Not prepared for even the simplest emergency - flashlights

[Tradd]

When I got up from a Sunday afternoon nap about 5:40, I discovered my power was out. I called the power company and reported it. Found out my building wasn't the only one out in the area. Power was supposed to be back on by 7:30.

I took the hand crank flashlight from beside my bed, cranked some, and went into my closet to my emergency supplies tub. I pulled out a LED mini lantern and put batteries in it. I sat working on a snail mail letter to a friend until I heard shouting in the hall. A couple of neighbors were trying to determine if the entire building was out (yes, Sherlock, if the hall lights are out then the entire building has no power). They hadn't thought to call the power company, so I reported what I'd been told when I called. One neighbor was yelling for a flashlight, as he had nothing more than his almost out of charge cell phone.

The power came back on pretty quick. But it just reinforces how important it is to have even the simplest of things - a flashlight.

I also have a great little LED flashlight that takes one AAA battery. It's always in the pocket of my jeans or purse. Streamlight Microstream. Runs about $22 on Amazon, but it's worth it. End cap is a switch, so it's easy to operate one handed. It's very rugged - it's accidentally gone through a complete wash/dry cycle several times and comes out working.

[Alan]

I also have a great little LED flashlight that takes one AAA battery. It's always in the pocket of my jeans or purse. Streamlight Microstream. Runs about $22 on Amazon, but it's worth it. End cap is a switch, so it's easy to operate one handed. It's very rugged - it's accidentally gone through a complete wash/dry cycle several times and comes out working.I have several of that very flashlight. With the heavy duty, pen style clip attached, it is almost always in my rear pocket as well.

[Tradd]

Mine is always clipped inside the left front pocket of my jeans. It goes there because I wear my pistol on my right side.

Interestingly, it's amazing how much I use the flashlight, even at work. I'm unofficial IT for my department, and I can't tell you how many times I've had to climb under desks to fiddle with cables and wires. I often have to go dig into boxed files in a dark corner of the warehouse and I just whip out my flashlight. Or when the power goes out in the office, as occasionally happens. I'm the only one with a flashlight in the entire office (not counting the warehouse folks). Coworkers tease me about my flashlight, but they always want to borrow it, which I refuse to do. If it's needed, I'll hold the light for them.

[bae]

That is a great little flashlight indeed! All our paramedics/EMTs seem to have them, and never let me borrow them :-)

[Tradd]

That is a great little flashlight indeed! All our paramedics/EMTs seem to have them, and never let me borrow them :-)

Have you taken the hint and gotten your own? ;-)

[bae]

Have you taken the hint and gotten your own? ;-)

I am festooned with big manly firefighter flashlights, so, um, I just put the little one on my Christmas list for Santa :-)

[Tradd]

Oh, I figured you had LOTS of big manly FF flashlights, but not the neat small one! ;-)

[bae]

Oh, I figured you had LOTS of big manly FF flashlights, but not the neat small one! ;-)

I even have a pile of "smallish" ones, by Streamlight as well, that live in the pockets of rain jackets, car door-bins, and so on, but you make an excellent point as to the advantage of having one so small that it is *always* with you!

[ToomuchStuff]

I have several of that very flashlight. With the heavy duty, pen style clip attached, it is almost always in my rear pocket as well.


I have the Microstream in my pocket, next to my knife. I keep the longer one in a toolbox that is my go grab box. I wish the clips were more easily replaceable (they effectively want the price of a new light for a replacement clip). They aren't as heavy duty as you think, as the original microstream clip caught on an onion bag when I was at the store. (used the longer ones clip instead)
Back to the subject.................

I am not sure what is worse though, not having flashlights, or people who never check them and find the batteries coroded in them.:doh:I have had a few cheap 9 led ones, and those are ones I have had problems with. (battery holder broke, a couple I used the cheap batteries that came with them, mistake, a couple I gave away).
They do make solar panels that can charge up a phone or some sort of devices (seems it would be good if one had rechargable batteries).

[Miss Cellane]

I've had to give neighbors candles and/or matches to light candles during power outages.

Like Tradd, I have a tiny flashlight that's on my key ring, which pretty much goes with me everywhere. Then there's the flashlight in my desk at work, now adorned with pink duct tape and my name in Sharpie, so I can find it and retrieve it when people borrow it without asking, the two in the car, the one in my handbag, the one in the nightstand drawer, the huge one in the kitchen "junk" drawer (it's not junk, really, but useful stuff with no other home).

