The Consumer Products Safety Commission and L.L. Bean of Freeport, Maine, are recalling some 4,100 Auto Safety Kits, Auto Aid in a Bottle, Winter Safety Kits, and Outdoorsman in a Bottle.
The products include a flashlight that relies on a powerful magnet and copper coil for manual recharging. The magnet could be powerful enough to disrupt a heart patient’s Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator (ICD) and render compasses unreliable. The products’ packaging lacks appropriate warning information regarding these risks. Consumers should stop using the recalled products immediately.
The recalled products were manufactured in the United States and sold by L.L. Bean’s stores, catalogs, and Web site from August 2005 through November 2005 for between $20 and $60. To date, there have been no reported incidents or injuries.
Each kit contains a variety of safety equipment including a “Forever Flashlight,” which does not use batteries. Shaking the rechargeable flashlight for 30 seconds provides about 5 minutes of light.
The Outdoorsman in a Bottle kit contains a compass. That compass could be rendered unreliable in an emergency because of the magnet’s influence on the polarity of the compass.
Other items which could be included in the kits include gloves, a blanket, emergency vest, a water bottle, a rain poncho, and a knife. L.L. Bean is written on the bottle or blanket with these kits.
Consumers should contact L.L. Bean immediately to receive a free warning label for the flashlight. Consumers with Outdoorsman in a Bottle kits will receive a free replacement compass/whistle.
For more information, consumers can contact L.L. Bean at (800) 555-9717 between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm ET Monday through Friday, or visit their Web site at www.llbean.com.
