Prepare for emergencies before they strike

[asmom]

Are any of them LED flashlights? I've found that those things last forever. They use very little power so the batteries don't run down. In fact, I have a few little ones that don't even have a replaceable battery (unless you bust the thing open).

I'm not sure of what an LED flashlight is but I doubt that is what we have. I'll have to look into getting one.

[disneysteve]

I'm not sure of what an LED flashlight is but I doubt that is what we have. I'll have to look into getting one.

LED flashlights have an LED bulb instead of a traditional lightbulb with a filament. You can tell by the light itself. Traditional bulbs have a yellow color to them. The LEDs are brighter and a slighly blue-tinted white color. I think most flashlights being sold today are LEDs. The advantages are that they are brighter, use very little energy and never burn out (the bulb, that is - the battery will die eventually).

[Nika]

We only have 2 flashlights. One LED and one diving flashlight from my scuba diving days. Now those are really waterproof -- they are designed for use underwater, some to 300+ feet down and can be quite powerful.

[mom-from-missouri]

I guess for some of these people, its a good idea they were born in this generation, as opposed to a hundred years ago or more. If they had been born then, would they have even survived day to day life when one had to draw their own water, had no electricity or phones, and had to grow all their food???

For our grandparents, great grandparents, there was no waiting until the last minute to run to the store.

How we have softened over the years.....

[jonathansmith]

Hurricanes are unpredictible. Therefore, I always be remain prepared for them. I am having a generator at my home. I always keep it fully charged so that in case we need it urgently, I can use them and make preparation for evacuation or can do my important work with the light provided by them.

[wjcalderon]

Living in the Deep South, our emergencies are either hurricanes or occasional ice storms.
Although it's possible to cook on a gas grill, doing it outside when it's either 98 degrees or 20 degrees isn't pleasant.
So when I remodeled my kitchen, I chose a gas cooktop!
My hot water heater is gas.
I have gas logs in the fireplace for winter disasters.
I own a small generator to keep the refrigerator and freezer running.
I have several fans (some are battery operated) for summer disasters.
Flashlight, battery powered lanterns, candles, etc. - got em.
Our disasters are usually predicted a least a day or so in advance, so I fill bathtubs and jugs with water.
Food? I always have plenty on hand - and it wouldn't hurt if I lost a pound or 2!

[fsumom]

As ashamed as I am to admit it, I'm one of those people. Well, wait. I don't exactly run to the store to stock up on stuff. I live in Florida but we rarely have a hurricane where I live. However, if we had a power outage, I'd have to dig through stuff to find a flashlight. I know we have one or two, but I can't say it's readily available .

[disneysteve]

However, if we had a power outage, I'd have to dig through stuff to find a flashlight. I know we have one or two, but I can't say it's readily available .

This is becoming less of an issue as more people get newer smart phones. My iPhone has a flashlight app that works very nicely. I've used it a few times already and it really comes in handy. It is only a short-term fix. I wouldn't depend on it during a blackout if for no other reason than I wouldn't want to run down the battery on my phone, but if the power went out right now, I know I have a working flashlight in my pocket at all times. I could at least use it to maneuver around the house and get my "real" flashlight.

[jonathansmith]

I love snowfall but only in day time. As my locality is suffering through power outages and in case power is cut in night, all my friends shiver in dark. I do not like it. I do not shiver because i have generator at mt home by which i can run my heater. My previous generator was not appropriate for my house as it was big and non-portable. But now we have a right one. Generators should be chosen according to the need.

[Biffard]

I haven't experienced a "big" natural disaster yet and I hope I don't have to. However, I feel (somewhat) prepared if I ever find myself in a tough situation. My wife and I have Bug Out Bags (BOB) in each of our cars. We also have 72 hour kits packed up with everything we would need to survive for 72+ hours or longer. 72 hours has been pegged as the amount of time it would take for rescue or help to arrive.

We also have about 1 month of food and water storage that really isn't mobile like our BOB and 72 hour kits. But if we were stuck at our house for an extended period of time we have the necessities. I hope we never have to experience something that requires us to live off of our emergency kits but I at least I have a small sense of security if we had to.

Just a helpful hint, if you find yourself in a situation where you need water, you can use water that is in your water heater (as long as it didn't tip over) as well as the water in your toilet tanks (not the bowl).