Recommendations for a personal protection alarm please

veryintrigued

A spate of flashers and indecent assaults mean a female relative would like some sort of rape alarm or the like.

Please recommend something that's reliable, handy to get at and small enough to walk or run with.

Thanks in advance

Silvertabby

Can't help with the alarm, I'm afraid, but happy to pass on a bit of advice I was given as part of a basic self-defence course many years ago.

That is, if attacked within earshot of other people, don't just scream or shout 'help' because those other people could just think 'kids messing about'.

Instead, shout 'FIRE' as loud as you can.  A. it should confuse the hell out of your attacker and B.  those other people will come running to see if their property is in danger or to see the fun.

Pollycat

Many years ago at my place of employment, female staff members were given free personal attack alarms.

They were quite simple, a small unit with a cord and a prong that set the alarm off when pulled out of the unit.

A quick Google seems to show that they are still similar and can be bought very cheaply.

veryintrigued

Pollycat said:

Many years ago at my place of employment, female staff members were given free personal attack alarms.

They were quite simple, a small unit with a cord and a prong that set the alarm off when pulled out of the unit.

A quick Google seems to show that they are still similar and can be bought very cheaply.

Yep there are loads of products out there.

Hence this post on needing guidance on which are decent.

Last thing we need is to go for a cheap one which will let her down in her moment of need.

Pollycat

I've had a replacement 'cheap one' for years and it's never let me down.

I test it regularly.

I bought it from eBay.

justworriedabit

Pollycat said:

I've had a replacement 'cheap one' for years and it's never let me down.

I test it regularly.

I bought it from eBay.

Good morning all

@Pollycat    - Please be aware that it is dangerous advice to tell people a "cheap alarm has never let you down," as we are talking about the safety of real people.  Your "cheap alarm" may have "never let you down" but what happens as soon as it is dropped, smashed to the floor, or simply stepped on.  Read the link below you will find it helpful.


OP. Please IGNORE the "cheap" bit as it is your safety we are talking about here.

I forget the name as it has rubbed off but its a compact 140db,or 145db can recall but it is very loud,  small grey and one is black with a little light corner, almost square in shaped about half inch think by 2 x 2 inches, it is robust and it is 'Secure By Design"   This logo carrys a lot of weight IMO and even our double glazed windows and doors have their locks, etc


Read the link below to the 'secure by design' and you can get personal alarms that have the approval but do your own research and they are not realtively expensive and we are talking about personal safety here

https://designforsecurity.org/sbd-accreditation/


HTH

justworriedabit

veryintrigued said:

Pollycat said:

Many years ago at my place of employment, female staff members were given free personal attack alarms.

They were quite simple, a small unit with a cord and a prong that set the alarm off when pulled out of the unit.

A quick Google seems to show that they are still similar and can be bought very cheaply.

Yep there are loads of products out there.

Hence this post on needing guidance on which are decent.

Last thing we need is to go for a cheap one which will let her down in her moment of need.

100% agreed and I hope you will read the link I posted and then possibly buy from an esptablished security products shop in the UK.

Btw - just remembered, speak or email your local crime-prevention officer, they will know and the police does buy these types of alarm and give them out to viticms of crime, and those at risk of being attacked ie a person has been stalked, targeted etc and made a police complaint. So the police should be able to recommend someone as well.

Have a nice weekend.

justworriedabit

Silvertabby said:

Can't help with the alarm, I'm afraid, but happy to pass on a bit of advice I was given as part of a basic self-defence course many years ago.

That is, if attacked within earshot of other people, don't just scream or shout 'help' because those other people could just think 'kids messing about'.

Instead, shout 'FIRE' as loud as you can.  A. it should confuse the hell out of your attacker and B.  those other people will come running to see if their property is in danger or to see the fun.

Thanks - takes me back to the works self defence training days etc.

If I may add a bit - if followed, chased/attacked at night time especially, people, most people will be too fearful to come out at night for shouts of help - but if you bang on the roof of cars, vans, people, some should come out and hopefully the potential attacker runs away and you are safe. 


Another point - you are off out for a meeting/visit/trainig/etc, park your car during daylight on the road looks safe enough but you return back to it in the dark usually winter, no one about so scary - so especially in winter, think ahead where you park your car and what the area will be like when you return in the dark.

justworriedabit

Edenbridge said:

Recommended to me by local crime prevention officer for use when I’m out and about solo.
Cheap as chips and Secured by Design approved!

Yep, 'secured by design' as per my previous posts but mine appears more robust but good start. Referencing my earlier post, please be aware that you buy from a well established, trusted seller and as I said, possibly email the local crime officers.

Thanks, Edendbridge.

Pollycat

justworriedabit said:

@Pollycat    - Please be aware that it is dangerous advice to tell people a "cheap alarm has never let you down," as we are talking about the safety of real people.  Your "cheap alarm" may have "never let you down" but what happens as soon as it is dropped, smashed to the floor, or simply stepped on.  Read the link below you will find it helpful.

I'm a real person too.

I take my safety seriously.

Is the alarm that you possess guaranteed not to break if it is dropped, smashed to the floor or stepped on?

Speaking personally, I've never dropped or stepped on my personal alarm. Nor have I ever smashed it to the floor.

And...it wasn't advice.

It was my own experience.

There is a difference.

The OP can choose to ignore my experience of the type of alarm that I have been using for years.

justworriedabit

Pollycat said:

justworriedabit said:

@Pollycat    - Please be aware that it is dangerous advice to tell people a "cheap alarm has never let you down," as we are talking about the safety of real people.  Your "cheap alarm" may have "never let you down" but what happens as soon as it is dropped, smashed to the floor, or simply stepped on.  Read the link below you will find it helpful.

I'm a real person too.

I take my safety seriously.

Is the alarm that you possess guaranteed not to break if it is dropped, smashed to the floor or stepped on?

Speaking personally, I've never dropped or stepped on my personal alarm. Nor have I ever smashed it to the floor.

And...it wasn't advice.

It was my own experience.

There is a difference.

The OP can choose to ignore my experience of the type of alarm that I have been using for years.

Good afternoon

You posted on a public forum, people reading your post may feel  a "cheap" alarm is ok and you stated your alarm "never let you down." I pointed out the flaws in your statements and how these could easily be misread.


OP was seeking help re types of alarm, good ones.  You told the OP to "Google it" and the OP rightly so rebuked you and I'm with the OP as everyone can "google it" but they all post here for a reason and that is initially not to "google it" but to seek advice.

You shared your "experience" an experience that I and many others would not want to act on by getting a "cheap" alarm as it is our safety and that of our loved ones.

I hope you have read the link and please be careful in the future as thousands may read your post and wrongly assume that a "cheap alarm" that has worked for you may meet their needs without considering the very serious implications as per my previous posts.


I will post the link again for anyone interested in buying a personal alarm, please also ensure you buy from a reputable source.


I've said what I felt strongly about and leave it to you if you have recognised your mistake.

Thank you.


https://designforsecurity.org/sbd-accreditation/