Ladders HQ

I never expected sleepy work days as I am part of a small group that assists a women rights lawyer. We were especially under siege after she became high profile due to a number of clients she accepted.

The popular opinion in the staff was that high voltage stun guns could immobilize an assaulter with less strikes so the assault would not drag on. We decided to go online and hunt for ways to guarantee personal defense for women.

The Stun Master Multi-Function Stun Gun in 2.7 million volts caught our attention right away. This hardworking weapon is rechargeable. It is outfitted with a 110 dB personal alarm, blindingly bright LED flashlight and red flashing lights.

Applying the newest micro-technology, Runt Stun Guns in 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 million volts are only 3.5 inches in height. Some of the strongest high voltage stun guns, they are sized strategically for the female grip.

It was hard to believe the Pretender Cell Phone Stun Gun packed 4.5 million volts of an electric whopper in its true-to-life camera phone housing. A built-in 12 LED flashlight makes it one of the most unbeatable high voltage stun guns.

The Double Trouble Stun Gun emits an accumulated 1.2 million volts from stun ends 5 inches from each other rather than the typical 1.5 inches. With double the stunning force, we can take heftier thugs down.

To obtain all high voltage stun guns we were convinced were the most effective and have each one in the team use it became the verdict. We could then regroup and share experiences in securing strong defense for women.

What made our sentiments of being in hot water worse was when our boss took a VIP client in her charge. When I had a moment with the purportedly mistreated leading lady, I hinted at stun tools being the protectors she needs.

Willem A Chicoine is among the leading experts on non-lethal self defense products. There are several options, including high voltage stun guns, personal alarms and pepper sprays. He gives full support and training on using the products.

The way I acted cool and collected as an adult, you would never have guessed I was tough as nails as a kid. It put me at a disadvantage in that I lost the ability to stand up for myself, or at least, could not recall how.

Once, I found myself surrendering my money and cell phone to a mugger. He kicked me on the groin before walking away. I never wanted to feel so defenseless again. My long time buddy said to fight back with stun gun knuckles.

“Sure,” I replied, “not to forget my sharp bladed fists.” I thought he was yanking my chain until he displayed his Blast Knuckle Stun Gun in front me. It looked like brass knuckles, and it stuns for real.

I was threatened by the Blast Knuckle Stun Gun no sooner than he slipped his knuckles into it. That his stun gun knuckles cracked furiously was just a prelude to the terrifying arc-shaped blue energy it formed when he pulled at the unit.

Just by appearances, it was clear that this personal security tool could strong-arm any aggressor. And I was convinced upon discovering it shoots 950,000 volts, or nearly a million volts of stun power emanating from someone?s knuckles.

My friend reassured me that hitting the target with stun gun knuckles would not kill him, only incapacitate him momentarily so I could grab the chance to escape the threat and call for help, if necessary.

One other thief crossed paths with me many months following my purchase of the Blast Knuckle Stun Gun. With a gun towards my mouth, I put my hands in the air and later said I needed to rummage for cash.

From inside a pocket, I slid my hand into the Blast Knuckle Stun Gun and blasted him with stun gun knuckles before he knew it. I darted to my workplace to alert the security guard as he took a spill after I hit his shoulder and later his solar plexus.

Zhekel B Snefede is one of the best known experts on non-lethal personal protection products. Picking the right self defense product is more practical than investing years studying martial arts. There are many choices, including stun guns, pepper sprays and personal alarms. He provides full support and training on how to use the products.

Home Improvement has become popular these days. Whether doing it to make a living, to save money, or for pure enjoyment, many people are drawn to the do-it-yourself trend. While this can be a very lucrative way to do construction, just like with professionals who build for a living, safety is a key to any project. Without using proper safety devices and procedures, disaster can happen on the simplest of home improvement jobs. Accidents are possible when working at heights, with heavy, noxious, or awkward materials, with power tools including those with sharp blades, or with electricity or gas. While accidents are possible at anytime doing anything, the preceding situations are when you need to be especially careful about doing construction. The most common safety procedures include those to do with your comfort with the job, your work area and equipment, and some just plain common sense.

One way to stay safe on the job has to do with your comfort with the job. Many do-it-yourselfers are old hands at doing jobs around the house. Some are just starting out. Whatever category you fall under, safety is of the utmost importance. Only tackle jobs you feel comfortable with doing. If you feel that it is too advanced for your skill level or that you don’t exactly know how to handle a power tool, be smart. Do your own electrical work only if you know for sure that you have the expertise to do so. Don’t let being prideful get in the way of being safe. There is no shame to admitting you do not know how to do something. It’s not just the newbies that get hurt, either. Many experienced do-it-yourselfers become cavalier about their abilities and cut corners when it comes to safety. No matter how good you are and how much you know, always keep safety in mind as accidents DO happen to the experienced as well.

