Apparently, nobody had a flashlight

Gollnick

Gollnick

Musical Director
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Surgeons is Buenos Aires completed an appendix removal by the light of cellphone screens after power to the hospital failed and the backup generator wouldn't work either. Family members rounded up enough cell phones to give enough light to complete the operation.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/07/31/cell.phone.surgery.reut/index.html

Morals of the story: don't have your appendix out in Argentina. And always carry a flashlight.
 
I often use my cell phone screen for a little localized light in the photo darkroom, where I obviously can't whip out my SureFire. I wouldn't want to perform surgery with it, though.
 
There was also one where not a single person who tried to help out a highway crash (out of something like 30-40) had a knife or belt cutter.

We've got 5000 years of technology and innovation to improve our lives - and most people just durned leave them at home, collecting dust.

God these piss me off so much. A decent keychain Photon Light cost all of $10, and weighs NOTHING. A more powerful, Arc-AAA equivalent also weighs nothing.
 
It is quite possible that the family just went around asking for cell phones, and never even asked anyone if they had a flashlight. :rolleyes: People do strange things under stress.
 
ResQMe Keychain Rescue Tool, 3" long, near-weightless, punches out window glass and slices through a seatbelt. Comes on a small split ring to attach to your keys.

I no longer carry any kind of rescue knife now that I have one of these. Attach a microlight and you have the basics, compact enough to hide in a shirt pocket.

My sister's husband showed me his Fenix light. He had broken down some miles from home on a completely deserted road and unlike the rest of us, wasn't into "gear". Now he knows why we always carry flashlights and why he will, too.
 
Most citizens keep a flashlight in their house (somewhere) and in their car (usually with weak batteries). Hardly anyone carries a flashlight with them unless they're a paramedic or an engineer or a contractor. Probably 3X as many citizens carry pocketknives than a proper flashlight (those l'il squeezy things to find your keyhole in the dark hardly count, although I suppose they're better than nuthin'.)
 
It is good to carry one. There is always need for good flashlight, just like for a good knife.
 
I've spent most of my working life in or around operating rooms. There have always been flashlights around. Used to be part of my check at the start of a session. It's something hospitals prepare for as a rule. I have been in a brief blackout situation where the anesthesiologist's laryngoscopes (always two, one for use and one as backup) gave light for us to see what we were doing enough to get by till the power came back on. There is an element of drama to this story that doesn't fit my experience.
A more interesting tale is of a prolonged blackout in the ORs at a Pittsburgh hospital, published on one of the medical journals. They got lighting into the ORs and had monitoring on battery backup. The problems were increasing temperature (this was summer of course) and not enough flashlights for staff walking through the darkened hallways who ended up getting injured when they walked into things.
 
ResQMe Keychain Rescue Tool,
I carry one of these along with a E2DBK and my pocket knife as my general EDC and I feel I would be able to handle most things that would come up. As to the ResQMe it works well and I recommend it to people to put it on their keychains.
 
I have been in the middle of surgery when the power has gone out. It is NOT fun! The back-up emergency lights are of limited value, and I have had to finish out by flashlight. Good thing I gots some SKILLZ!
 
Esav Benyamin said:
ResQMe Keychain Rescue Tool, 3" long, near-weightless, punches out window glass and slices through a seatbelt. Comes on a small split ring to attach to your keys.

I no longer carry any kind of rescue knife now that I have one of these. Attach a microlight and you have the basics, compact enough to hide in a shirt pocket.

My sister's husband showed me his Fenix light. He had broken down some miles from home on a completely deserted road and unlike the rest of us, wasn't into "gear". Now he knows why we always carry flashlights and why he will, too.
Click to expand...


Esav u r still the man, consider one bought!

Many thanks........
 
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