Do it Yourself: Re: [DIY] Emergency Windup Radio & Light Recommendations?

16 November 2011

Re: [DIY] Emergency Windup Radio & Light Recommendations?

We exchanged earthquakes in CA for tornados in the midwest:) DH is more concerned than I am. We used to use our camp stove, now with the big barbque we can cook a full meal if so inclined. It has a grill, burners etc. For years we kept all the major items that are recommended for emergencies, even kept a candle and matches in a coffee can in the car, which is advised back here; even that little bit of heat can keep you alive. Now we don't even have a basement. We do keep a small supply in the house and car in case there really is an emergency. The tornado in Joplin last year was the first in a very long time there was no warning and I think I remember them saying it stayed under the rain and the radar couldn't detect it. The earthquakes in OK City recently were unexpected and were felt here. I know we sit on one of the biggest faults in the US but after living in the Bay Area and No CA for so many years I don't even worry about earthquakes. We do keep a stock of batteries, lanterns, candles, water and some food - and yes, our crank items. It's not uncommon to go a week here during an ice storm and we have supplies for probably a couple of weeks.

After the Joplin tornado support poured in. My GD is on the Sherrif's dept and worked over there and when they asked for donations they wanted things individuals needed right now. Charities were supplying so much but they also needed basic items. Rubber flipflops, cosmetics, combs & brushes, purses, shoes and socks. Things we take for granted. Can you imagine not being able to brush your teeth, or your hair for a few day? No soap to clean up with? Women are used to purses which can hold items for the kids, important papers etc - without one, where do you keep those items? While these items are not necessary to survive they can make a big difference. I keep a basic supply of these things in a zippered bag in our emergency cabinet, which also includes dog/cat food and a manual can opener. Of course that cabinet might well disappear too :)

The 1906 earthquake in SF made DH family Americans. Two brothers, and their wives, were visiting SF from the Isle of Wight. The earthquake brought the early arrival of his grandfather and they never went back. There have been Floods in SF ever since.

On Nov 16, 2011, at 12:23 AM, Sharry Dunn wrote:

Thanks Jan! Laughing about the BBQ and freezing while you wait for food to cook. I use candles at home when power is out, but they could be dangerous and so also have some battery powered lanterns. I use one of my backpacking stoves to cook on if power out long enough and also for my morning coffee. What I'm really doing is stocking my earthquake kit for worst case scenario which is separate Rubbermaid garden shed and now 2 adjacent trash cans for water and extra items. We are in earthquake country in SF Bay Area and I do have a small crank radio and crank flashlight I got on Freecycle, but in that worst case, I want to have a reliable radio and light, all hand crank and solar so I don't have to worry about batteries and I can get whatever news I need, including weather bands.

I'm leary about the Bean radio as I haven't always read good reviews on it, the price is good, but looking for reliable if it doesn't break the bank, which is sometimes fragile. Of course I can always bring these inside the house to use for other power outages as well.
cheers, sharry

-----Original Message-----
>From: Jan Flood <jan.flood2@att.net>
>Sent: Nov 14, 2011 1:04 PM
>To: DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: Re: [DIY] Emergency Windup Radio & Light Recommendations?
>
>Sharry, we have crank flashlights, lanterns and radio, although not LLBean. They do work but I personally wouldn't spend $50 on them. The light doesn't last a long time so you have to keep cranking but we do keep the crank flashlights around in case we run out of batteries. The radio we have wasn't expensive and we had trouble with static the times we really needed it. Maybe a better brand would provide better service. During the last ice storm there were no generators nor batteries to be had, people were going to other states to try and find them. One of our neighbors got in his jeep and said he wouldn't be back till he found batteries and I don't remember where he had to go but he came home with all they would let him buy, or we would have had to use the cranks and candles the rest of the week. I wouldn't want to live that way all the time, but it was so restful to light the candles for awhile, go to bed early and get up when it got light :) No TV etc. Note that we are able to heat one room of the house and do keep a full propane tank for the barbeque so we can have coffee and hot food, if you don't freeze to death while it cooks, LOL, so roughing it was tempered.
>
>On Nov 14, 2011, at 2:26 PM, Sharry Dunn wrote:
>
>Hi All,
>
>I want to purchase an emergency Solar powered /windup crank radio and separately a crank/wind up lantern as well.
>
>Any recommendations? I have debated over the LL Bean offering and the C Crane offering for a couple of years. I think it's time to place an order.
>
>Here is Crane's Lantern $50 plus ship
>http://www.ccrane.com/lights/light-accessories/dynamo-hand-crank-wind-up-led-lantern.aspx
>
>and their Radio $50 plus ship
>http://www.ccrane.com/radios/wind-up-emergency-radios/cc-solar-observer-wind-up-emergency-radio.aspx
>
>Bean's radio free shipping
>http://reviews.llbean.com/1138/IG101512/solar-dynamo-radio-light-reviews/reviews.htm
>
>appreciate your feedback,
>sharry
>
>
>Jan Flood
>
>
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>