Scariest Site On the Internet?

Gawker.com called this blog "The Scariest Site On The Internet?" when I posted my best advice for a blackout here as the city melts under this awful heat, and Con Ed can't guarantee power or subway service.

My Best Blackout Advice

With this heat wave already causing blackouts in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, my best advice if you experience one is to fill up your bathtub with water right away! I live on the 12th Floor of our apartment building and in the big blackout of 2003 we soon learned that water gets up to the rooftop water tanks using electric pumps. Once this water supply is gone, you're out of luck and then the only option for draining toilets will be bottled water. As for hygiene, I keep a supply of individually-sealed sanitizing wipes (a variety of brands are available at any drugstore), Purell liquid sanitizer, and also full body wipes (I've purchased these at both EMS and LL Bean but can't find them on their web sites) which are like the hand sanitizing wipes only much larger. For more blackout tips see also: You Need A Phone Like This, Best Lantern Ever, My Favorite Flashlight.

Best Lantern Ever

When I first saw the L.L. Bean Freeplay Rechargeable Crank Lantern in their Spring catalog I immediately ordered two. These units now complement several other lantern/lighting options I've purchased in the past. I believe that the Freeplay is the best and what you might call the pinnacle of my search for emergency lighting solutions. I began years ago with the purchase of emergency candles that were the size of small logs and would supposedly burn for weeks. Then I upgraded to a Coleman 8D Pack-Away Lantern which was good, but I didn't like the fact that it needed eight D batteries to operate. Wandering the aisles of Paragon Sports' camping department I came across the Uco Candle Lantern from Peregrine Outfitters. This is an elegant little device that works for nine hours on a single, small candle. But now if I have to take just one device with me in an emergency, it'll be the Freeplay from L.L. Bean.

You Need A Phone Like This

The most basic land line phone was something I realized we needed after the big blackout of 2003, when all cordless phones became useless. I got this phone on the left at Radio Shack for about $14 soon after. This exact model does not appear to be in stock on their web site but any cheap land line phone that doesn't require an external power source is invaluable when all other phones stop working. Mine is sealed in a Ziploc bag to ensure it stays dry.

My Favorite Flashlight

This Surefire E2L Outdoorsman flashlight never ceases to amaze me. It's small, built like a piece of military hardware and is incredibly powerful. I took this on a vacation to Arizona and was able to illuminate the rock wall on the other side of a small canyon at night. Shine it in someone's face and it is blinding. Our favorite thing to do with the Surefire at home is charge the glow-in-the-dark eyes of a stuffed toy ghost. The glow afterwards from its eyes is bright enough to see by in a dark room. The flashlight runs on special Lithium batteries that I haven't had to replace yet (had it for a year now) but I bought a box of 12 from Surefire for $21. Best thing about the batteries is they have a shelf life of 10 years. Surefire sells a wide variety of flashlights but I'm quite happy with the one I got. This is a great addition to any emergency kit!