Typhoon Jebi, which hit Kansai the other day, and the earthquake in Hokkaido that occurred on the 6th ... Life hacks during various disasters are flying around on SNS in response to daily disasters, but the one I was particularly interested in was the tuna can. A "tuna can lamp" that uses oil to light a fire and use it as a light source in the event of a power outage. I also heard from a relative in Chitose that he was having a harder time with a power outage than an earthquake, so I tried to prepare for an emergency.

What is a tuna can lamp?

A tuna can lamp that has been posted on Twitter of the Metropolitan Police Department in the past. On the net, you can refer to methods such as "Punch a hole in the center of the can and insert a core such as a cotton string" or "Open the lid a little and insert a tissue saw".

[Familiar things utilization technique] It is a lamp using oil from tuna cans. Make a hole in the can and insert the core. It seems that a cotton string is good for the core, but I made it with a coffee filter. It lasts about 2 hours. Of course I ate the contents (maybe it's healthy with less oil) pic.twitter.com/cqqeOFN7f0

— Disaster Countermeasures Division, Security Bureau, Metropolitan Police Department (@MPD_bousai) November 28, 2013

I didn't have a tool in my house that could make a hole in the can, so I opened the lid a little and tried using a tissue for the core. When I ignited it with a lighter when the oil had fully penetrated to the tip of the iron (about 5 to 10 minutes), it ignited with a "pop"!




The flames aren't that big, just like the candles on a birthday cake. After observing for a while, unfortunately it disappeared as "Gigi ..." in about 5 minutes. To burn for 1 to 2 hours, it seems that you need to know the tricks such as "make the twist longer" and "make sure that the core does not hit the can", so if you are interested, we recommend that you try it once in normal times. By the way, the taste of tuna did not change and it was delicious.

Fire is scary

It is a tuna can lamp that is convenient to remember, but there is a possibility that it will not work like the author if you do it with the knowledge of wandering in case of emergency. Also, what I felt when I tried it even in a dark room was the fear of open flames rather than convenience. When I thought, "If an earthquake hits now," I couldn't take my eyes off for a moment, and I became more nervous.

The lesson of the author who actually tried it is how important it is to have lights and lanterns that can be used in an emergency. Even a small light can illuminate the surrounding area by simply covering it with a supermarket plastic bag or hitting it against a PET bottle containing water. Why don't you review your disaster prevention measures once again this weekend?