Generator Day

Still have mags: Pmags/$10 , 10/22 Steel Lip mags/$11
Buy some mags…those dang anesthesiologists don’t work cheap.

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Today was generator day. Pull the EU2000 out of its protective Hardigg case, start it up, hook up a few goodies to it to give it some actual work to do, and then after about a half hour turn it off and pack it up.

I’ve had the EU2000 now for a few years and have only had one occasion to need it – big windstorm back in 2015 that knocked out power for around ten hours. But that doesn’t mean something longer and worse isn’t coming down the pike. Gotta be prepared.

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Speaking of prepared, my mailman told me about an experience he had last weekend. He and his wife were out on one of the logging roads way in the middle of nowhere when he came across a couple who, somehow, both rolled their fourwheelers off the road and down a ravine. The guy was pinned under his vehicle with a compound fracture to his leg, his wife was further downhill with a punctured lung, broken bones, and was basically an hour or two away from needing a priest more than a doctor. Mailman was driving along the road and saw the something in the heavy brush…the man had fastened a piece of clothing to a long stick and was waving it for help. They’d been out there, in the sun, bleeding and dying, for about an hour and a half.

Short version: mailman was able to climb up a hill and get a bar or two on his phone and dial in the local SAR. Not one but two helicopters managed to get there and find a landing spot, but it was tough describing exactly where they were in all that mess.

This is why whenever I go off the pavement I keep smoke and flares in the vehicle. Big ‘ol cloud of orange smoke, or a red cluster flare will do a good job of showing the guy in the door where to point the nose of the helicopter. Of course, knowing the UTM coords for where you are andbeing able to give that information to someone on the other end of your phone is pretty helpful, too.

10 thoughts on “Generator Day

  1. Having a GPS in these situation comes in handy as well. Give the pilots the GPS coordinates and they will fly right to you.

  2. This is why I wish someone would put together a small pony bottle of helium, a bag of rugged orange balloons, a spool of Kevlar thread, and a chemlight or three, and package it as a vehicle signaling kit for forests, etc.
    (Public domain idea, guys, anybody has or markets one, all I ask from you in return is a steak dinner if you’re ever in my town, and maybe one of the kits as a thank you. Oh, and put the “saves” on a website wall, as a long-time running tally.)

    • I don’t know about now but you use to be able to get (about 20 years since I’ve seen them) radar reflected helium balloons for life boats. All the ones I have seen where made from something like Survival Blanket Foil. I would guess that the foil helps with the radar reflected. The glow in the dark idea of yours is a good one.

    • I don’t know about now – as it’s been 20 years since I’ve seen them – but they use to make for life boats, RADAR reflected helium balloons which looked like they where made from Survival Blanket Foil.

    • I dont know the model number, its one of the surplus cases that I picked up a few years back when I was selling them on the blog to anyone who wanted them. It holds the EU2000, some cables, and spare parts.

  3. I carry a PLB in my car, and if I’m ever out past the woodline I make sure it’s on my person. I use a ResQLinnk+. No cell coverage? No problem!

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