AnsomMag.com |

There comes a time when everybody needs a little protection — from the elements, from the table of elements, from kryptonite, from insurance salesmen, from the sun, even from ourselves.

There are sometimes, though, when we need a lot of protection, from physical harm represented by bullets, shrapnel, knives, pathogens, bodily fluids and mechanized or inert heavy objects.

Those members of society who serve to protect and to serve; police, soldiers, public safety personnel, EMTs, firemen and the lot — need to protect themselves from harm with specialized ap parel and equipment, literally from head to toe.

Depending on the level of exposure to harm and the frequency, protective apparel and equipment is designed to emphasize flexibility, lightweight, projectile stopping power, fluid impermeability, heat and fire resistance and resistance to crushing according to situational and occupation requirements.

HARD TIMES, HARD SHELLS?

At army/navy stores, sales of survivalist items such as MREs, water filtration products, first aid kits and other emergency supplies are on the rise; against the fear of not only natural disasters, but also of man-made catastrophy such as economic collapse and resulting anarchy and lawlessness.

However, according to John Katon of Tamiami International in Miami, Florida, these fears are not driving consumers to purchasing body armor or other protective gear usually reserved for military and law enforcement specialists.

“There’s no 9/11 or Y2K frenzy. It’s only a small percentage of people who believe we are headed for an economic breakdown,” Katon said.

Katon would like to see more sales of body armor to civilians, since sales to individual military personnel have been cut back by the government’s new insistence on our military providing the necessary equipment to its recruits without asking them to outsource the purchase.

“Government-sanctioned manufacturers of body armor are now supplying the troops directly, so distributors such as ourselves no longer can take advantage of selling directly to the soldier,” Katon explained.

Katon advised consumers interested in purchasing protective gear to plan ahead.

“Army/navy store customers should buy body armor and other protective gear before an event occurs. They should be ready because after an event happens, prices go up and supply goes down,” Katon said.

Katon also warned consumers looking to stock up on gas masks to make sure that a particular mask is in excellent condition and shows no signs of wear or deterioration.