When an emergency strikes, having a reliable source of illumination can make a world of difference. From power outages to home evacuation scenarios, being prepared with good lighting is really important. To that end, choosing the right lighting options and having backup plans is crucial for riding out difficult situations until conditions improve.
Assess Your Lighting Needs
Prior to choosing emergency lighting, assess the potential situations you may face and the corresponding lighting needs. Key factors to consider include:
- Power outages – Will battery-powered or rechargeable options work best?
- Evacuating your home – Do you need lighting that is portable and weather-resistant?
- Being stranded in your vehicle – What lighting could help rescuers see you?
- Search and rescue missions – Lighting that provides hands-free visibility from a distance is optimal.
Choose Reliable Emergency Lighting
Unlike cheap, unreliable options that could fail when you need them most, the experts over at Clore Automotive recommend a high-quality rechargeable torchlight that offers durability and dependability. These versatile devices use bright LED illumination and allow for easy recharging. This helps to ensure continuous use during an emergency. Besides a rechargeable torchlight, considering some other emergency lighting options:
LED Flashlights
Both compact and energy-efficient, LED flashlights provide long-lasting illumination with no need for frequent battery changes. Look for impact and weather-resistant models with multiple brightness settings.
Headlamps
Hands-free lighting from a headlamp is invaluable for navigating evacuation routes or performing tasks like administering first aid. Waterproof models with tilt adjustment and strobe/dimming capabilities offer maximum versatility.
Glow Stick
These self-contained, photoluminescent devices activate with a bend or snap, providing up to 12 hours of bright, battery-free illumination. Stash packs in emergency kits and vehicles for a compact, long-lasting light source.
Flare Guns
For signaling locations from a distance, launcher-projected pyrotechnic flares create an intense, far-reaching light visible for miles. Use flare guns to call attention to those lost or stranded, taking proper safety precautions.
Power Your Emergency Lighting
Ensuring your various emergency lighting options stay reliably powered or charged is crucial. Have access to:
Extra Batteries
Keep a surplus of common battery sizes like AAA, AA, C, D, 9V, button cells, and any specialty batteries needed for your emergency lighting. Store batteries properly for longevity. Date batteries with purchase dates and replace them as they expire.
Backup Power Banks
Portable backup power banks, or external battery packs, can recharge phones, tablets, some flashlights, headlamps, and other USB-chargeable gear. They come in various shapes, sizes, and capacities. A 20,000 mAh power bank can typically fully charge a phone over five times.Â
Crank Chargers
Human-powered crank chargers require no batteries, instead storing generated energy. Turning the handle spins an internal generator that transfers electricity to charge phones and devices plugged into USB ports. Crank radios have AM/FM bands, flashlights, and USB ports energized from the manual crank or solar panel.
Have Backup Lighting Options
While collecting various reliable forms of emergency lighting, also keep inexpensive backups like matches, lighters, tea lights, candle lanterns, oil lamps, and chemical snap lights which activate via metal tabs when bent. Cyalume-type snap lights provide 8-12 hours of glow and can be bent then hung or waved to signal locations in darkness. Though not as durable or sustainable as LEDs and glow sticks, candles or liquid-fueled lamps without batteries may offer last-ditch lighting.
Conclusion
The more ways you can produce light when the power fails and darkness strikes during an emergency or evacuation, the safer you’ll be. Evaluate potential lighting needs ahead of time for home, vehicles, evacuation kits, and more. Then equip yourself with durable LED flashlights and headlamps, waterproof glow sticks, solar/crank chargers to repower devices, backups like matches and candles, and most importantly, plenty of spare batteries.
