My wife needs your help!!!

BarryG · Nov 18, 2012

My wife is taking a Speech class and her final speech is on persuasion. Instead of the normal "Wear your seat belt" or any other common topic, She is thinking of a speech on why you should carry or have access to a flashlight. She would need 3-4 quotable sources as references of information in the speech. Do any of you know of any books or studies that mention having a flashlight. I was thinking of checking an owners manual of a car or maybe ever a Boyscout handbook.

Have you guys got any ideas?

***On a sidenote, she told me the other day that out 7yo son took a light to school with him, a small coin cell light. I told her that wasn't that bad and that she took one to school everyday too, thinking of the E01 on her keys. She smiled and said "I take more than one...". I forgot about the Quark 1xAA and Nuwai 1x123 that she kept in her purse. I was so proud!***

Thanks for the help,
Barry

ragweed · Nov 18, 2012

I think you are going to get slim pickings on this one since a flashlight is such a mundane item.

880arm · Nov 18, 2012

I would expect survivalist/emergency preparedness books would be a source you could use. Also, you might want to check out the search results for "always carry a flashlight" on Amazon. They include titles covering a surprisingly wide variety of topics and perhaps best of all, you can quote many of them without actually buying the book (due to the ability to search "inside the book" on Amazon). Some examples from the first couple of pages of results:

Belief Re-patterning: The Amazing Technique for "Flipping the Switch" to Positive Thoughts
How and Why to Build a Wine Cellar, Fourth Edition
RV Living in the 21st Century: The Essential Reference Guide for ALL RVers
The Handbook for Helping Kids With Anxiety and Stress
Achieving Energy Independence - One Step at a Time
The Homeowner's Hurricane Handbook
Arranging Your Life When Dialysis Comes Home (Volume 1)
Top Tips for Girls: Real advice from real women for real life
Photoshop CS2 and Digital Photography for Dummies
How To Operate Your Home - Second Edition
Making Perfect Landings

Good luck to your wife on her speech

lensman · Nov 18, 2012

A note on persuasion: truth and accuracy matter much less than passion and personal testimonial.

I don't think there are likely to be scientific studies on the efficacy of having a flashlight on survival percentages in a crisis - superstorm or zombie apocalypse, say. OTOH, you might be able to quote the news media on the desperate need for flashlights and batteries during the week-long power outage in New Jersey / New York. Actually, I imagine you could find psychological studies on the need for humans to have light in the evening. Fear of the dark is almost universal and so the need for long-duration light in the home rises to the level of necessity rather than a luxury.

BarryG · Nov 18, 2012

Thanks for the replies. I think she has found what she needed with the Amazon books, thanks 880arm.
A flashlight is also mentioned on page 264 of the Boyscout Handbook and a basic essential.

Thanks again guys,
Barry

Vortus · Nov 18, 2012

Weather forecast for tonight: 100% chance of dark.
George Carlin

As best I remember, saw it on one of cpf's retailers

Bicycleflyer · Nov 18, 2012

what about the red cross's checklist for being prepared??

k12cop · Nov 18, 2012

Not sure of the original source, but Google may help...on 9/11, those with flashlights made it out alive...don't know if true or ancedotal...

flashfan · Nov 18, 2012

Not too long ago on the History channel, there was a program entitled "101Gadgets That Changed The World." Number 82 on that list was the flashlight. A good portion of the very short flashlight segment unfortunately was devoted to "advertising" Maglite, but IIRC it also included a clip of a 9/11 survivor who credits his flashlight with being instrumental to getting out of the building on that fateful day.

According to Zap to It, the "101 Gadgets" program is scheduled to be shown again on Thursday, November 29th (History Channel). Don't know if you can also watch it online, but I believe the program is available for purchase on a DVD.

Also, quite awhile back, on at least one of many 9/11 documentaries, there was similar mention of the crucial role the flashlight played in people getting out of the building(s). Sorry, but unfortunately I don't remember the name of the program(s).

Going back still further, and a little closer to "home," when 9/11 hit, the CPF family worked together with several vendors to do group purchases of flashlights to be sent to Ground Zero for rescuers, recovery workers, and the like. I don't recall if the effort was in response to reports of a lack of flashlights at the scene, or just some way to contribute. Caveat: It's been years and my memory is bad, so if this information is of any use, be sure to check and corroborate details through the CPF archives.

TIP AND RING · Nov 18, 2012

A nice, common sense article :

http://linedrive.hubpages.com/hub/Carry-a-Flashlight

BarryG · Dec 6, 2012

My wife just got back from giving her speech......
She got an "A"! Her teacher said that it was the first time anyone had ever done a speech on flashlights and she loved it!

A special thanks to 880arm for the Amazon tip!

Barry

Cataract · Dec 6, 2012

BarryG said:
My wife just got back from giving her speech......
She got an "A"! Her teacher said that it was the first time anyone had ever done a speech on flashlights and she loved it!

