Most people don’t think about personal care, safety and security items. However, when a major event occurs, such as a flu pandemic or personal injury, everyone’s minds begin to focus on self-care, safety, and security items needed to combat the crisis. This article lists the most necessary safety, security, and personal care items that everyone should be aware of.

personal care items – Major personal care items include feminine hygiene products and personal hygiene items such as mouthwash, toothpaste, and soap. When the flu is in season, personal respirator masks become very popular along with hand sanitizers. While these top items shouldn’t surprise most people, not everyone is as diligent about keeping them in stock due to the following issues:

1. Feminine Hygiene Products: Due to a woman’s need for discretion and availability while traveling, feminine hygiene products are the number one personal care item most often missing when needed. For this reason, modern facilities around the world have provided feminine hygiene dispensers and sanitary napkin disposal bins in most public women’s restrooms. Additionally, many discreet carrying cases are available for feminine hygiene products.
2. Personal amenities: While mouthwash, soap, and toothpaste are highly affordable and readily available in developed countries, they are often not found in public restrooms except in the most expensive facilities such as country clubs and high class hotels. Pocket instant hand sanitizers have become a modern solution for many people to fight germs along with other pocket toiletries.
3. Respirator Masks/Hand Sanitizers: A mask with a rating of N95 or better along with hand sanitizers has become a personal care necessity for people concerned about contracting the H1N1 virus. Supply shortages occurred around the world as people rushed to buy up all available stocks. While the mask theoretically filters out the virus, proper handling of the mask is essential. Any live virus on the exterior of the mask can be transmitted during mask removal or reuse if hand sanitizer is not used.

personal security items – Among the three main elements of personal safety are first aid kits, fire protection equipment and body protection devices such as eyes, mouth, ears, back, knees, etc. protection. Each of these elements is discussed below:

1. First Aid Kits – Because of the need to be prepared in the event of an emergency, first aid kits are the number one personal safety item in a home, office, car, boat, or public transportation vehicle. Many people make their own first aid kits instead of buying one. Typical contents include supplies and equipment for stopping bleeding, administering CPR, and dressing wounds. Often some medications are also included in first aid kits.
2. Fire Protection Equipment: Fire extinguishers and smoke detectors top the list in this category. Fire extinguishers are most often present in the home, office, car, boat, and public transportation vehicles to fight a fire before it spreads. Smoke detectors are there to detect a fire before it starts and to wake people up when they are sleeping.
3. Body Protection Devices – Safety glasses/goggles are used more than any other device to protect people from personal injury. Hard hats, safety shoes, back supports, and coveralls are in addition to safety glasses when working on construction sites. Unique work environments may require the use of earplugs and ear muffs, knee pads, respirators, and safety masks and/or vests.

personal security items – Guns are by far the number one item that comes to mind for personal safety. The following in order of knowledge are security systems and locks. Finally, when large public facilities think about security, they consider the need for crowd management.

1. Weapons – Although listed first for personal safety, weapons should only be used by a trained professional (police, National Guard, or private security professional). Most security guards do not carry weapons, choosing to carry two-way radios and crowd control batons.
2. Locks and security systems: A lock to keep the uninvited guest out is the second most popular device. Padlocks can range from the simple combination lock to security systems complete with visitor chimes and burglar alarms.
3. Crowd Management – ​​Security is often simply the act of maintaining order. Crowd control posts and ropes may be all that is necessary to provide personal security for people working in an office.

The three main items of personal care, safety and security listed above are by no means the complete list of what people think they need. Not everything mentioned above is appropriate for everyone, but the awareness that these needs exist is important to everyone.