Sunday, January 24, 2010

What Can Go Wrong...Went Wrong

Forget about the inept powerplay, the suspect goaltending and a team a bit down on their luck right now....

The way it shook down tonight at the Credit Union i-plex has me a bit sour. Not so much for the on-ice performance but off....

A power outage for over an hour brought a boat load of confusion to everyone in attendance. Security guards began kicking the crowd out the building like bouncers at the bar when the light comes on.

While the prospects of seeing the third period actually being played began to dim, security took it upon themselves to clear the building (in total darkness mind you). Maybe they were mandated to, maybe they got some bad info but minutes later we were playing hockey again but to just a handful of fans. Ironic considering it was Pack the 'Plex night.

While I'm on the topic of darkness, I couldn't believe (I'm not alone) the lack of back-up lighting in the building. It was dark... I mean pitched black. I guess the $13 million upgrade didn't include the emergency light option.

Granted, I've watched games in the building for over 10 years and nothing like this has ever happened. Still, when it does, you have to be prepared. Security guards with a flashlight and a thirst for authority not withstanding.

Just my two cents, but I'm thinking a lot of people will remember tonight for all the wrong reasons.

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I do feel for Sask Power and S.C Light and Power. I was on the phone with a Sask Power contact out of Regina during the outage. He was keeping me updated but admitted they didn't know where the problem that knocked power out from Chaplin to Eastend was originating from.


Due to the blizzard and a build up of ice and snow, transmission lines in the Regina area apparently went down causing the outage across southwest Saskatchewan.

The story even hit the TSN website here.

Bronco fans, you were there. Some of you left, some stayed What are your thoughts? What happened?


Jon



11 comments:

Anonymous said...

security, the city and the broncos dropped the ball tonight

Anonymous said...

I agree with the other comment. What a gong show last night, the ball was dropped by all parties.

dogger said...

I was at the game and I don't know if it was security so much as people just leaving on their own. I was hanging out in the Bronco office and lobby during the outage, as you were Keener, and from what I could see it was just mass confusion. There was no power so nothing could be announced over the PA system and from what I saw most of the fans stuck it out for about 30 or 45 minutes and then the buzz in the lobby was the third period would be played another time so they left, I never saw any security telling people to leave, but maybe they were. Then the word comes down the lights will be back on in ten minutes and we'll continue but most fans had left by then and weren't coming back. I agree, the emergency back up lighting should be much better at the I-plex. It was old mother nature at her finest, when the winter weather is like that it's going to cause problems plain and simple and you've got to roll with it. Considering there were transmission lines out all over southern Sask., I think crews did a remarkable job of getting power up and running as quick as they did.

smackitsakic said...

My thoughts:

Emergency lighting was really bad in the 'old' section of the rink, where you could barely see your hand in front of you. Emergency lighting in the 'new' section of the rink (east end) was much brighter.

I honestly wasn't too upset that it was as dark as it was - it added to the uniqueness of the situation, and most people had cell phones that they could open to illuminate the next five feet in front of them. I used mine to help a few families that couldn't see their kids find their way out of the rink or back to their seats.

There was miscommunication, but i'm not sure how you'd overcome that when the power, and the PA system, gets knocked out. At the end of the day the security only would have done what they were told to do, and that direction would have come from either the Broncos, the city, or the emergency crews (police or fire who eventually showed up).

My believe is that the fire department ordered the security to evacuate the stands and bring everyone to the lobby for crowd control purposes, but I know that some of the security were telling people that the game was cancelled (I know this because one came up to me and asked if I needed assistance to get out the rink because the game was officially cancelled). I don't believe anyone was instructed to evacuate the building, but miscommunication caused this to occur.

Anyway, I stuck around to fulfill my duties with the team that I was signed up for last night, and was fascinated with watching a WHL game that had 200 people or less in attendance. It was surprisingly loud when the Broncos scored, and it was enjoyable to hear more from the players communication on the ice.

When compared to the Rider game when the lights went out, last night was more controlled, had more emergency lighting, and didn't leave me cold, wet, and nervous. haha.

The highlight of the night for me? Some fans stuck around throughout the entire delay, then left when the Pats scored their 5th goal late in the third period so they could beat the non-existant traffic rush. How do you explain that one? I guess old habits die hard.

Anonymous said...

Security came to our section and announced that the game was called and we had to leave. People asked about refunds and they were told they would have to sort it out later. Apparently, the refs knew the whole time that the game was in fact NOT called. How can the city get away with no proper security lighting? Is it because the fire department works for them?

Anonymous said...

Security had to vacate the building after thirty minutes. So it isn't like they were being ruthless or anything. So i fail to see how security (who were doing what they were told, re. building codes, etc) or the Broncos can be considered at fault. Now the lack of emergency lights is an entirely different matter.

Anonymous said...

The safety of everyone at the rink is the real concern. Whether or not people got to see a period of horrific hockey is irrelevant.

Just glad everyone is safe, and hope the Pats make it home ok.

Anonymous said...

hi I was at the game security told everyone in our area game was cancelled so we left cant believe they did that we would have stuck it out to cheer on our team must have been disappointing to the players having all their fans leave the rink im very angry over the whole game cancelled thing
Rumps

Anonymous said...

Who won the 50/50? LOL

Anonymous said...

I seen some suspicous pats fans hanging around. i didnt trust em the second I laid eyes on em. they were up to no good. thats all I can say.

Go broncs

Anonymous said...

That parking lot was a joke. Enjoy the curling in March.