Tombstone55

I need some advice. My wife is a nurse at a major hospital. Her parking deck assignment is five blocks from her unit. Her unit is downtown in a high crime area. The parking deck does not have any cameras or security. Could someone PLEASE suggest some good defensive sprays for her? The spray needs to be easy to use and very effective. I know almost nothing about defensive sprays. Your recommendations will be valued. Thanks for your help.

retsupt99

Start here, lots of info...

Defensive Spray Articles at Free Articles ArticleSnatch Article Directory page 1

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Tombstone55

Fox Labs spray looks like a quality defensive spray. Does anyone have any experiance/reviews with their product?

bzdog

I've heard good reviews of the Fox Labs stuff, and have some, although I've never had to use it.

Note I suggest getting a 2oz "flip top" can. I think you run the risk of running out with the smaller sizes.

Also note there are different spray patterns: stream, cone and foam.

Foam is for indoor use, stream has better range, but you have to be more accurate. I picked cone as middle ground.

Note that using something other than 'foam' *inside* the hospital would be a bad thing(tm) as it would likely get picked up by the air handlers and sick people probably wouldn't do well with OC.

Also, Fox Labs makes practice cans that don't have OC in them for practice -- not a bad idea.

Note that it is important everyone understand that OC is a tactic to buy (a small amount of) time, not a solution unto itself and it doesn't always work at all (depends on the person). You either need to run like heck, or take advantage of the perp's condition to subdue him.

Other considerations are: having the wind blow it back at you, or in case of trying to subdue the subject, contact transfer of the OC.

Another thing for her to consider is a Taser C2, which appears to be effective more often, but still has the same limitation regarding it is a time buying tactic. With the C2, you zap them, set the unit down on the ground and run. You have 30 seconds until it turns itself off.

In the case of the Taser, I would suggest getting spare cartridges and practice, despite the cost.

Consideration for Taser: what if you have more than one attacker?

-john

Tombstone55

What about stun guns?

Superhouse 15

I'm a paramedic and a known gun nut, and several of the nurses at the local ER have asked for advice. They are not permitted to be armed at work, and the security force at the ER is...... Well, we don't think they're allowed to have batteries for their flashlights, much less be armed. I hear a nasty rumor that several of them carry the Kimber Lifeact spray, since it isn't easily identified as a defensive spray. I find it hard to believe they would violate such policy, but the rumor persists. In the pocket of scrubs it looks like a PDA, cell phone, calculator or some such device.
Kimber PepperBlaster - Less Lethal Self Defense Personal Protection

I'm not a fan of stun guns, and the Taser is obvious as a weapon, even the pink ones. If discretion is important I'd go with the Kimber. FWIW, the civilian Taser has 15 foot leads and the Kimber has a 13 foot effective range. The Kimber sprayer that looks like a double barreled pistol has a 20 foot range, but again is obvious as a weapon.

I also have some experience with the MSI brand of OC sprays. Horrible, evil, nasty chemicals from the depths of hell in my opinion. I carry a small can of 10% at work for "dogs". They have dozens of sprays and plenty of different sizes and designs of canisters. I like the ones that have the flip-tops in the small cannisters. I like the Gel and Pepperfoam in larger containers. They don't make the foams in the small pocket sizes.
Mace Pepper Spray | Home Protection | Security Systems | Online Super Store!
Avoid the MSI "gun". It's nowhere near the volume of spray that the Kimber has. It's an aerosol and blows away in any kind of wind. If it's going to look like a weapon, get the Kimber gun or a big MSI spray can.

bzdog

The *only* "stun gun" I'd consider would be a Taser.

-john

Thumper

I'll second the Kimber Lifeact.

The only stun gun I'd have is in .45acp!

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MinistrMalic

I have seen the Tasers in action (they are based here in AZ) and they can be a very effective defensive solution for an emergency. I don't know where you are, but in AZ they are not considered a weapon and can be carried anywhere.

Check them out, their tech now works on a muscle stimulus interruption instead of pain induction. The sprays are good, but some are ineffective against certain people. Add in the wind factor and all that, and I would prefer the bug zapper.

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