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Cooking Lighting
Purpose: cook safely and keep light available during outages without triggering fire or carbon monoxide risks.
Do This First
- Choose one indoor-safe and one outdoor cooking method.
- Build a 14-day fuel plan with daily burn estimates.
- Set up at least two lighting systems: rechargeable and fuel-based backup.
- Place fire extinguisher and CO alarm near cooking area.
Fuel Planning
| Method | Fuel | Typical Use | Indoor Safe |
|---|
| Camp stove | Butane/propane canister | 1 canister 1 to 2 days light use | Only with ventilation |
| Rocket stove | Sticks/scrap wood | Very efficient small meals | No |
| Alcohol stove | Denatured alcohol | Fast boil for small pots | Careful ventilation |
| Solar cooker | Sunlight | No fuel, weather dependent | Outdoor only |
Lighting Tiers
- Tier 1: LED headlamps and lanterns (primary)
- Tier 2: USB-rechargeable lights + power bank
- Tier 3: Oil lamp/candles only for short emergency backup
Use warm low-lumen light at night to preserve battery and reduce eye strain.
Decision Table
| If this happens | Do this now | Backup action | Verify |
|---|
| Gas smell near stove | Shut fuel valve immediately | Move setup outdoors | No odor after 5 minutes |
| Battery lights low | Switch to low mode | Rotate to charged bank | 8+ hours light coverage |
| High wind/rain | Use sheltered cook station | No-cook meal plan | No open flame instability |
| CO alarm triggers | Stop combustion source now | Evacuate and ventilate | Alarm clears and source identified |
Common Mistakes and Fixes
- Mistake: using open flame near fabric. Fix: keep 3 ft clearance minimum.
- Mistake: indoor charcoal cooking. Fix: never use charcoal indoors.
- Mistake: no fuel tracking. Fix: daily burn log by meal.
- Mistake: relying on one light source. Fix: layered system with backups.
Scenario Drills
Drill 1: 72 Hour Outage
- Cook all meals on outage setup only.
- Track fuel and battery draw.
- Adjust ration and lighting schedule.
- Goal: complete 3 days with 25% reserve remaining.
Drill 2: Night Cooking Safety
- Simulate low-light meal prep.
- Place lighting to avoid shadows and spill hazards.
- Practice emergency flame shutoff.
- Goal: full cook cycle with zero safety violations.
Printable Checklist
- [ ] Fuel inventory counted and dated
- [ ] Indoor ventilation route confirmed
- [ ] CO alarm tested
- [ ] Fire extinguisher accessible
- [ ] Primary and backup lights charged
- [ ] 14-day meal fuel plan written
- [ ] Night safety drill completed
Safety note: carbon monoxide is odorless and deadly. Never sleep with active combustion heat or cooking devices indoors.
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