass transit strike in addition to the blackout or was the blackout the reason the subways didn't run? All I can recall is that my poor dad walked all the way home in the pitch dark and my mom and I feared for his safety. I do believe Death Be Not Proud was required reading back then.

Mj12 · ‎03-09-2010

I remember it, 2003. I was working in midtown and we walked down 33 flights. I called my Mom on her cell and we met up. Trains weren't running so we made our way to the ferry on the west side. Stopped at the Intrepid and a nice guard gave us 2 bottles of water. It was so hot out and we stood in line for a ferry to NJ until 1am. Made it to Weehawken then we took an exhorbitant cab ride home, got home around 3am.