crownsown. 03 was a hit and miss in outage and did not affect 7 million people in one city. It’s all speculation of course, but entire gta goes down for a week and no gaurentee of power coming back the next day or... confidence goes down.
That was in the summer, not during a cold snap and at 5 PM with 500 thousand stuck in traffic etc.

Think of having no cell or land line phone, internet, tv. And impact on today’s citizen. How would people know what is or is not happening. Just rumours and we know how that works. Guess we will have to wait and see or pray it never happens. Sure hope I am not in the GTA and get to test how friendly folks are.

interesting read guys, and yes I watch some of video, I rare can an do but wanted a feel for what kicked this off..

I know how my farm came though ice storm, it was almost three weeks without power and have done my best to shore up the weakness's found back then that where shared with me, and those I have found over other storms

interestingly in 03, I was traveling in Ontario in a rental car while living in Nunavut at the time, I was attending a sheepdog training course and we did not even know about the blackout until we left the farm and headed to town.

Thankfully I had rigged my sliding glass door on my room that it looked locked but was not because key card did not work, I had made sure to get ground floor with my own parking spot and so my room was where the other ladies landed, as none of them could get in their rooms, I had packed all my gear into my car when left in morning.

Needless to say that night I kept the crew feed, water and place to crash overnight and paid out room in cash, I had a full tank of gas, my camping gear and a trunk full of "its cheaper this way" food-water an more and so I drove up to Ottawa area, camped out and waited it out till I was able to pick up my flight a few days late..

The funniest was calling home to hubby, I am like we are ok.. he is like what? I am black out, no flights bla, bla this is my plan, me an dog fine.. rental good.. him.. I would expect nothing less my dear.. when is next check in an what is backup plan..

of course when 911 came it saw him stranded in montreal for work meeting with me in iqaluit being the one getting the phone call, checked out of hotel, left at meeting, everything shut down, flights cancelled etc..

...of course when 911 came it saw him stranded in montreal for work meeting with me in Iqaluit...

Small world. I happened to be staying at the Frobisher and in a meeting with the Department of Justice when the first tower was hit, everyone gathered to watch it on the TV. Being away from the family isn't the best feeling at such times.

it is a small world, no it was not a good feeling to be split apart at that time, not at all.. Finding a balance between keeping safe and living a full life can be quite tricky at times.

Watch “Blackout” on Netflix
Of course it was NYC in the 70’s but very interesting just the same. Apprently the looting started within ten minutes, then it grew. One of the little snippets was how they had a similar blackout ten years earlier and things were fine and civilized. So ten years later and different demographic or socia economic factor and chaos.

Before anyone says we are nice folks up here. Look at any of the hockey riots! That’s a stupid hockey game. Try and imagine no power and then repeat for four days and nights!
As Wayne and others have rightly pointed out, no one is going to starve to death but will one be safe?

Hope I am not in any large city and if I am, hope I am on freeway and it’s 2:00PM. I will get off as soon as I can and hit the backroads and worm my way home via traffic light free roads or where I can take a ditch to get around accidents blocking intersections.

Keep your gas tanks full and lots of water, warmth, any medications and food in the vehicle

What does somebody say to that? (crownsown reply) 😆 😎 everyone is right because Any things. Possible and that's why we're here. That being said if you watch your environment altercations should likely never happen. Be zen and protect what's important. The best fight is the one that never happens. No macho garbage never did anyone; any good. Someone wants what's yours give it to em unless you have a MAG Or fortifications to multiply your force. Being a smart prepper everyone here has insurance for good times and caches for bad times so all is never lost. I often see the one month cache on TV and I like that idea. I experienced the toronto blackout and the taps never stopped flowing. Resupply was a few hours away so anyone could be re supplied with little effort or even given supplies by friends/ family or even the red Cross. I would only worry if a whole continent would be without power. Canada has many friends and they would help us as we did them in WW2. The hick would be helping/ or not without becoming a target. When I tell my wife my buddy jokes about eating the dogs; she says I'm not eating dog. Then I say I guess we better be ready then! The chances are extremely remote but a responsible adult is ready for life. That and community will take care of the rest.

I want to thank folks for bringing this post to life! 😀 I struggle to find people to converse with about modern survival in my area. Farmgirl is right that balancing prepping and life is a real struggle but I'm winning a little more everyday. I help those that. Have help me and my family in the past and every step takes away worry and enriches my friends/ family's life. Debt/ Water/ food/ insurance/ rule of three/ communications/ land/ bol/ redundancy at work. I'm doing very well in all of these. Ok in first aid/ prerrenials. Not so good in emergency fund/ self defense although the two German pointers keep most honest. The reality is all of these years of prep would have been much easier with bulk buys/ training and mutual aid from folks that are positive and work to better their families lives like you folks. I'm offering to leave a cache at anyone's place that's willing to meet up once a year and share their knowledge and reciprocate help if it's ever needed. If theirs ever an ice Storm again my MAG buddy is getting as many cords as I can load up to his house free of charge. It's a small thing for me but would keep him safe in his home and not a school. I'm sure he would lend me his generator if I had a long term power outage as well. A cache to me is a way to survive short term while getting me back to my homestead. If I found a safer place to go I would in a very long term emergency but with our winters/ land/ low pop and BOL. I've yet to find anyone with better; I would leave six months readiness there. My caches would include gas to get home/ water/ food/ some clothes/ medical/ coms and items the MAG member needs so we can help each other. All this would be no more than 4 filled gas cans (that you are free to use in an emergency/ gas price hike and refill asap) that and a big rubermaid tote would give any family along with an emergency fund a almost sure way to get home. If anyone's interested. Please let me know

Where are you located Protector? You don't what caches across Canada (or do you)? 🙂

Well said Protector!

