While our primary focus at Point Below is in the outdoors, the benefits provided to survival type items have far more uses than just at the campsite. With natural disasters such as wildfires, tornadoes and hurricanes, survival type items are ones you'll be very glad to have should the situation arise. Natural disasters are completely unpreventable and something we have come to understand and adapt towards when faced with one. Some areas are at higher risk for natural disaster events than others, but the chance is never zero. Devastating storms, like the most recent Hurricane Ian, cause massive amounts of damage to individual homes and critical infrastructure systems, as well as posing a direct threat towards your own safety, meaning you could very well find yourself in a survival situation, even within the safety of your home.
While I don't intend to make light of the hardships that natural disasters cause to the victims, there needs to be an understanding for just how dangerous and devastating these types of events are. Some may choose to evacuate with impending storm warnings, while others may not have the option, or just choose to stay and stick it out. If the event is bad enough, it will take time for rescue and cleanup crews to undo the damage caused. Without knowing how long that could be for you, it's a good idea to stock up for the long haul. The first thing anyone should do with a major storm warning is to stock up on necessities - mainly non-perishable food and bottled or otherwise potable water. With those basic needs covered, there are other considerations to be made. What if you lose power, or the gas is shut off? Being prepared for these eventualities goes a long way towards your survival, but every little bit of positivity helps when you find yourself in any type of dire situation.
Losing power can cause lots of problems, especially if you were relying on your refrigerator to keep food fresh. Non-perishable foods are more reliable, as a power outage won't lead to your food stores becoming inedible. Without power, your lights won't work either, and no one likes stumbling around in the dark. Having backups for these eventualities, in the forms of power banks and flashlights or lanterns are a must have for any storm prep. Since we've designed our product line to utilize solar recharging wherever possible, this creates a solar ecosystem of electronic devices that can operate independently or in conjunction with one another. Our 10k mAH solar powerbank features a built in flashlight and enough capacity to charge a mobile device 3 times over, while the 20k mAH has a built in spotlight and double the charge capacity. Both of these devices come with solar rechargeability, multiple charging ports, waterproof ratings and even SOS light functions to signal rescue crews.
For lighting products, every one of our lights is rechargeable, removing the need for unreliable, disposable batteries. Many of the lighting devices also feature the ability to siphon power from the light into another device if needed, serving as emergency backup sources of power. With our hands-free cap light and pop-up lantern featuring built in solar panels, both devices can also charge themselves independently. Our mini flashlights come in a waterproof case, with SOS light features to assist in rescue operations. Especially in cases where you might be without power for weeks, having plenty of options for light and power is never a bad decision. With the capability to charge themselves, our lights offer extended usage without the worry of stockpiling disposable items to power them.
The final and most important factor is your ability to cook and prepare food. While non-perishable foods can be eaten directly from the packaging, a warm meal is a huge help, especially in cold and wet conditions. Some of us may have other cooking options, such as portable gas burners or cooking stoves, but both of those are dependent on fuel cartridges that you may or may not have enough of. Fire is good not only for cooking, but for keeping you warm and dry. In this time of year, warmth is a huge factor, and for natural disasters like a hurricane, a great way to dry your clothes. Our original lighter, in conjunction with a solar powerbank, provides a nearly limitless source of fire-starting potential. The flashlighter includes the same perks, with the added versatility of a flashlight with an SOS flash option. While you can't just light a fire on your living room floor, you can certainly find a way to get a life-saving fire going if it's absolutely necessary. Something as simple as a metal bucket is enough to contain a fire, but take extra considerations when it comes to ventilation. Having proper air flow is a must, and if you need to create a small fire, make sure to use a proper container in a open or well ventilated area, ensuring the smoke has a proper way to vent itself outside. This is extremely important to get right, as you don't want to create other problems for yourself, so I wouldn't recommend doing this unless absolutely, completely necessary.
Regardless of the situation, having items that serve a recreational purpose, but can also be potentially life saving in a worse case scenario, is something you may not understand until the situation arises. As it's always better to be over prepared than the opposite, having some of these tools in your outdoor or disaster kit is an absolute must.