Stranded in the Saskatchewan wilderness with no phone, no help, and bad weather, one man took “thinking outside the box” to a whole new level back in 2010. According to an article via cbc.ca, he was armed with just an axe, he chopped down four power poles to signal for help, knocking out power to hundreds in nearby communities for over 30 hours. It worked—he was rescued under his boat in rough shape but alive. While locals weren’t thrilled about the blackout, SaskPower is giving him a pass, considering the wild circumstances.

Lesson learned: pack a survival kit—or at least make your SOS a little less… electrifying!