Ok, I'll share a story, and in the telling, will let you know about the most important rule for carrying a flashlight. Many years ago, as a rookie cop in Wilmington I was given my first chance to patrol in a marked unit alone. It was a Sunday in the summer and there was little going on during day work. Our regular officer working the western side of town (19 car) had called in sick. I caught the tour and cheerfully went out on my own for the first time. Around mid day I was dispatched to a small street near Delaware Ave and Union. It was a miscellaneous complaint, no emergency. I arrived and in front of the address was an older lady. She told me she hadn't heard from her sister who lived at this address. She was concerned enough she had purchased a pane of glass matching the glass panes of the back door. She asked I force entry as it was really not like her sister to loose contact. I broke the glass and unlocked the door. The home was neat and tidy. No signs of trouble. Upstairs the sister looked into the closet and found her sisters luggage. This concerned her greatly because if her sister was in town she always stayed in contact. We returned to the first floor and she asked I check the basement, cautioning that the only light was from a draw string fixture to the right of the bottom of the stairs. (now about flashlights). It was mid-day Sunday on a bright summer day. I did not have a flashlight. I started down the basement steps, feeling my way with my hands as I inched along. At the bottom I came in contact with a cement wall. I called to the sister at the top of the step asking which direction to go. She said there were two steps to the right and then one step to the pull string. I turned to the right, (it's pitch black) and found the first step. I paused and listened - nothing. I stepped forward for the bottom step and - nothing, broken step, falling forward- into something solid that went away as soon as I hit it. I listened - nothing - and it came back and crashed into me. I struck out at it but it left again. Again no noise. And again it hit me and I grabbed at it and ended up grabbing a cold hand. The cold hand pulled out of my grasp. Still I heard nothing. NOTHING!
Now I'm not sure if my watching "Children of the Corn" the night before had anything to do with it. but......
I broke several fingernails going up the steps and the poor lady who had originally called later said I had screamed like a little girl coming out of the basement. (If memory serves me, she fainted when I entered the kitchen.) I do not remember screaming.
Later we found “the woman of the house” had hung herself at the bottom of the steps. When I fell on the last step I set the body in motion. As it swung back and forth it was hitting me, in the dark) and when I grabbed her hand, the swinging pulled it from my grip.
From that day forward I had a flashlight. I have had many flashlights! If we are ever together and the room goes dark, do not touch me, until I turn on my flashlight. Cause I’m armed and will shoot you if you don’t wait. Once was enough.
So to make a long story short (I know – too late). The only good flashlight is the one you can easily have with you all the time. 300 Lumens in your trunk is not helping right away.
Whatever light you choose, make sure it is easy to carry and can suffice until you get to your mega beam. Rumor has it mag lite has come out with a 230 lumen 2 AA mag-lite. (Mag-Lite plus). Waiting for mine in the mail.
fred
