Flashlights The Everlasting Tool
by
Lexis Choi
University of Central Florida
New and improved technology is always on the rise in today’s ever-changing world. Along with the appearance of new technology, there is the domino effect of the replacement of old, outdated tools. For example, as soon as cellphones became more advanced and developed into smart phone, landlines became mostly obsolete. However, there are always a few tools that still remain relevantly used for a variety of applications throughout the passage of time. One such tool that I still find useful is the flashlight. It is a versatile tool that can be applied to all sorts of situations, such as in emergencies, construction and auto repairs, inspections, doctor visits, walks in the dark, recreation, and games.
One circumstance in which flashlights are useful is in times of emergencies. Life is full of unexpected events, and emergencies can happen any time. A flashlight is a handy tool when there are power outages or when you are experiencing car troubles. For example, when a category four hurricane hit my family’s home in Florida, it caused a huge power outage. Thus, flashlights became a necessity in order to see at night inside the dark house. Furthermore, in the case of car trouble, you would need a flashlight in order to look inside the truck or under the hood of the car at night.
Another application of flashlights can be seen in use during construction and auto repairs. At night, construction zones can be more hazardous as it is harder to see and easier to trip over things, such as equipment. Moreover, there are times where workers need to regularly look inside dark enclosed spaces. Thus, workers usually carry flashlights with them just in case. Flashlights are also typically used during auto repairs. When trying to repair something underneath a vehicle, an assistant or the mechanic would use a flashlight to illuminate the area in order to see what they are doing.
A third usage of a flashlight is during various inspections. It is an essential tool for inspectors. For instance, during health inspections, health inspectors use special flashlights to detect molds that are hard to notice in regular lighting. Without the flashlight, the molds would not be spotted, and the inspectors would mistakenly clear the area as mold free. Furthermore, flashlights are used during home inspections. They can help in finding problems, such as water leaks from plumbing or ceilings.
A fourth application of flashlights is demonstrated in doctor visits. Many doctors use flashlights in their examination of patients. For example, when I would visit the optometrist, they would shine a flashlight toward my eyes to check for anything abnormal. Also, a regular family doctor would use a flashlight to check inside my ears, nose, and mouth during an appointment. Even dentists use flashlights to make sure they can see what they are doing while cleaning your mouth. In essence, flashlights are crucial in diagnosing numerous illnesses. Furthermore, not only doctors, but also regular people can use a flashlight to check for ailments. For instance, you may use a flashlight in front of a mirror to check inside your mouth for a sore or swollen throat.
A fifth use for flashlights is during walks in the dark. When going out at night, a flashlight is a must have tool to stay safe. For example, when I was younger, my mother would always bring a flashlight when we went trick-or-treating. It would help us see where we were going in the neighborhood and make the night less scary. Whenever a person goes on a nightly walk or early morning jog, it is always useful to carry a flashlight.
A sixth application for flashlights is in recreation. For example, when biking at night, I would sometimes mount a flashlight on top of my helmet with duct tape as a makeshift headlight. This helps to let me see where I am going, and it helps cars spot me, avoiding a potential accident. Moreover, flashlights are essential when going on hiking trips. If you want to explore caves or woods at night, flashlights would be needed. They would especially be important if you got lost in the dark. Flashlights can also be used during night fishing as well. They can help you spot fish or avoid hidden objects by shining light on the water and surrounding area.
Finally, a seventh situation in which flashlights are used is during games. A flashlight can be a great tool for entertainment during the night. You can create and play flashlight games during slumber parties or camping trips. For example, I played flashlight tag at a slumber party one time. It is a game in which the person who is ‘It’ will have a flashlight and tag a person with the light. Also, we used flashlights to tell scary stories, make shadow puppets, and play hide-and-seek as well.
As you can see, the flashlight is a handy tool that can be used in all sorts of situations, such as in emergencies, construction and auto repairs, inspections, doctor visits, walks in the dark, recreation, and games. I myself have used flashlights when in emergencies, walking at night, looking in dark spaces, recreation, and games. It is definitely a tool that is useful now and will continue to be so in the future. A person may argue that their smart phone’s flashlight can replace an actual flashlight. However, a smart phone’s flashlight can be very unconventional in all the previous mentioned instances. You would not want a doctor to inspect your mouth with their phone’s light or riskattaching your phone to your helmet while biking at night. Furthermore, the flashlight of a smart phone cannot really compare to real flashlights in terms of quality, as the light of the real flashlight is usually stronger. Also, real flashlights have the advantage of being able to have built in special UV or LED lights, which smart phone flashlights cannot truly replicate. Overall, despite the various new technologies that arise today, the flashlight has stood the test of time and remains to be a resourceful, versatile tool that is used to this day.