This article on Newsmax.com got me thinking about whether or not it is really necessary to also carry a flashlight along with your CCW.
I know one of the rules of firearms safety is to KNOW YOUR TARGET.
Since a self-defense situation with your CCW is likely to take place in a "low light" or "no light" environment, I now think I will also carry a quality "tactical-type" flashlight on my person with my CCW -- for example, I own a Surefire E2, but I do not always carry it along with my CCW -- but I think I will likely do so in the future.
Do you think it is really necessary to carry a flashlight with your CCW?
Here is the link to the article:
http://newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/10/13/140537.shtml
Emergency Lighting – Are You Ready?
Bruce Mandelblit
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2003
I may have been a bit ahead of my time.
Years ago, when I attended Gorton High School in Yonkers, N.Y., many times I carried a penlight attached to my keychain. The problem was, after just a few brief moments of use, my old red plastic penlight was “out of juice.â€
The good news is that today, high tech has caught up with penlights, as well as many other types of safety, security and convenience lights, making many of these lights dependable, rugged and reliable.
And emergency lighting has never been more indispensable. From the heartbreaking events of 9/11 just over two years ago, to much more recent occurrences, it is more evident than ever that proper lighting is a “must have†in every emergency plan.
Think about this: In just the last few months alone, there have been extensive power outages in the Northeast and Midwest of the United States (including New York City as well as other major metropolitan areas); parts of Canada; the greater London area; and Italy. Added to these, the deadly hurricane Isabel left millions and millions of folks in the Mid-Atlantic States without power for as much as a week or more!
As I have acknowledged in my other recent columns on flashlights, we are fortunate that in 2003 high-quality personal and emergency lighting comes in virtually all shapes, forms, sizes and prices. Here is some of the latest in safety, security or convenience lighting that you may want to consider adding to your emergency kit:
Home Safety Light (www.cyberlux.com):
This is a new emergency lighting system that is designed to provide up to a full week of lighting from a single set of AA batteries. This American-made product does not use bulbs, but rather white diodes that help to provide long-term lighting with a minimal use of battery power.
TigerLight (www.tigerlight.net):
They call the TigerLight the “light with a bite†for good reason. In addition to being a powerful rechargeable flashlight, it has an integrated self-defense “pepper spray†(note: be sure to check and comply with any and all laws and regulations in your jurisdiction regarding a product of this nature). TigerLight also makes a flashlight model without the “pepper spray†option.
Teknolite (www.teknolite.com):
This is a unique-looking flashlight that uses LED technology to generate about 150+ hours of burn time on a set of batteries. It is shock-, vibration-, pressure- and water-resistant, and features “glow in the dark†locater lights to help detect this flashlight in total darkness.
Arc Flashlight (www.arcflashlight.com):
Although this small flashlight is powered by just an AAA battery, it produces a powerful light using an LED. This American-made flashlight also has a run time of about five hours on a single battery.
TheLEDLight (www.theledlight.com):
A distributor of many high-tech lights, including the Streamlight 3C. The Streamlight 3C is a powerful and rugged 10 LED flashlight that produces up to 336 hours of run time from a set of batteries.
Princeton Tec (www.princetontec.com):
The Princeton Tec Impact Flashlight uses a single LED light that can see objects about 50 yards away. It comes with four AA batteries for as much as 150+ hours of use.
EternaLight (www.techass.com):
The EternaLight from Technology Associates is a unique small personal light. It uses bright LEDs that have up to 700 hours of burn time on a single set of batteries.
GONCZ Flashlight (www.goncz.net):
This is a line of high-tech American-made flashlights. GONCZ features a variety of different models to fit the needs of the military, police, home defense and outdoor activity markets.
PALight (www.palights.com):
The PALight is an American-made palm-sized personal and emergency flashlight. It features an LED that has multiple modes of use including a high-beam mode and an “always on†mode.
Inova Flashlight (www.inovalight.com):
Inova makes many different models of LED flashlights including the X5. The handheld X5 floodlight features 5 LEDs which are visible to about two miles and have an approximate 20-hour burn time on a set of batteries.