A special thanks to 880arm for the Amazon tip!

Barry

:twothumbs: You should make her text available somewhere on CPF... some of us could use it on our less enlightened peers.

880arm · Dec 6, 2012

BarryG said:
My wife just got back from giving her speech......
She got an "A"! Her teacher said that it was the first time anyone had ever done a speech on flashlights and she loved it!

A special thanks to 880arm for the Amazon tip!

Barry

Congratulations to her on the 'A' and I'm glad to have contributed. The content is only a small part of a speech so she must have done a very good job presenting her topic.

I agree with Cataract, it would be great if she were willing to share her speech. Who knows, I might be able to use it for inspiration if I ever have to give a speech :devil:

BarryG · Dec 9, 2012

Here is the outline of her topics she used. She used various times when she needed a light such as when a tornado came through out area in April 2011 and when at work and the power would go out. She as working at a developmental/housing center for people with mental handicaps, so you could see how bad it would be for her and the residents to have a power outage.

The speech needed to be 5-7 min in length:

***********************************************************************************************

A Flashlight Is A Valuable Tool To Have

Kimberly Golden

I. If the weather man says there is a 70% chance of rain would you get an umbrella or a raincoat? There is a 100% chance it will get dark tonight, do you have a flashlight? I carry a flashlight with me at all times because you never know when or where you will need one. Many things can cause a power outage, and it is better to be prepared with a flashlight than to be fumbling around in the dark looking for one. A flashlight is one of the most important tools to have. I will show you the importance of having a flashlight in your emergency kit, your car, and your person.

II. A. A flashlight in your emergency kit is a must.

1. According to Craig Cooper, a volunteer for the American Red Cross, in 2009, he states that a flashlight should be in emergency kit, and not candles. Candles are dangerous and can cause a fire.

2. If there are small children running around they could get burnt.

B. A flashlight in your car can prove to be one of the most valuable assets in your vehicle.

1. Car trouble at night, it is hard to change a flat tire with no light.

2. Having to walk in the dark after the tornado. You may have to leave to seek safer shelter, in 2011 Mary Zalmanek did research for an article "Natural Disasters and Motorhome: How To Survive, she states with a flashlight in your car if you have to leave you already have an essential survival item with you.

C. A flashlight on your person is very handy.
1. April 2011 when the tornado hit, the power was turned off. Updated in 2012 StrafeRight.com states that it is easier to have a flashlight in your pocket, for you should not count on the one you had in a junk draw to be there.

2. Working at Greenevalley being in the shower room and the power going out.

III. Having a flashlight in all three of these places, your emergency kit, car, and on your person will provide a little piece of mind it what could be a very hectic situation. A flashlight really is one of the most important tools to have. I hope you better understand the importance and will prepare yourself with a flashlight so the next time the power goes out you are ready.

Works Cited

Cooper, Craig, A Volunteer For The American Red Cross, redcross.org, 2009.Web 4 Dec. 2012. StrafeRight.com. updated 8 Jan. 2012. Zalmanek, Mary. "Natural Disasters And Motorhomes: How To Survive: Prepare A Kit, Create A Plan And Stay Informed, Expert Advise." Motorhome July 2011: 44+. General OneFile. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.

***************************************************************************************

On a side note, she told me that when she gave the speech that she had 3 lights with her: 1xAA Quark, E01 and a well worn Nuwai 1x123!

Barry

TwitchALot · Dec 10, 2012

Are you guys joking me? I wish I had seen this earlier. If you (or anyone else) need a source for the importance of flashlights in the future, look at the 9/11 Commission Report.

Page 294 of the 9/11 Commission Report: "Still others remained alive in the impact zone above the 78th floor. Damage was extensive, and conditions were highly precarious. The only survivor known to have escaped from the heart of the impact zone described the 81st floor—where the wing of the plane had sliced through his office—as a "demolition" site in which everything was "broken up" and the smell of jet fuel was so strong that it was almost impossible to breathe. This person escaped by means of an unlikely rescue, aided by a civilian fire warden descending from a higher floor, who, critically, had been provided with a flashlight."

Page 318 of the 9/11 Commission Report: "One clear lesson of September 11 is that individual civilians need to take responsibility for maximizing the probability that they will survive, should disaster strike. Clearly, many building occupants in the World Trade Center did not take preparedness seriously. Individuals should know the exact location of every stairwell in their workplace. In addition, they should have access at all times to flashlights, which were deemed invaluable by some civilians who managed to evacuate the WTC on September 11."

Page 310 of the 9/11 Commission Report: "The ESU team on the 11th floor began descending stairwell C after receiving the evacuation order. Once near the mezzanine level—where stairwell C ended—this team spread out in chain formation, stretching from several floors down to the mezzanine itself. They used their flashlights to provide a path of beacons through the darkness and debris for civilians climbing down the stairs."

Key.

The Commission could have said whatever they wanted. When they talk about people needing to "take responsibility for maximizing the probability that they will survive, should disaster strike," what do they mention? A Bug Out Bag with the latest and greatest? Superior training and certification in various skillsets? No.

