It's not a Surefire story, but...
I am an EMT/Firefighter (part time). I always carry LOTS of light and a trauma kit in my car. Normally though I am an electronic engineer, and I start work at 5:30AM to avoid traffic.
Anyway, I am on my way in to work one morning. My drive is all interstate. I just get off one and onto another, about 30 miles one way. I can do it in a half-hour. I am taking the ramp from Rt44 on to Rt90 - the ramp comes down a hill to intercept the freeway. As I'm gathering speed to merge, there is suddenly right in front of me one of those big trucks that haul roofing - the kind with a crane on it's back. It's on its' side, sliding across the grass median between the ramp the the freeway, and across the pavement about 100' in front of my car. I slam the brakes on.
Beyond that is a semi going off the right hand side of the road and down into a little valley. The semi is on fire bigtime.
I get the car stopped. It's pitch dark except for the firelight. The Electrolumens Tristar Phaser takes care of that nicely. It sits on the floor next to the driver's seat, and it has a fresh load of batteries. It will need them.
I get out after calling 911. The operator wants to chat, but there is a woman on the road in front of me, ejected from the roofing truck. Her husband is walking around dazed, I get him settled. Look her over and decide she'll live, although she has a major case of road rash. I cover them both with survival blankets (there are always a dozen of those in the car too) and clean up what I can see.
I have been dreading the walk to the semi, because the flames were already 20' high before the truck ever stopped. It is fully involved and I can't get near it. I don't want to look in the cab. I've seen it before, and if there is someone in there, I can't help him. The place sounds like a battle zone from the semis' tires exploding. I get as close as I can, but I don't see anyone in the cab. I swing the light around and there is the driver, walking to the light! I get him the heck away from there and look him over. He's cut up badly, but I patch the biggest holes and he's going to be OK.
So what happened? Dunno. The best I can guess (and it's only a guess) is the semi was passing the roofer and cut back in too soon. He rolled the roofer and in the process cut open a fuel tank, which then caught fire.
By this time half of Lake County EMS is there, and the Phaser provides light for much of their activity since what they had was, in comparison, pretty anemic. I may have sold a few good lights that day
I finally did make it to work, but had to go home first and trash the clothes I was wearing. I also had to spend some money to replenish the trauma kit, but that's OK. The Phaser? Washed off, new batteries and it's back waiting for the next one.
I'll be waiting!!
