Having just gone throught another big storm and power outage, it got me thinking...

Keep candles handy. Hard to find in the dark.
Keep your flashlight in the same place, all the time. See above
Radio's don't work without power. Crank or battery back-up or both.

TRO

PS No, the weather radio didn't sound an alert. Have to find out why...

That's one way. Another way is to buy so many flashlights there's usually one within 6 ft of your present location. Often more than one. Sometimes a lot more than one.

Heck, I have two in my pockets right now. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

(Good point, though. And yet another argument for EDC of some sort of light.)

"Keep your flashlight in the same place, all the time."

That would be, your pocket?

I carry a Dorcy AAA in my pocket (along with a photon knockoff on my keychain) and it has been quite useful. I'd highly recommend one. The beam shot in the link doesn't do it any justice. For such a small light, it puts out quite a bit.

Added a fauxton to my keyring and briefcase...darn handy

I'm generally unimpressed with Harbor Freights offerings but this little light is well worth the $4 and can be utilized in several ways.

http://www.harborfreight.com/27-led-portable-worklight-flashlight-67227.html

I've bought several and keep them in various locations. I have not done a runtime test but I know it will light a room up very well.

They take 3x AAA batteries.

Keep a flashlight near where you usually are: bedside, beside your easy chair, kitchen, bathroom.

But that also raises the point: if you can't find your way around your house in the dark, how would you get out if there was a combination of darkness and a smokey fire?

Sue

Harbor Freight gives away led flashlights with purchases and a coupon. Free.

No reason not to get several coupons and buy some hand tools that you may need, also with coupons. Do it over several visits. Good cheap tools and free flashlights.

Standard disclaimers, not affiliated, happy repeat customer.

I wear a photon around my neck at all times.

I buy fauxtons in job lots and give them away to friends and friends' kids. The kids love 'em. Make no mistake, I'm a flashaholic and I'm doing my part to create the next generation of flashaholics.

Many of the adults have come back to me with a tale of how the fauxton saved the day. This gives me an opening to discuss some EDC and preparedness topics.

If'n I got my pants on, I have a Photon (attached to my Swiss Army knife) in my pocket.

Interesting thing about the Photon thingy: The last one I had lasted TEN years. Absolutely amazing little piece of equipment.

I have accumulated a whole bunch of fauxtons and I typically attach them to zipper pulls on packs or bags. This is in addition to the two small lights I typically EDC. It is surprising how handy a flashlight can be. They are particularly useful in first aid situations.

a light to find a light is a must on camping trips,i have one along with a whistle on a zip pull attached to a shirt pocket.

I keep a photon on the key chain, I also trying to keep 1 photon in any pack in a very easy to find place (usually a zipper pull) to I can locate other lights/objects. At home, I keep an old maglight mini on the nightstand, a flashlight on top of the fridge, and most of my stormlights and lanterns are all in one bin in the garage.

I just ordered a couple of birthday presents for myself... a Malkoff LED module for a SureFire 6P, and a Black Diamond AA LED headlamp....will comment when they arrive..

I've had good service from a lowly MagLight 2D LED that was a price buster last hurricane season at Lowes for $12, though never had to run one continuously

I replaced the Photons with a Fenix E01 with lithium AAA for EDC as I had problem with switches

I am really trying to stay away from D cells, during Hurricane Irene, all the D's and C's were wiped clean off the shells, but AA's and AAA's could still be found (though those were going fast too). My plan, is to have all my home use stuff run off of AA's, and all of my Bug Out stuff run off of AAA's, but we will see if I can standardize.

Crowe...you might look at Sanyo Eneloop NiMH rechargables for your AAs...I am trying to standardize to AAs and Ds (Ds for my ventilation fans, LED lantern, and MagLights, AAs for the mini MagLite LED and Grundig radio ), with the purchase of a quality AA LED headlight I am down to a couple of inexpensive AAA LED headlights and Fenix E01 EDC with AAAs, a couple of special purpose weapon lights using 123s (Surefire 6P and Scout Light)

I'm relying on a gallon of 1-K kerosene and two Dietz lantern for most of my illumination