Emergencies, natural calamities, and accidents are not marked in anyone’s calendar. It’s not like a holiday that’s announced on your social media or in the news. No one can foretell when trouble will come, so the only thing you can do is prepare!
Prevention is better than cure. You may have heard it thousands of times, but it’s repeated for many generations because of the truth it holds. Although there are devices that can predict certain disasters like an earthquake, volcanic eruption, thunderstorm, etc., other catastrophes are simply impossible to foresee! That is why preventive measures, like emergency lights, are strictly imposed to help lessen the impact and hopefully prevent casualties.
Emergency lights are direct current, battery-packed lighting devices that turn on automatically when the primary power source gets cut. You can typically see them installed on emergency exits, providing a clear view during evacuation. Usually, when the backup battery takes the lead, it can last for 3 hours, providing enough time to guarantee that everyone has safely made their way out of the building. After everything has settled and the power is back, it will start recharging until its next appearance! Emergency lights are a mandatory requirement in public areas like hospitals, schools, offices, retail shops, restaurants, malls, and cinemas. Why? Because it can eventually save lives and ensure the well-being of the people on the premises!
Do you need emergency lights?
Emergency lights. Okay, they give you brightness when the power’s out. If that’s the case, can’t you just use a flashlight or a candle which is cheaper? Do you really need an emergency light? To help you get this sorted, here are some of the main reasons emergency lights are necessary.
Reason #1: Helps in reducing panic
Emergency lights can reduce the panic that people will feel in the event of a blackout, crisis or calamity. Since its system is wired to switch on when a power outage occurs or in reaction to an alarm, there’s no doubt that there will be panic as people hurriedly make their way to the exits. Emergency lighting can keep the people calm, collected and level-headed as they navigate their way through the marked exits in contrast to struggling in the dark and fretting to find an escape.
Reason #2: Aids in a timely evacuation
During emergency situations, especially in the event of a fire, time is crucial and not a moment can be spared. If people have a hard time finding the exit points, it will take longer for them to evacuate the building, leading to more casualties. However, if an emergency light can illuminate their path, evacuation will be faster and more lives can be saved! These lights are crucial for large premises where exits may be down a staircase or hallway. It can guarantee proper lighting that can lead people out of the building!
Reason #3: Assist rescue personnel
In an emergency, there is bound to be chaos. If a sea of people are making their way out while rescue professionals are making their way in, emergency lights can be of great help with navigation. Emergency responders need emergency lights so they can immediately rescue anyone who’s stuck in the building and get everyone out safely. Just imagine how difficult it will be if the rescuers don’t have any visuals on the disaster site!
Reason #4: Useful for a variety of situations
Aside from fire and power outages caused by storms or natural disasters, emergency lights are proven to be useful in other situations. They can serve as a means to guide people out into safety while the professionals deal with the situation. eg. The police or task force can activate these lights to direct people to safer ground.
What are the different kinds of emergency lights?
There are different emergency lights that you can add to increase the safety of your space. While they all have the same purpose, not all function the same. Here are some that you need to know:
- Maintained: This type is similar to regular light. However, when the primary power fails, it will switch to battery and draw power from there until the main power comes back.
- Non-maintained: This type only switches on when the primary power supply is cut due to a power outage. It only uses the primary circuit to charge for when another blackout happens.
- Combined: This type is made of two different emergency lights. One of the lights is powered by the primary circuit, while the other is powered by the emergency backup power. It can be a maintained or non-maintained unit, depending on the situation.
Now that you know how essential emergency lights are, it’s time to visit our website, Simple Lighting, and start scouting for yours! We have premium-quality LED emergency lights that will be of great help for you in case of an emergency. You never know what might hit you, so it’s best to just over prepare instead of mindlessly floating around when you’re already at the centre of the mess!