This is not to say those things are not useful or important, but the Commission choose to single out flashlights. Of all the things they could have said in addition, of the items they could have picked, they singled out the importance of flashlights, and illustrated how crucial it was to survival in this situation. Can you believe that people died in this instance because they didn't have a flashlight? Because they couldn't see through the smoke and fire in this dark building descending dozens of stories with panicked people in a crowded stairwell? How many people died that day because they couldn't see - because they didn't have a flashlight when they found themselves in this situation? We'll never know. What we do know is that many people were SAVED because they did, or someone else around them did.

Modern electronics and technology have blessed us with incredible flashlights for relatively low prices and small sizes, and there's really no excuse to not have one with you at all times. For what you can get with your money these days in lighting technology, from the venerable Fenix E01 to the very best in what portable lighting has to offer, there are so many choices for the consumer there's no excuse to not always have a flashlight on you. While most of us may not find ourselves in a 9/11 situation as ~2000 people did a decade ago, flashlights have very practical uses outside of a disaster. But should you find yourself in a disaster, wouldn't it suck to perish and think in hindsight, "I could have survived that, if only I had a flashlight"?

880arm · Dec 10, 2012

Thanks for sharing BarryG. I love the opening with the "100% chance of dark" reference Vortus provided. Sets the tone nicely.

prof student · Dec 14, 2012

TwitchALot said:
Are you guys joking me? I wish I had seen this earlier. If you (or anyone else) need a source for the importance of flashlights in the future, look at the 9/11 Commission Report.

Page 294 of the 9/11 Commission Report: "Still others remained alive in the impact zone above the 78th floor. Damage was extensive, and conditions were highly precarious. The only survivor known to have escaped from the heart of the impact zone described the 81st floor—where the wing of the plane had sliced through his office—as a "demolition" site in which everything was "broken up" and the smell of jet fuel was so strong that it was almost impossible to breathe. This person escaped by means of an unlikely rescue, aided by a civilian fire warden descending from a higher floor, who, critically, had been provided with a flashlight."

Page 318 of the 9/11 Commission Report: "One clear lesson of September 11 is that individual civilians need to take responsibility for maximizing the probability that they will survive, should disaster strike. Clearly, many building occupants in the World Trade Center did not take preparedness seriously. Individuals should know the exact location of every stairwell in their workplace. In addition, they should have access at all times to flashlights, which were deemed invaluable by some civilians who managed to evacuate the WTC on September 11."

Page 310 of the 9/11 Commission Report: "The ESU team on the 11th floor began descending stairwell C after receiving the evacuation order. Once near the mezzanine level—where stairwell C ended—this team spread out in chain formation, stretching from several floors down to the mezzanine itself. They used their flashlights to provide a path of beacons through the darkness and debris for civilians climbing down the stairs."

Key.

The Commission could have said whatever they wanted. When they talk about people needing to "take responsibility for maximizing the probability that they will survive, should disaster strike," what do they mention? A Bug Out Bag with the latest and greatest? Superior training and certification in various skillsets? No.

This is not to say those things are not useful or important, but the Commission choose to single out flashlights. Of all the things they could have said in addition, of the items they could have picked, they singled out the importance of flashlights, and illustrated how crucial it was to survival in this situation. Can you believe that people died in this instance because they didn't have a flashlight? Because they couldn't see through the smoke and fire in this dark building descending dozens of stories with panicked people in a crowded stairwell? How many people died that day because they couldn't see - because they didn't have a flashlight when they found themselves in this situation? We'll never know. What we do know is that many people were SAVED because they did, or someone else around them did.

Modern electronics and technology have blessed us with incredible flashlights for relatively low prices and small sizes, and there's really no excuse to not have one with you at all times. For what you can get with your money these days in lighting technology, from the venerable Fenix E01 to the very best in what portable lighting has to offer, there are so many choices for the consumer there's no excuse to not always have a flashlight on you. While most of us may not find ourselves in a 9/11 situation as ~2000 people did a decade ago, flashlights have very practical uses outside of a disaster. But should you find yourself in a disaster, wouldn't it suck to perish and think in hindsight, "I could have survived that, if only I had a flashlight"?

Great job finding that!!!
Thanks.

naiter · Dec 14, 2012

OMG i love this thread. should be stickied, somewhere... ?
i missed it cuz the thread tile too... should've been something like "important reasons why everyone should always have a flashlight"

maybe we can just keep it alive forever. I'm subscribing so i can find it easily again.
Makes me feel less crazy for always having a light, or two, or five on me.

BarryG · Dec 17, 2012

What do you guys think? Make it a sticky? Which forum? Change the thread title?

She is happy with her grade and through with the class now we can do whatever we want with the thread.....

Barry

Cataract · Dec 17, 2012

At the very least, this should be linked in "threads of interest"

My wife needs your help!!!

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