SureFire Torches and Flashlights

Rescue at Ground Zero - WTC

I am a New York State Court Officer Sergeant, assigned to Criminal Supreme Court in lower Manhattan. At approximately 0900 hrs. on Sept. 11, 2001, I was the supervisor of a group of court officers assigned to rescue operations at the World Trade Center disaster. At approximately 0944 hrs. my officers and I were assisting the evacuation of Tower 1 when Tower 2 collapsed, trapping us in the rubble. In pitch darkness and choking on dust, I immediately reached for my SureFire 6z flashlight on my Sam Brown belt.

The light from that 6z enabled me to locate some of my officers, other police, fire personal and civilians trapped with us. Although other Flashlights were there my SureFire was easily the brightest. Within several minutes we were able to break thru the rubble and rescue ourselves and several civilians.

There is no question in my mind that my little SureFire helped save our lives. As I write this 2 of my officers and a Captain from the NYS Court Officers Academy are still among the missing. Pray for there safe return. Pray for all of them. God Bless America.

Still Missing:
Capt. William (Harry) Thompson Off.
Thomas Jurgens Off.
Mitchell Wallace

Thank You.

Sgt. Richard Rosenfeld, NY State Supreme Court

EMS in Bonn, Germany

I am a Paramedic working with the Fire Department’s EMS in Bonn, Germany. On the job there is noting I haven’t done with my SureFire. It starts with finding the right house on a poorly lit street, the right bell at which to ring and ends with saving a kid's life.

I have used my 8X in various situations, always outshining the lights of my colleagues (Most of them have by now become faithful customers of SureFire as well).

Once we were working on a kid who got caught by a passing streetcar train. Working under the streetcar in a confined space, my 8X helped a lot. On an other occasion, working at a car accident at night on a victim trapped in his smashed car we were able to start an IV line on the victim because SureFire turned darkness into day…

On a search and Rescue job when a kid had fallen into the city’s river, we couldn’t access the river by car and therefore couldn’t use the powerful searchlights dependent on the vehicle’s power supply. Some of my colleagues had to stop searching, frustrated with their bulky, low-power lights and left the job to me and another guy, equipped with one of your daylight-makers. We actually found the kid in a distance the usually used MagLight wouldn’t have reached. I guess his mother will bless you guys for the rest of her life, at least once every year.

There is nothing one cannot do with SureFire. Even our pediatric surgeons love me for helping them with the problem of starting intravenous lines on small children. Trans-illuminating the child's hand and thereby making the veins visible is magnificent.

The SureFire 8X has done a great job. After years of abuse, falling down staircases and hitting the ground, smashing car windows to get to the victim and at one time providing as a weapon against an aggressive patient it still provides a flawless beam. But the most important reason of all why there is nothing better than SureFire, is the tiny piece of equipment on the belt, compared to the lighting power it has. Always having the light handy, without carrying the long and thick aluminium 3D Cell MagLight others use. No other rechargeable flashlight compares to SureFire’s 8X!

Thanks for making the job easier every day!

Sam G., Paramedic, Bonn, Germany

A job that frequently takes me into dark

I am a professional Firefighter Paramedic, a job that frequently takes me into dark and dangerous places. After a short time on the job I realized I needed a bright light to efficiently and safely perform my duties. The mini lights commonly used at that time just didn't have the light output I wanted and frankly nor did the multi D cell aluminum flashlights. Then there was their cumbersome bulky size. Then I found the SureFire 6P. It is small enough to comfortably fit on my belt and bright enough to do the job. I would show up in a dark situation where law enforcement was present and they would all be using their big multi D cell lights. I loved the look on their faces when I lit up the 6P as it outshined all of their lights! They would start asking what that little thing in my hand was and where I got it. Since then, they have all traded in their D cells for brighter and less cumbersome products by SureFire. I have thought about upgrading to the 9AN or similar products but the 6P is still going strong even after over six years of use and abuse in Fire and EMS situations, household and automotive repairs, hunting, camping, the list goes on. I just can't be without my trusty SureFire 6P.