I'm in Abitibi and eventually yes. I'm also part of a group that's in many countries that offer aid should we ever need it. England, Africa and the states. It's not a forever deal; but two weeks or till it hurts is what most Ppl have posted. It's normal because no mater how good of a person you are my family is my focus. In a long term extremely unlikely event. One would have to have a cache on hand or be of value to the host family. In a situation like that I would do the security shift you liked less. Plant/ enlarge a garden, hunt/ fish/ get firewood and my wife and kids wood do anything they could to help the host family. It's not a living off the hog situation! It's me and possibly my family giving you the ability to survive longer. Anything happens and your cache is at my house/ we've met and your a normal peace loving person/ family. I'll welcome you with open arms here. Our house isn't large but we'd give you a room/ cabin or tent for the first month in a pandemic situation. (were working on the cabin but I have 100 acres of wood so we could build one quick if need be). Someone that gave us the ability to survive longer/ do their share and had the ability to at a min get along would be welcome indefinitely. An example would be I found out my buddy was doing drywall in his basement. I was in the area so I offered my help and worked as hard as I could not knowing much about construction. My buddy knows if he needs help and I'm in the area or its urgent. I'll be their. It's intense but I don't want to be or need a burden in my life

Where are you located Protector? You don't what caches across Canada (or do you)? 🙂

I could see Ppl having my place as a BOL in a SHTF or TEOTWAWKI situation as its location is very low population/ lots of land/ more self sustaining than most (2600+ft in garden beds/ chickens, rabbits, seasonally quail/ firewood for multiple years/ on the out squirts of a very small town that got electricity less than 80 years ago based on farming/ Wild game/ foraging/ metal roof and well. If that was your plan I would expect one leave more than a cache. Caches will not be touched unless we're are dying and need what's in it. I doubt that would happen within 6 months to a year if not more. I'd welcome you to do the same with my cache as long as you like me replace it asap. fun times to be a prepper on this forum! Already got one possible taker 😀

Thanks Protector. It's good to see that there're still people who care about others. Ultimately, long-term survival will depend on many hands working together. I'm on the East Coast, but have 140 acres of family property in Espanola. I have three sons in their early 30's who are all extremely fit and I expect that they will do the heavy lifting. At 65 I'm not at my peak, but can pull my weight in a survive in the bush with only a knife and 20 feet of snare-wire kind of way. 🙂

We all will need others. The psychological dynamic will require that everyone can get along and endure the hardship that is sure to come. I agree that family is the most important thing and it's the corner stone of my survival plan.

Lucky to have older kids! Your set with wives and grandkids. I'm within a reasonable distance to Espanola and 65yrs old that like to teach are my favorite people! 😀 I got 4. The oldest is 13 so she helps us a lot! Funny thing is the youngest at 7 works the hardest but the others all have cool traits too. I'd definitely be willing to meet up if your in the Espanola area. My prepper buddie got family in blind river so maybe he'd. Come too! PM me whenever you plan on visiting. Also good grand parents help grandkids be raised right and that ensures the survival/ happiness of the next generation. I wish my dad was on board like you. Takes a lot of weight of having life experience lead a delicate thing such as preparedness

Thanks Protector. It's good to see that there're still people who care about others. Ultimately, long-term survival will depend on many hands working together. I'm on the East Coast, but have 140 acres of family property in Espanola. I have three sons in their early 30's who are all extremely fit and I expect that they will do the heavy lifting. At 65 I'm not at my peak, but can pull my weight in a survive in the bush with only a knife and 20 feet of snare-wire kind of way. 🙂

We all will need others. The psychological dynamic will require that everyone can get along and endure the hardship that is sure to come. I agree that family is the most important thing and it's the corner stone of my survival plan.

Lucky to have older kids! Your set with wives and grandkids...

Yes, but at times this can be a mixed blessing. My experience has shown that I couldn't live with my first wife, so I wouldn't expect my parents too. 🙂 This time it's great (going on 35 years)!

...I got 4. The oldest is 13 so she helps us a lot! Funny thing is the youngest at 7 works the hardest but the others all have cool traits too.

Sounds like you've got yourself a wonderful family.

I'd definitely be willing to meet up if your in the Espanola area. My prepper buddie got family in blind river so maybe he'd. Come too! PM me whenever you plan on visiting.

I don't get to Ontario very often nowadays, but if I do I'll make it a point to send you a PM.

...Also good grand parents help grandkids be raised right and that ensures the survival/ happiness of the next generation. I wish my dad was on board like you. Takes a lot of weight of having life experience lead a delicate thing such as preparedness

I agree. My youngest son had two boys. Their Mom had mental issues, so he had custody. He's with the Navy and is often at sea, so my wife and I have been raising them (ages 8 and 12) and are their legal guardians. Life never seems to get dull; when you think that you'll be able to relax in retirement, BAM your a Dad again! LOL Well at least I have a purpose in life. I'm a family kinda guy, so it's all good... 🙂