Pak-Lite (www.pak-lite.net):
The Pak-Lite is a new LED duel-mode flashlight that is pocket-sized and can be seen up to 1 mile. It is available with either a red or white LED and it snaps directly on to a 9-volt battery.
Lite Tracker (www.graceindustries.com):
The Lite Tracker is one of many models of emergency and safety lights made by Grace. The Lite Tracker is a small and lightweight light that uses LEDs to offer high visibility at a distance of up to one mile. This American-made personal safety light is manufactured using industrial grade plastic and is water resistant.
A Quick Security Tip: Be sure to have an ample supply of the appropriate extra batteries available for the emergency lighting products you have. During an actual emergency, it may be very difficult, if not impossible, to obtain spare batteries.
My Final Thoughts: Emergency lighting has literally gone through a high-tech revolution since my high school days. Today you are fortunate to have a wide choice of quality lights from which to select. It is a good idea to think about obtaining different types of lighting products for distinct uses. For instance, you may want to get a certain light designed for long-term illumination in case of a power outage; a powerful and rugged flashlight for your vehicle; a reliable light for your keychain; and so on.
Do your research, and you will find the utmost in security, safety and convenience lighting for your specific needs.
And, remember, now is the time to acquire your emergency lighting, before it may be needed for the next man-made or natural disaster.
(Note: Thanks to the lighting manufacturers and distributors who provided information and/or examples of their products. If you manufacture or distribute any Security, Safety, Emergency Preparedness or Crime Prevention products, please send information on your product line for possible future reference in this column to [email protected].)
Copyright 2003 by Bruce Mandelblit
* * * * * *
“Staying Safe†with Bruce Mandelblit is a regular column for the readers of NewsMax.com and NewsMax.com Magazine.
Bruce welcomes your thoughts. His e-mail address is [email protected].
Bruce is a nationally known security journalist, as well as a recently retired, highly decorated reserve Law Enforcement Officer.
Bruce writes Staying Safe, a nationally syndicated weekly column covering the topics of security, safety and crime prevention.
Bruce was commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel – the state's highest honor – by Gov. Paul E. Patton for his public service.
This column is provided for general information purposes only. Please check with your local law enforcement agency and legal professional for information specific to you and your jurisdiction.
******
I know one of the rules of firearms safety is to KNOW YOUR TARGET.
Since a self-defense situation with your CCW is likely to take place in a "low light" or "no light" environment, I now think I will also carry a quality "tactical-type" flashlight on my person with my CCW -- for example, I own a Surefire E2, but I do not always carry it along with my CCW -- but I think I will likely do so in the future.
Do you think it is really necessary to carry a flashlight with your CCW?
Here is the link to the article:
http://newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/10/13/140537.shtml
Emergency Lighting – Are You Ready?
Bruce Mandelblit
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2003
I may have been a bit ahead of my time.
Years ago, when I attended Gorton High School in Yonkers, N.Y., many times I carried a penlight attached to my keychain. The problem was, after just a few brief moments of use, my old red plastic penlight was “out of juice.â€
The good news is that today, high tech has caught up with penlights, as well as many other types of safety, security and convenience lights, making many of these lights dependable, rugged and reliable.
And emergency lighting has never been more indispensable. From the heartbreaking events of 9/11 just over two years ago, to much more recent occurrences, it is more evident than ever that proper lighting is a “must have†in every emergency plan.
Think about this: In just the last few months alone, there have been extensive power outages in the Northeast and Midwest of the United States (including New York City as well as other major metropolitan areas); parts of Canada; the greater London area; and Italy. Added to these, the deadly hurricane Isabel left millions and millions of folks in the Mid-Atlantic States without power for as much as a week or more!
As I have acknowledged in my other recent columns on flashlights, we are fortunate that in 2003 high-quality personal and emergency lighting comes in virtually all shapes, forms, sizes and prices. Here is some of the latest in safety, security or convenience lighting that you may want to consider adding to your emergency kit:
Home Safety Light (www.cyberlux.com):
This is a new emergency lighting system that is designed to provide up to a full week of lighting from a single set of AA batteries. This American-made product does not use bulbs, but rather white diodes that help to provide long-term lighting with a minimal use of battery power.
