Blackout!

Today's History Lesson...city in the dark

Being in the dark carries multiple meanings. It could be a situation where one absolutely has no clue; it might also mean loss of vision, momentary unconsciousness, or without electricity. Either case could definitely lend itself to not so pleasant circumstances.

This Day in History: August 14, 2003

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The image above is New York City. No power. No lights. No electricity period. The only light visible comes from buildings equipped with generators, candlelight and automobile headlights. New York is just one city experiencing the largest power outage in our nation's history: the great Northeast Blackout of 2003. One would expect major looting and other crime-related activities but surprisingly crime, this time, fewer arrests as the city stayed dark. This day was nothing compared to the New York City Blackout of 1977.

The contributory factors: an aging electrical grid, a series of technology flaws and a few overgrown trees. Lack of proper maintenance led to a cascading series of outages stretching from Michigan to New England and up into Ontario, Canada. Number of people affected: 55,000,000!

Picture this...

Commuters in New York City and elsewhere had to sleep on steps, hitchhike or walk home as trains were rendered powerless and gas pumps stopped working; food spoiled as refrigerators and freezers thawed; jugs of water sold out as supply plants lost their ability to supply consumers; minds were set to wandering about terrorism fears less than two years after 9/11. [Source: Northeast blackout of 2003]

 

Swarms of stranded people attempted to leave Manhattan, August 14, 2003.

All bridges and tunnels out of the Big Apple were swarmed with cars and people.

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Citizens even took it upon themselves to mitigate the effects of the outage by assisting elderly neighbors or helping to direct traffic in the absence of working traffic lights.

Where were you during the blackout of 2003?