Do Personal Alarms Work?

Small, easy to conceal, and can cause a racket when triggered. No wonder self defense alarms are one of the top selling self defense products in the market today.

Many people, particularly seniors, women, and teens, prefer them because they are lightweight and easy to carry around. They are unobtrusive, especially since many of these alarms are designed to mimic ordinary everyday objects.

However, when you are putting your trust into such a small device, questions inevitably arise: Do self defense alarms work? And how do they work to deter crime?

How Personal Safety Alarms Work

Panic alarms are designed to sound a loud alarm when switched on, usually with a button. This button is usually referred to – appropriately enough – as the panic button. The alarm is a high-decibel noise that's meant to warn other people that someone needs help.

It can also be used to locate someone, such as a young child or a senior citizen, in case they get lost or need assistance. Personal alarms are an additional choice for people who can't fight back or can't scream loud enough.

Are self defense alarms effective?

Personal alarms emit a blaring noise that will only be shut off if the user pushes a button. The noise can register at up to about 130 dB. That's a lot of noise if you consider that a train whistle only registers to about 90 dB.

Use this much noise against an attacker and you will cause panic or momentary confusion, giving you enough opportunity to fight back, bring them down, run away or alert someone that you are in imminent danger.

If the user is lost and needs to be found, the personal alarm can be very effective in calling for someone's attention. It's also an excellent device to use to warn or alert other people during any kind of emergency.

Lipstick Disguised Self Defense Alarm

Personal alarms can be very effective self defense tools but they do have their limitations. It's important for users to recognize this, so they know what to expect and are better prepared for certain situations when a personal alarm may not always work to their advantage.

When a Self Defense Alarm Will Not Work

While quite effective in deterring crime or a possible attack and in helping locate a lost loved one, the self defense alarm may not always be effective in certain situations, such as when:

• The user is in an isolated area where no one else can hear the alarm and no one can come to the rescue.
• An assailant may forcibly take the alarm and turn it off, thereby rendering it useless.
• The alarm runs out of power. This device needs fresh batteries in order to work.

In spite of its disadvantages, the self defense alarm still has its own set of benefits. The user simply has to understand what it can and cannot do so as to be able to maximize its use.