If you find yourself in an emergency situation and need to get the attention of others, an SOS lighting signal can be your best friend. While they are not practical for most users who live in concrete jungles if you go hiking a lot or happen to work in a place where civilization is scarce you can consider investing in SOS lighting signals. These lights help others locate you and know that you are in trouble or need assistance.

SOS lights serve as identification markers and often emit bright lights to let others know your location. They usually come with a screwing system that keeps the whole mechanism intact. When you intend to use an SOS lighting signal, you need to unscrew the cap and remove the protective film that surrounds the enclosure. This allows you to activate the light stick by shaking it. You can wave it around to create circles of light. Usually, SOS signals come with lanyards to help you swing them around for convenience.

The circles of light can be seen several miles away from the ground provided there is no visual obstruction between you and other people in the vicinity. It is recommended to keep SOS signals handy if you go backpacking or live in an area that faces natural calamities frequently. They are also handy for grabbing the attention of drivers in highways in case you are stranded with a faulty vehicle.

Search and rescue professionals also use these lights frequently on a day to day basis. Good quality battery glow sticks can get you 12 hours of continuous lighting which should be more than enough if you find yourself in a bad situation. If you travel a lot, it is recommended to keep one or two glowsticks handy just in case as you never know when they might come in handy.