Your Hurricane Prep Checklist Is Incomplete Without…

The One Item You’re Probably Overlooking but Can’t Afford to Miss

Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” When it comes to natural disasters, like hurricanes and tropical storms, truer words do not exist.

Due to the unpredictable nature of catastrophic weather events, preparation for response and recovery should be done well in advance. On top of peace of mind, you gain the advantage of knowing you already have the supplies others are rushing to find when a storm is within striking distance.

Are you prepared for the sudden onset of a hurricane and the unpredictable aftermath that follows? You have a designated command center, a communications plan and contingencies mapped out. But what happens if you can’t see?

The Importance of Reliable, Maintenance-Free Emergency Light

People take light for granted. The prevalence of well-lit spaces in both public and private settings lulls many into a sense of contentment, forgetting just how dark complete darkness can be. When stargazing, total darkness is sought-after, but in an emergency setting or three days after a hurricane when power still hasn’t been restored? Total darkness can amplify the difficulties of the situation.

According to the International Energy Agency, 20% of all electricity is used for lighting. In order to keep the lights on and necessities powered, generators are often relied on. Generators require quite a bit of fuel and maintenance to provide continuous power for long stretches of time. Plus, the amount of power generated by these machines is ultimately limited by the amount of fuel available – a finite resource during times of crisis. How can you increase their resource lifespan?

Enter chemical light technology. By relying on chemical light sticks for emergency lighting, first responders, emergency planners and citizens alike can benefit from well-lit spaces during even the darkest night while extending the duration of generators. Emergency light that can store for years and work exactly when and how you need it is worth its weight in gold when the power goes out, and that is exactly what chemical light is.

Now, let’s compare light sticks to flashlights. Flashlights will almost, without fail, “walk away” from their planned location, defeating their purpose when the power goes out. While light sticks are maintenance-free and ready exactly when you need them, flashlights must be maintained with fresh batteries, and there’s always a chance those batteries will be drained when their needed most. This is both inefficient and unsafe.

Benefits of Chemical Lights in Emergency Response and Recovery

People need light to live comfortably in an environment absent of it. Reasons why chemical light should be one of the first items on an emergency preparedness checklist include:

• Cost Efficient – do the math. A decent flashlight costs $15-20 upfront, but there are additional costs, too. It takes time and additional money to maintain and test the batteries of each flashlight, which quickly adds up. Plus, some light sticks provide as much as 12 hours of light – more than most fully charged flashlights can boast.
• Reliability – the best chemical light solutions are maintenance-free, with a guaranteed shelf life of multiple years. Instead of hoping that batteries will work when the time comes or power will return before you run out of generator fuel, rest assured knowing that the chemical lights in your emergency kit will work exactly as they are guaranteed to work whenever they are needed.
• Safety – leaders in chemical light develop and quality assure products to meet strict standards. The best solutions are nonflammable, waterproof and non-toxic. In emergency situations where stakes are high, these characteristics are crucial and make chemical light a safe alternative to electric and fire powered means of illumination.
• Versatility – chemical light technology was developed nearly 50 years ago and intended for safety applications. These innovative solutions rival the spectrum of traditional light sources available. Standard light sticks, illuminated self-adhesive triage tags, flare alternatives and wall-mounted light stations full of portable light are just some of the ways chemical light has been adapted for emergency response situations.

To learn more about chemical light products for emergency preparedness, response and recovery, visit getcyalume.com/commercial/emergency-preparedness/