WEEK 50
Emergency Lighting
This week, I want to talk about lighting. It’s important, even critical, to be able to see what you’re doing, and in a “grid down” situation that can be difficult without planning ahead.
Of course, there are many ways to provide artificial light inside a home or retreat. Candles are inexpensive, especially if you pick them up at after Christmas sales. It really doesn’t matter if it’s the middle of August and you’re burning candles with Santa and reindeer on the sides. Light is light, right? The downside of candles is that they can be a safety hazard. Never leave a lit flame unattended. Be sure every candle that you light is on a stable surface so there’s no risk of it toppling over. Also, candles don’t last forever. A lot depends on the actual composition of the candle, of course, but don’t look to candles for your primary backup light source in a power outage.
Oil lamps, sometimes called hurricane lamps, are a step up from candles. They last longer and burn cleaner. Glass ones are fragile, though, so again caution is warranted. If you go this route, be sure to stock up on plenty of lamp oil. Bear in mind that when you blow them out, the glass can get very sooty, so you’ll need to clean them regularly.
Battery-powered flashlights are great for portable light. Buy LED ones rather than incandescent. LEDs will be brighter and last longer, in terms of both battery life and bulb life. There are many varieties of crank-powered flashlights as well, some better than others. You pretty much get what you pay for. If you pick up a few at the dollar store, don’t expect them to last as long, or be as bright, as the ones that you buy at a sporting goods store. I’m admittedly something of a flashlight junkie and have them scattered throughout the house as well as in almost all my kits.
Headlamps have come a long way and are highly recommended. The old kind that used incandescent bulbs were often hot, heavy, and uncomfortable. Today’s headlamps use LED bulbs and are both lightweight and bright. Headlamps are excellent for when you need both hands free. They’re not overly expensive either, if you shop around.
Handheld spotlights are useful but have limited battery life. Most of the ones I’ve seen lately charge an internal battery via an AC adapter or a 12 volt car adapter. They do give off a ton of light, which can be handy, but if the grid is down, you might have trouble keeping them charged.
Solar lights, the kind used in landscape projects, can be great to have. They’re fairly cheap and give off enough light to read by, if you keep the light close by. Set them outside to charge during the day, then bring them in at night. Not a perfect solution by any means, but given that many people already have these lining their front walks, it’s simple enough to bring them in after sundown.
Another type of solar-powered light is the WakaWaka Light. This is an incredibly powerful light powered only by the sun. It lasts a long time on a single charge and is bright enough to light up the average room.
WEEK 50 ASSIGNMENTS
TASKS
1. Go through your lists and then check the house again and see what you already have on hand for emergency lighting. Purchase new batteries as needed, but I strongly advise you to consider using crank- and solar-powered lights.
2. Take a look back through past assignments and see what you’ve missed. Plug the holes as you can.
SAVINGS
Add $10 to your Prepper Savings Account.
TOTAL PREPPER SAVINGS ACCOUNT: 
WATER STORAGE
One gallon (or two 2-liter bottles) per person or a case of bottled water for the household.
TOTAL WATER STORAGE:
GROCERY LIST
3 cans vegetables, your choice
2 cans fruit, your choice, but stick with those packed in water or juice, rather than syrup
2 cans meat (tuna, chicken, beef), your choice
2 cans soup, not condensed (they require water)
1 box granola bars, protein bars, or equivalent
1 lb dry beans, your choice
1 jar or bag of nuts, dried fruit, or trail mix
