One of the most essential items to have in a 72-hour kit is a flashlight. Get enough for every person in your family to have one in their own bag. I think the flashlight idea is essential, not only for light but for comfort – especially for any of us who might be scared of the dark, or maybe more specifically, what’s in the dark.
You could use a flashlight that you shake. Here is how they work; when you shake the flashlight, a magnet passes through a metal coil which, which induces voltage in the coil generating electricity. Simple as that. No need worry about batteries going bad. They are not real expensive either, you can expect to pay between $5 and $8 on amazon.com and they are available at preparedness or sporting good stores as well.
If you wish to use battery flashlights you already have, rather than buy new ones, just remember you will need to change out the batteries every 6 months just to be sure they are safe and strong should you need them. You’ll probably also want to have extra flashlight bulbs too, just in case.
Light sticks are also a fun item to have in your kits. If you were ever in a situation with no power and in the dark, light sticks have a 12 hour life when opened and that would allow some light for a nervous child to get them through the darkest part of night. These are available at Emergency Essentials as well as Wal-Mart or sporting good stores as well.
On this note, it is a good idea to have a flashlight by your bed in case of a power outage in the night. We did this growing up so even when I came out to college I still always had a flashlight by my bed. In came in handy this summer when our power went out in the night and we had got up to call the power company (it was so stinkin' hot!). Just an idea to consider. Also, for around the house in case of those power outages it would be to your advantage to get 1 or 2 oil lamps. This makes it very convenient without the mess of dripping wax from candles and even lowers the risk of fires spreading.
