The Pros and Cons of Personal Alarms

By Julie S. Stricker 2 years ago

A lot of people are apprehensive in choosing some type of defensive device for their personal protection and in today’s society, with everyone being so lawsuit happy, it is definitely understandable. But the common criminal does not care about your inhibitions. He is just looking for an easy target and one of the easiest targets is a woman alone.

Everyone has an inherited right to protect themselves and their loved ones from personal harm. Personal protection will depend on the person and to what degree he or she feels the most comfortable. One of the most dependable and less aggressive forms of self-protection is the personal alarm.

Personal alarms are small devices that you can carry around with you when you are walking, jogging or cycling. There are many forms of personal alarms: battery, aerosol or whistle. The concept behind personal alarms is to offer an individual a non-lethal protection device by emitting a very loud siren to attract attention from bystanders or others in the area. This ear-piercing sound will often times thwart the assailant as well, giving you a chance to escape. Even if you are not involved in an incident but are witnessing a crime in progress, this type of alarm can be used to alert others without you becoming a potential victim.

Some of the pros of using personal alarms:

  • Easily carried on the body, wrist, belt
  • Non-lethal, loud siren
  • Ideal for children and women
  • Ideal for college students on campus
  • Joggers, cyclists
  • Night shift workers
  • Great for seniors or disabled

Even though personal alarms are effective, there are some disadvantages that will need addressing. Since personal alarms are a passive device, it will not subdue an assailant. If the sound does not disrupt his attack, the attacker could gain control of your alarm and disable it, leaving you defenseless. Consider adding a pepper spray or stun gun to your arsenal of personal protection gear.

Some of the cons of using personal alarms:

  • Does not disable the attacker
  • Passive device
  • Assailant could wrestle the alarm away from victim
  • Need of fresh batteries all the time (battery-operated models)

A majority of police officers and criminalists all agree that a lot of noise is sometimes the best inexpensive defensive weapon anyone can deploy against an assailant. The average criminal does not like attention and will usually depart the area quickly. Don’t be apprehensive in providing yourself or your loved ones the proper protection needed in today’s violent society. Make the decision now before it’s too late.

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