Advantages of the flare gun

[golok]

I don't hear much about the flare gun these days. I know those who belong to the sea-faring profession do carry such guns with them for emergency purposes but is the flare gun of any use to the ordinary folks.

With cell phones, flare guns seem to fading away much like the mist in the morning.

Anyway, when one fires a flare gun, how long does the signal stays in the sky for any rescuers to see, locate and identify?

 

[Hotrod]

My opinion is... the need isnt there!

Unless you are out in the woods, on a private plane or in a boat... Cell phone should do the trick...

And non boaters would say why the heck are they light'n fireworks!

But... for road side emergency's, a flare (stationary) would be helpful, for anybody!

 

[alco141]

flare guns dont cost much, but their weight and the possibility of causing a forest fire in some parts of the country make them less than ideal as far as a signalling device, now that you can get an EPIRB for land use in the USA, it would sem less likely that you would need a flare gun to signal. i guess if i was traveling via water, or by vehicle then i might ccarry one where weight is not a problem.

alex