TigerLight (www.tigerlight.net):
They call the TigerLight the “light with a bite†for good reason. In addition to being a powerful rechargeable flashlight, it has an integrated self-defense “pepper spray†(note: be sure to check and comply with any and all laws and regulations in your jurisdiction regarding a product of this nature). TigerLight also makes a flashlight model without the “pepper spray†option.
Teknolite (www.teknolite.com):
This is a unique-looking flashlight that uses LED technology to generate about 150+ hours of burn time on a set of batteries. It is shock-, vibration-, pressure- and water-resistant, and features “glow in the dark†locater lights to help detect this flashlight in total darkness.
Arc Flashlight (www.arcflashlight.com):
Although this small flashlight is powered by just an AAA battery, it produces a powerful light using an LED. This American-made flashlight also has a run time of about five hours on a single battery.
TheLEDLight (www.theledlight.com):
A distributor of many high-tech lights, including the Streamlight 3C. The Streamlight 3C is a powerful and rugged 10 LED flashlight that produces up to 336 hours of run time from a set of batteries.
Princeton Tec (www.princetontec.com):
The Princeton Tec Impact Flashlight uses a single LED light that can see objects about 50 yards away. It comes with four AA batteries for as much as 150+ hours of use.
EternaLight (www.techass.com):
The EternaLight from Technology Associates is a unique small personal light. It uses bright LEDs that have up to 700 hours of burn time on a single set of batteries.
GONCZ Flashlight (www.goncz.net):
This is a line of high-tech American-made flashlights. GONCZ features a variety of different models to fit the needs of the military, police, home defense and outdoor activity markets.
PALight (www.palights.com):
The PALight is an American-made palm-sized personal and emergency flashlight. It features an LED that has multiple modes of use including a high-beam mode and an “always on†mode.
Inova Flashlight (www.inovalight.com):
Inova makes many different models of LED flashlights including the X5. The handheld X5 floodlight features 5 LEDs which are visible to about two miles and have an approximate 20-hour burn time on a set of batteries.
Pak-Lite (www.pak-lite.net):
The Pak-Lite is a new LED duel-mode flashlight that is pocket-sized and can be seen up to 1 mile. It is available with either a red or white LED and it snaps directly on to a 9-volt battery.
Lite Tracker (www.graceindustries.com):
The Lite Tracker is one of many models of emergency and safety lights made by Grace. The Lite Tracker is a small and lightweight light that uses LEDs to offer high visibility at a distance of up to one mile. This American-made personal safety light is manufactured using industrial grade plastic and is water resistant.
A Quick Security Tip: Be sure to have an ample supply of the appropriate extra batteries available for the emergency lighting products you have. During an actual emergency, it may be very difficult, if not impossible, to obtain spare batteries.
My Final Thoughts: Emergency lighting has literally gone through a high-tech revolution since my high school days. Today you are fortunate to have a wide choice of quality lights from which to select. It is a good idea to think about obtaining different types of lighting products for distinct uses. For instance, you may want to get a certain light designed for long-term illumination in case of a power outage; a powerful and rugged flashlight for your vehicle; a reliable light for your keychain; and so on.
Do your research, and you will find the utmost in security, safety and convenience lighting for your specific needs.
And, remember, now is the time to acquire your emergency lighting, before it may be needed for the next man-made or natural disaster.
(Note: Thanks to the lighting manufacturers and distributors who provided information and/or examples of their products. If you manufacture or distribute any Security, Safety, Emergency Preparedness or Crime Prevention products, please send information on your product line for possible future reference in this column to [email protected].)
Copyright 2003 by Bruce Mandelblit
* * * * * *
“Staying Safe†with Bruce Mandelblit is a regular column for the readers of NewsMax.com and NewsMax.com Magazine.
Bruce welcomes your thoughts. His e-mail address is [email protected].
Bruce is a nationally known security journalist, as well as a recently retired, highly decorated reserve Law Enforcement Officer.
Bruce writes Staying Safe, a nationally syndicated weekly column covering the topics of security, safety and crime prevention.
Bruce was commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel – the state's highest honor – by Gov. Paul E. Patton for his public service.
This column is provided for general information purposes only. Please check with your local law enforcement agency and legal professional for information specific to you and your jurisdiction.
******