And I don't consider myself all that prepared for a major emergency. I'll be cold and hungry, but I'll be able to read in the dark.

[lessisbest]

There was an ice storm several years ago and the electricity was out for 3 days and we had to rely on our well-stocked 72-hour emergency kit and enjoyed hot meals and sufficient light, as well as heat from our Mr. Buddy Heater. We were able to heat water and stored it in thermos bottles to use for "instant" soup, instant oatmeal, hot beverages..... We even filled our hot water bottles to warm our bed, and in the morning the water was still warm enough to use in the bathroom sink for washing-up and shaving. When the young couple next door ran out of votive candles for lights, and peanut butter and bread for sandwiches, they shoved their 2 dogs into their vehicle and went to mama's house - driving over ice-covered roads, downed trees and limbs and power lines, and took 2 1/2 hours to make a 25-minute trip.

I love flashlights and my family knows it's an easy go-to gift for me. I have them everywhere in the house and a large variety of sizes and styles. The electricity around here (in the middle of nowhere) goes out frequently, and especially during bad weather when it can be off for 24-72 hours. I even keep a small flashlight tucked into the corner of the sofa. I keep a thin $2 LED light in my pajama pocket when we stay at a hotel/motel or are overnight guests at someone's home so I can find my way around in the dark. I have 4 different styles of flashlights in my purse, including a knife/flashlight combination and a UV Paqlite (.https://www.uvpaqlite.com/) which doesn't require batteries and recharges with any kind of light source. I also have the Paqlite Sheets in 2 different sizes we've used when camping. I also have a variety of solar lights. I just clip them on the umbrella clothes line to recharge them.

We have auxiliary power via a bank of Deep-Cell batteries we can charge with a solar panel (or a battery charger if there is electricity), and enough power to run the refrigerator and power lamps in the house with LED bulbs in them for real light. We can even power a small TV and fans. We also installed one ASCELLA bulb in each of the bathrooms as part of the vanity lights. This bulb works like a standard-sized LED light bulb, and while the light fixture is on the bulb charges itself. Any time the power goes out the Ascella bulb will stay illuminated an average of 3-hours without a power source. You can actually remove the Ascella bulb and use it like a flashlight.

I try to avoid using open-flame emergency lighting because they put off too many toxins and are dangerous to use around children and curious pets. Friends of ours were without electricity for 9 days and they used candles and oil lamps for their lighting. After the electricity came back on they quickly realized they would have to repaint some rooms due to the soot from the candles and lamps, and it caused serious breathing problems with one of their children.

[profnot]

My secret weapon -

From the RV accessories store, I purchased a small immersion heater that plugs into the cigarette lighter (yes I love my 15 year old pre-usb Acura).

This little heater has a coil at the end. You put water / soup / coffee in a mug. You plug in the mini immersion heater in the car. You put the hot coil end of the heater into the liquid.

Pretty soon, you have hot soup or whatever.

I'm from Calif. I have food, can opener, down sleeping bag, extra food for me and dog, candles, matches, radio, batteries stored externally, lots of water, picnic plates, toiletries, etc. I don't camp but I get a few things from the camping store (REI) like the powerful little flashlight on my keychain that everyone here is posting about.

I haven't needed to use this heater yet (knock on wood) but I like knowing that my powerful car battery can help keep neighbors and m eat warm food.

[Liv]

Our power went out just for a couple of hours last month but we found our flashlights were awkward to use and also it got quite warm and stuffy in our apt, no breeze that evening.

I went online and found this http://www.amazon.com/AGPtek%C2%AE-Camping-Flashlight-Ceiling-Outdoor/dp/B00KVHMWGM/ref=pd_rhf_se_p_img_1
It works great, super bright light and really cools without needing a bunch of batteries, almost looking forward to the next outage, lol.

[bae]

OK, the Microstream is a very excellent tool, got one this week, it is already indispensable. Fits in one of the little clip-on pockets in my duty pants, so I always have a quite nice flashlight handy. Great recommendation, much thanks!

[Tradd]

You're welcome! Glad you like it. I need to get another one or two.