That 'bring a flashlight' tip saved me from a bad fall in a dead mall

Honestly, my cousin Dave told me to always pack a headlamp for these trips, and I thought he was just being dramatic. Last Saturday I hit up that old mall outside Cleveland, the one with the creepy carousel still in the center court. The power was fully cut, and the emergency lights gave out about 20 minutes in. I came up on a collapsed escalator pit with no railing, totally invisible in the dark. Without the light, I'd have walked right into a 12 foot drop, no joke. Dave's been doing this for like 15 years, so I guess I owe him a steak. Anyone else got a piece of advice that actually kept them safe in a dark building?

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vera_campbell19d ago

Glad you had that light, that escalator pit sounds like a real nightmare. My own close call was tripping over a loose rebar in a half demolished basement, would have been a nasty gash if I hadn't brought a cheap pair of work gloves. Now I never go in without both a backup flashlight and a small first aid kit in my jacket. Take it from someone who's been there, being overprepared is way better than limping out with a broken ankle.