'Life Saving' Travel Device Now Available in North America

The device - the FlareSafe, by FlareBrands Limited - is designed to provide three levels of safety to travelers. It is now available in the United States and Canada, after several years of European availability.

The FlareSafe is a "robust and water-resistant" flashlight which touts "military-grade plastic" construction for durability and safety. It is, at it's heart, a light and portable safey device designed in response to an Australian hostel fire that claimed the lives of 15 young travelers in 2000. The company's press release describes the hand-held FlareSafe as follows:

FlareSafe is an innovative 3-in-1 travel safety device that combines an optical smoke detector, a powerful LED flashlight, and a personal sonic alarm. Anyone planning a trip that includes spending a few nights in bed and breakfasts, hostels, boats or less-than-glamorous hotels should make sure to pack a FlareSafe.

The smoke detector feature is an "independently tested" and "self-calibrating" alarm built into the flashlight-looking device. When the optical sensor recognizes smoke particulates, it sounds an 110 decibel alarm. The flashlight is simultaneously illuminated, making the device easier to find in smokey conditions. The personal alarm feature uses the same 110-decibel alarm to create what the company calls a "sonic flare" to discourage intruders or attackers. The flashlight beam can be activated independently of the siren. At full beam, the FlareSafe light will last for 10 hours, on AA batteries. It can also be illuminated at "half beam" - which is useful for reading - for up to 50 hours, and can be put in "strobe" mode - which can be used as a locating signal, visible up to 2 kilometers away - for over 100 hours on full charge. Note: The company's press release listed the volume of the alarm as 110-db, while other product descriptions list it as 120-db.