Another way to stay safe is to mind your work area and equipment. Besides making work much more efficient and quick, keeping an orderly work area is also a key to avoid creating dangerous hazards for yourself. Many things can go wrong in a project as it is without us creating problems for ourselves. Do not allow electrical cords to tangle as they could become a tripping hazard. Store all tools properly, especially focusing on power tools, sharp tools, and things that can cause injury. When working with lumber, be sure to pull all the nails that might be in it. Another thing about your work area is to keep children away from it. Also, keep tools out of children’s reach.

As for equipment, this includes what you wear. Dress as safely as possible. Don’t work in sandals and shorts. Hearty clothing, like jeans, work shirts, and gloves help to protect you while you work. When using hammers, and power tools that may toss shavings or wood chips, wear safety glasses or goggles. These help to protect your eyes from flying debris that can harm them. Also, keep drill bits, cutting tools, and blades sharp. If they become dull, tools can seize, making it extremely dangerous.

Keeping these safety tips in mind, most of the time, accidents can be avoided just by using a little common sense. Don’t go up to the roof to work during a thunderstorm. Don’t run electrical cords through water while you are using live tools. These are things that you don’t have to be a contractor to know aren’t smart.

Finally, keep a trusty first aid kit around for emergencies. These are available in many stores. All of these tips can help you avoid accidents on the way to your do-it-yourself masterpieces. Remember, only do jobs that you are sure you can tackle on your own, keep your environment free of clutter, tools stored properly, and use your common sense about safety. Keep in mind that one example of the injuries that occur when doing home improvement is falling from ladders. According to studies, more than 2 million people were treated in U.S. emergency rooms for such ladder-related injuries from 1990-2005. Always remember that safety is the first and most important rule to remember when attacking a do-it-yourself project.

It can be scary watching the 24 hour news and the apocalyptic musings of the History Channel and Discovery. That amplified fear can make some wonder if they should be doing more to protect themselves in their own homes.

Is it possible to make our own homes safer when nature throws her worst storms at us?

We saw several very destructive hurricanes in 2004 and 2005. We saw homes in ruins. Today our homes are being built according to very tough structural standards. But the truth is that these standards are designed to meet mid-sized storms. They are not designed to withstand the really big storms (Category 4 and 5).

The best and most sure way to avoid the worst of these storms is to not be there when they hit. But, as an extra measure of safety, one can provide a relatively safe space in his own home by creating a storm shelter – otherwise known as a safe room.

A safe room is usually a small room that has been designed to withstand wind pressures greater than the standard code. These rooms are usually windowless – but have a strengthened door. They are relatively common in hurricane states such as Florida.

A relatively cheap storm shelter can provide you and your family with a sense of security knowing that there is a space in your home that will withstand the forces of the worst hurricanes. These can also act as tornado shelters.

Built with reinforced ceiling, walls and enhanced tie down and fastening systems, these rooms are, to put it mildly, extremely strong. They will have very high impact doors and latches. Basically, these will survive during wind events that would take down most every other structure.

I’ve designed a few myself for folks who value the room’s existence even if they never actually use it. Seems a lot like insurance, doesn’t it?

Safe rooms can be inside the home, actually some part of the home such as a walk-in closet, or they can be separate to the house. The key ingredient, besides being strongly built, is to be structural isolated from the main structure so that any failure in the main area does not place additional force on the safe room.

The best way to do this, above ground, is to build a concrete storm shelter with walls that are reinforced masonry, with all the cells (the holes in the concrete block that you have seen) filled with reinforcing bars and concrete. Generally we form and pour concrete slab roof over top. This can be relatively inexpensive do to if you are building your home – it is easy to work into the structure.

On one of my projects, my my client chose to have his master walk-in closet and bathroom built as a safe room. It had a concrete ceiling which rested just below the bottom chord of the trusses. This would allow the trusses to be blown off off and basically the entire home collapse while maintaining relative safety for him and his family.

Any structural engineer can design such as space for you. FEMA has a great guideline called FEMA320A “Taking Shelter from the Storm: Building a Safe Room inside your house”.

Of course, we can’t nor should we worry all the time. Life has its inherent risks. But, like insurance, a safe room can offer peace of mind – even if you never really use it.

Ken Risley is a Licensed Professional Structural Engineer in Florida and specializes in Luxury Home Design and Engineering.