From pepper spray and a shrieking key chain alarm to a doorstop alarm and cell phone app that provides personal security, you'll want to equip your student with these five college campus and dorm security products.
You've kept them safe from their first steps to their road tests, and now they're flying the coop and heading off to college. Your protective wing may not reach across town and state lines, but you can equip them with these dorm and campus personal safety products to help keep them (and their belongings) secure.
MyForce personal security service
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You know the one thing your student will never leave behind is a cell phone, so take advantage of that diligence and arm him or her with the MyForce app. Whether walking alone after dark or simply feeling uncomfortable, all one needs to do is launch the app and a live trained security agent will pinpoint the user's exact location and begin tracking, listening in, recording and assessing the details of the situation. When a crisis is identified, the agent will notify the appropriate local authorities to arrange for help. Available for iPhone, BlackBerry and Android devices, and compatible with all carrier networks in all 50 states. ($14.99 per month after 30-day free trial. Download at the iPhone App Store, Android Market and Blackberry App World.)
Vigilant personal alarm with backup whistle
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Designed to look like a car alarm fob, the Vigilant PPS-23K personal alarm emits a 130-decibel alarm at the push of a button. To give you an idea of how loud that is, a Purdue University report says it's the volume of a military jet aircraft taking off from an aircraft carrier with an afterburner at 50 feet. Last we checked, no one (a student or otherwise) can yell that loudly (the average scream registers roughly 90 decibels), so this alarm promises to summon the neighbors. And that volume can also be painful to the ears of those in the vicinity. In addition, there's a built-in backup whistle for use in case the battery dies. Available in blue, black or pink. ($15.99 at amazon.com)
Compact safe
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This 0.5-cubic-foot, solid steel SentrySafe (model P005C) is perfect for securing small valuables, such as jewelry, cell phones, wallets, keys, MP3 players, credit cards and cash. The 3-digit mechanical lock is programmable with a code of your choosing, and the steel-tethering cable can't be easily cut. It measures 6" x 8" x 2.5 " and weighs three pounds. ($19.99 at amazon.com)
Created by a mother and daughter team "whose love for anything cute and sparkly got them thinking that maybe if women had cute choices for personal safety items they would be more likely to keep them handy," this bedazzled can of pepper spray on a clip-on chain is both fashionable and fierce. Attach it to a purse strap, gym bag or key chain, where it will be at the ready in the unfortunate circumstance when it might be needed. Available in eight colors and refillable. ($20-$22 at blingsting.com)
Check with local ordinances, as pepper spray is regulated in some towns and states.
Doorstop alarm
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Powered by a 9-volt battery (not included,) the GE personal security doorstop alarm emits 120 decibels of sound when pressure from an opening door is applied. Simply slip it under the door, flip the on/off switch to activate, and sleep peacefully knowing you'll be awakened in the event of a forced entry. ($19.97 at homedepot.com)
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