Lightsticks & Non-Coast Guard Approved Distress Signals

Lightsticks & Non-Coast Guard Approved Distress Signals

Whether you're anchored in a busy cove at night, marking your campsite perimeter, or looking for a flame-free backup to your primary safety kit, lightsticks and non-Coast Guard approved distress signal devices are indispensable tools for boaters, RVers, and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Understanding what these products are — and just as importantly, what they are not — is essential before you head out on the water.

What Are Non-Coast Guard Approved Distress Signals?

The U.S. Coast Guard requires that vessels operating on coastal waters, the Great Lakes, and connected waterways carry visual distress signals that meet strict federal standards. Federal regulations require that all pyrotechnic distress signals be Coast Guard approved, in good condition, unexpired, and readily accessible in case of an emergency. Products in this category — including chemical lightsticks — do not carry that official USCG approval for use as primary distress signals on recreational boats.

That does not make them useless. Far from it. Orion Safety Products' lightsticks feature 360 degrees of light, are non-flammable, floating, waterproof, nontoxic, and child friendly. These properties make them excellent for a wide range of supplemental safety and convenience applications: marking swim areas, illuminating dock lines, signaling position to nearby vessels in an informal capacity, camping, diving, and emergency preparedness kits aboard your RV or boat.

How Lightsticks Work

Chemical lightsticks use a simple, reliable reaction between hydrogen peroxide and a phenyl oxalate ester dye to produce a steady, cool glow — no batteries, no open flame, no risk of ignition around fuel. Red and green lightsticks typically illuminate for up to 12 hours each, while white versions illuminate for up to 8 hours. Because they require no power source and have a long shelf life when stored sealed, they are a natural fit for emergency go-bags, life vests, and ditch kits where dependability matters most.

Important Regulatory Reminder

The visual distress signal requirement for recreational boaters states that all boats used on coastal waters, including the Great Lakes, the territorial seas, and those waters directly connected to them, must be equipped with visual distress signals. Lightsticks and other non-approved devices should always be used in addition to — never as a replacement for — your required USCG-approved pyrotechnic or electronic distress signals. Consideration should be given to carrying several types of signals, as an aerial flare can be seen over a long distance on a clear night, but for closer work, a hand-held flare may be more useful.

Top Brand: Orion Safety Products

Orion Safety Products is one of the most trusted names in marine and highway safety signaling. Orion Safety Products has been making automotive and railway flares for nearly a century, and over the years has added a comprehensive line of marine products — growing to become the world's leading manufacturer of highway and marine flares, as well as a supplier of related safety products ranging from sound signals and lightsticks to first aid kits. Orion's product selection includes emergency flares for automotive use, Coast Guard marine signaling devices, first aid kits, safety lightsticks, and wilderness survival and signal products.