We did not resemble our brothers in blue

Just as one can never have enough guns, knives, cameras, tools etc., the same goes with flashlights. Or at least it did with me and most of my other friends. I recently retired after 22 years in the fire service. The last 10 years now I have used my SureFire 6P both on and off duty. After having used several different types and kinds of flashlights, one finds out they are just like other tool, guns, fishing rods, etc. One is better at a certain task than the other and finding one good all around tool to depend on is fantastic if you can. I think I have with my 6P. Using it as the 6P allows me to almost always carry a very bright dependable light without too much worry about the batteries going dead or being too bulky to be carried around for a just in case of emergency type of light. When I was on duty or when I have a task that requires the use of the light as a tool than I easily replace the 10 year shelf life lithium for the rechargeable battery stick. Also in this mode the length almost doubles and now the light can be used even more so as a defensive weapon if need be, easier to hold with gloves on, etc. One of my assignments with the Los Angeles City Fire Dept was in the Quality Improvement Unit Field Side. Part of the assignment were mandatory night ride outs by individual paramedics or firefighter/paramedic auditors. The 6P appearence was a little more discreet as we did not resemble our brothers in blue stepping out of their squad cars with flashlight/baton in hand. In fact, I was able to comfortably wear it in the nylon sheath holster. As a confident back up were the 2 lithium batteries in my pocket just in case I used up the rechargeable battery stick on a call. Redundancy is safety. Always have a backup for the back up. This same light accompanied me to my next and last assignment as a crashescue fireman at the LAX. As our silver fire fighting suits did not have as many exterior holding locations to attach the bigger type rechargeable flashlights again the 6P was a big comfort riding in my coats pocket. I sure miss the job but I carry my 6P where ever I go. I had also bought a 6P for my wife when I was married. Myself having a lot of neck/back injuries/surgeries it is comforting to bring a very high powered but lightweight flashlight on everyday outings and camping trips with my children. By the way, I bought a Scorpion on sale a few years back. The beam is no where as bright as the 6P. I am planning on purchasing the 120 lumen light bulb assembly for even greater versatility for my 6P. I highly recommend this light both as a primary and a backup. I use to carry at least 3 different lights on me when on shift. If I were back on duty and the only lights available from SureFire were the 6P's, I would have 2 6R's and one 6P. There is so much more good stuff to say about these lights but I have already said quite a bit. Thanks for the safety and confidence provided.

Gregory T., Arcadia, CA

My best decision of the day

I work as a professional firefighter. This past weekend we had some very heavy rainfall, which followed a recent snowstorm of approx 6" of accumulation. Many of the homes and business in my area became severely flooded. Our job as an Engine Company was to check flooded structures for hazards, victims etc. Most of the structures we entered had no power. I was carrying my SureFire C2 Centurion, which proved to be my best decision of the day. My C2 saw some extreme use that day, being wet, scraped into various obstacles, etc. However the light never failed to perform. Thank you SureFire for building such a dependable product!

Drowning Victim Gets Help

I always have at least one SureFire flashlight with me whenever I go anywhere. The reason for this is a ride-a-long I did with the Corpus Christi Police Department about seven years ago. We received a call of a drowning victim at an apartment complex. when we arrived, the medics and firefighters were already there doing CPR on the victim. The area around the pool was very poorly lighted and I noticed that the rescuers were not able to see their equipment or the victim very well. I decided to help them by holding my SureFire 9N flashlight just above them. When I turned it on, it was like turning on a halogen spotlight. The area around the victim was lit up like daylight. The officer that I was riding with at the time later asked me what kind of flashlight I had and where he could get one. He told me that he was going to buy one the next day.
The first flashlight I ever bought was a Mag Lite rechargeable. I thought that it was the best there was until I saw a SureFire flashlight at a local gun show. Since then I have not purchased any other and I have several. The SureFire is the only one I will ever carry!

