There was an ice storm several years ago and the electricity was out for 3 days and we had to rely on our well-stocked 72-hour emergency kit and enjoyed hot meals and sufficient light, as well as heat from our Mr. Buddy Heater. We were able to heat water and stored it in thermos bottles to use for "instant" soup, instant oatmeal, hot beverages..... We even filled our hot water bottles to warm our bed, and in the morning the water was still warm enough to use in the bathroom sink for washing-up and shaving. When the young couple next door ran out of votive candles for lights, and peanut butter and bread for sandwiches, they shoved their 2 dogs into their vehicle and went to mama's house - driving over ice-covered roads, downed trees and limbs and power lines, and took 2 1/2 hours to make a 25-minute trip.
I love flashlights and my family knows it's an easy go-to gift for me. I have them everywhere in the house and a large variety of sizes and styles. The electricity around here (in the middle of nowhere) goes out frequently, and especially during bad weather when it can be off for 24-72 hours. I even keep a small flashlight tucked into the corner of the sofa. I keep a thin $2 LED light in my pajama pocket when we stay at a hotel/motel or are overnight guests at someone's home so I can find my way around in the dark. I have 4 different styles of flashlights in my purse, including a knife/flashlight combination and a UV Paqlite (.https://www.uvpaqlite.com/) which doesn't require batteries and recharges with any kind of light source. I also have the Paqlite Sheets in 2 different sizes we've used when camping. I also have a variety of solar lights. I just clip them on the umbrella clothes line to recharge them.
We have auxiliary power via a bank of Deep-Cell batteries we can charge with a solar panel (or a battery charger if there is electricity), and enough power to run the refrigerator and power lamps in the house with LED bulbs in them for real light. We can even power a small TV and fans. We also installed one ASCELLA bulb in each of the bathrooms as part of the vanity lights. This bulb works like a standard-sized LED light bulb, and while the light fixture is on the bulb charges itself. Any time the power goes out the Ascella bulb will stay illuminated an average of 3-hours without a power source. You can actually remove the Ascella bulb and use it like a flashlight.
I try to avoid using open-flame emergency lighting because they put off too many toxins and are dangerous to use around children and curious pets. Friends of ours were without electricity for 9 days and they used candles and oil lamps for their lighting. After the electricity came back on they quickly realized they would have to repaint some rooms due to the soot from the candles and lamps, and it caused serious breathing problems with one of their children.
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