It’s that time of year again! Time to spend hours trying to think of creative yet meaningful gifts to get your loved ones for the holidays. If one of those people is a safety geek, you’ve come to the right place!
Whether they’re a colleague, your boss, a family member, or a friend, here are a few personal safety items that would make great gifts.
Please note we did not test any of these products. Always do your research before purchasing any of these items.
Personal safety alarm
Adobe Stock Image by madk
According to RAINN, every 68 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. In 2023, the rate of aggravated assault in the United States was 264.1 cases per 100,000 of the population. While learning self-defense is invaluable, products like personal safety alarms decrease the likelihood that a threatening situation turns into a violent one.
When pulled, strobe lights flash and a very loud alarm sounds. Most of these products come as keychains, making them convenient and discreet. Here are some products out there:
Road flares or emergency triangles
Adobe Stock Image by assia
Car breakdowns are never convenient, especially this time of year when much of the U.S. is dealing with shortened days or snowy weather. LED road flare kits make it possible for passersby to see a a disabled vehicle well before they reach it. The kits also take up very little space, making them easy to store in any vehicle.
Emergency triangles are another good alternative, used to alert other drivers that a vehicle is stopped ahead. Here are some links:
- ULINE LED Road Flare
- ULINE Warning Triangle Kit
- Orion Emergency Road Flare Kit
- Orion DOT Compliant Triangles
- Traffic Safety Warehouse Road Flares
Car window breaker/seatbelt cutter
Adobe Stock Image by Андрей Репетий
Thanks to advancements in car technology, car crashes have declined in recent years. However, there are still more than 6,000,000 passenger car accidents in the U.S. each year. There are tools on the market that act both is a window breaker and a seatbelt cutter. Some can be stored in your console while others come as keychains.
The small device can be used if a window won’t open after an accident or if someone gets stuck in their seatbelt (it happens more often than you’d think). Keeping this tool in your vehicle also allows you to help if you come upon a crash scene or see someone left their child or pet inside a hot car.
Here are some product links:
Fire blanket
Adobe Stock Image by Corner Photography
Fire blankets can be used to extinguish a small fire by smothering or to wrap around yourself to escape a burning structure. They are most commonly used for putting out kitchen grease fires.
They are compact and can be stored in your kitchen. Most are also portable and come in bags, making them ideal for camping trips where you might be cooking.
Here are some product links:
Solar Power Charger
Adobe Stock Image by H_Ko
Most of us have been in a situation where our phone or device dies at an inopportune time or our battery is running low when the power cuts out. Many also enjoy camping where power outlets aren’t always easily accessible. This is where solar power chargers can come in handy.
Some solar chargers need to be in direct sunlight to charge your phone while others have built-in batteries that will allow you to store converted electricity to use later.
Here are some product links:
Gift Ideas for Campus Safety Readers
If you’re here as a Campus Safety reader, here are some additional gift ideas we think many of you would appreciate.
Bird Feeder Camera
Adobe Stock Image by Martin Gruber
It’s safe to say many self-proclaimed “safety geeks” love technology. Bird feeder cameras are a double whammy if they also love bird watching.
These are essentially bird feeders with a camera attached that captures high-quality images and videos. Most have a rechargeable camera that connects to your homo Wi-Fi network and syncs with a mobile app. Some can even identify bird species.
Here are some product links:
Pet Cameras
Adobe Stock Image by irissca
If you’re into bird watching, you’d likely be into pet watching too if you haven’t given it a try already. Since most safety and security professionals don’t have the luxury of working from home, they get little time with their furry friends.
Keep up with your pets antics and whereabouts throughout the day with a pet camera. Most sync right to your phone, offer a 360 degree view, and allow you to speak to your pets if you’re so inclined. Some even dispense treats, putting you in their good graces even if you’re gone most of the day.
Here are some pet camera options:
Smart Rings
Adobe Stock Image by photolas
Continuing with the technology theme, there are wearable technologies on the market that can be used for fitness and health tracking. Plenty of us have heard of smart watches, but have you heard of smart rings?
Like smart watches, they can track sleeping, heart rates, exercise, blood oxygen, and daily steps, among other things.
Here are some options:
Safety Manager Swag
Do you have a safety manager in your life? Maybe you are one yourself, and you deserve a gift too! Doing a quick Google search, there are some pretty funny products, like coffee mugs and t-shirts, that would likely make the safety manager in your life smile.
Here are some links:
- ‘Definitely not the worst safety manager’ mug
- Safety manager nutritional facts mug
- Safety manager t-shirt
- ‘Being a safety manager is easy’ notebook
Happy holidays and happy shopping!