Derek G., Police Trainee, Corpus Christi, TX, United States

Paramedic Saves Patient on Rails

SureFire saved my life and the life of my patient. I'm Paramedic in Munich/Germany and without my SureFire, my patient would have died and I would have been seriously injured. My patient just had fallen from a platform right in front of a subway train. I had to had work in complete darkness, but was able to see the third rail. If there wasn’t SureFire, I couldn’t do my work because I saw what I had to do. Thank you for SureFire. I probably would have had a real problem had I used a Maglite!

Dennis E., Paramedic, Munick, Germany

I ride sports bikes with a group of friends.

Dear SureFire,

I ride sports bikes with a group of friends. On 10/08/00 one of the bikes in our group was having a problem. So we were riding slowly on a dark road here in Jacksonville, Florida. It was late and we were all on our way home. I was riding in the middle of the group when I saw my friend Eric's body go flying ahead of me. An instant after that I was hit from behind by another bike. Getting hit made me fall, the rest of the bikes stopped and saw my friend lying in the middle of the road. His motorcycle was in pieces all over the road.

A drunk driver was speeding excessively on the same dark road and smashed into Eric and his bike from behind. Pieces of Eric's bike went flying, the bulk if it right into my bike. On impact, Eric was launched headfirst ahead of most of us. When questioned, the drunk driver and his drunk passenger didn’t even know they hit a motorcycle. They thought they had hit a tree.

The road had no street lights and was very dark. For years I have carried a SureFire 6Z, and with all of the bikes put down to take care of Eric and the drunk drivers’ car turned off, the only light available until police arrived was the SureFire.

I used the light in a variety of roles that evening. First to tend to my friend Eric who was severely wounded and to signal oncoming vehicles of the wreck. I also used it to signal approaching police and Emergency vehicles.

Eric lost a lot of blood, most of it through a gaping wound in his leg. His injuries necessitated he be life flighted to the hospital. Thank God, he was sent home after two weeks and he is doing better, riding with us still.

I had carried the 6Z since the only two options I knew of for SureFire lights were a 6Z and 6P. I have carried it for this long in case of an emergency life threatening situation. Though this was not the type of life threatening situation I envisioned using it in, we were all glad I had it that evening.

When Eric's bike smashed into the rear of mine, I too wrecked. Even though the 6Z in my pocket was scratched in the fall, it performed as reliably as it always has. Sometime after the accident, I bought another SureFire, the M2. While the M2 is now the light I carry every day, the old, scratched and worn 6Z still sits at my night stand, as ready to shed light in darkness whenever it may be needed.

If you would like, we have pictures of the accident, the wrecked bikes, the car and more. I will be glad to share these with you as well.

Thank you so much for your wonderful lights and products. We needed all the help we could get that night and your light was there to do its job. We were all very grateful.

Pediatric anesthesiologist

I have been meaning to write to you for quite some time now to tell you what incredibly wonderful products you make and sell. Your products affect my life in a number of positive ways. First off I'm a pediatric anesthesiologist and am always confronted by the immense problem of starting intraveneous lines on small children. Being able to trans-illuminate a child's hand, and thereby showing clearly where the veins are, has added immensely to the quality of care which I can provide; thereby making health care better and safer for children. Secondly, as a physician I work long hours and am rarely home before dark. Your flashlights allow me to safely run/jog down the streets in my area (no streetlights) by clearly illuminating the path in front of me; without having to carry one of those huge Maglites. Thirdly, as an individual, your flashlights allow me the means to greatly enhance my self protection in dark environments.

I simply can't say enough good things about your products. They are excellently made, and asthetically very appealing. I furthermore think that you have a VERY LARGE untapped potential market in the medical field. I have shown your flashlight to other medical colleagues and they all have been interested in obtaining them. All areas of medicine that deal with children could stand to benefit from your products (an enormous market probably equal to or greater than the law enforcement market).

Again, let me tell you how wonderful and excellent a product that you truly make.

Peter F., M.D.