Safe&Secure.ie

Buying guide

Personal Security Products

Personal alarms, safety devices and tracking tags: what to look for, the free help to ask for first, and a few example models.

We pick these from published specifications and what is sold to Ireland. We have not tested them ourselves.

Affiliate links. Buttons on this page that go to Amazon are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra.

Clay illustration of a keyring alarm and a pendant alarm with a button, on a bedside table beside a cup of tea and a pair of glasses

Free first: the Seniors Alert Scheme

  • If you are 65 or over and have limited means, the scheme can give you a monitored personal alarm: a pendant or wristband that rings a 24-hour helpline when you press the button. You must also live alone (or alone for much of the day), live with another person who qualifies, or care for someone in your home.
  • The equipment and installation are free, and monitoring is free for the first year. After that you pay a yearly monitoring fee, about €70 according to Citizens Information; your local group will tell you the cost first.
  • Apply through a community or voluntary group registered with Pobal in your area. A family member or neighbour can apply for you. Citizens Information, Seniors Alert Scheme Pobal, registered groups

Before you buy

Personal alarms

A small alarm that makes a loud noise, to draw attention and help you get away.

What to look for

Read first: Personal alarms, and the free Seniors Alert Scheme
  • Easy to set off with one hand, without looking at it.
  • Check how you test it, and how the battery is replaced or recharged.
  • Sold Secure tests personal attack alarms; you can search its list of approved products. Sold Secure, approved products
  • For an older person living alone, a monitored alarm that calls a 24-hour helpline may suit better: see the Seniors Alert Scheme above. Citizens Information, Seniors Alert Scheme

Safety apps and devices

Ways to share where you are, or call for help, when you are out.

What to look for

Garmin

Garmin inReach Mini 2

Good for: walkers, climbers and sailors beyond mobile coverage: SOS and messages by satellite.

  • Sends an interactive SOS to Garmin Response, a 24/7 staffed centre
  • Uses the Iridium satellite network, not mobile coverage
  • Needs an active satellite subscription

From Garmin’s Irish product page, checked 6 October 2026.

Check current price on Garmin’s site

Tracking tags

Small tags that help you find your keys, a bag or a wallet.

What to look for

Apple

Apple AirTag (2nd generation)

Good for: iPhone users: find your keys or bag in Apple’s Find My app.

  • Needs an iPhone with iOS 26 or later, or an iPad with iPadOS 26 or later
  • Sold singly or in a pack of four

From Apple’s Irish store page, checked 6 October 2026.

Check current price on Apple’s site

Samsung

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 (EI-T5600, black)

Good for: Samsung Galaxy phone owners: find it in SmartThings Find.

  • IP67 dust and water resistance
  • Battery up to 500 days (Samsung’s lab figure)
  • Needs a Samsung account and the SmartThings app

From Samsung’s Irish product page, checked 6 October 2026.

Check current price on Samsung’s site

Staying safe when you are out

Personal safety is mostly about avoiding trouble and getting away from it, not about anything you carry. The Gardaí’s Streetwise advice:

  • Plan how you will get there and how you will get back.
  • Let people know where you are going and how long you will be.
  • Keep your phone out of sight, and take calls in a shop or other building rather than on the street.
  • If a thief grabs your bag, wallet or phone, do not struggle: you may get hurt.
  • If something does not feel right, go to a safe place straight away.
Gardaí, “Streetwise” information sheet

Emergency kits

A few basics kept together, for a power cut, a breakdown or a day out walking.

What to look for

  • Keep a torch, spare batteries, a charged power bank and a written list of phone numbers together.
  • We do not list first aid kits here. A first aid course is a better start.
First aid courses in our training directory
LifeStraw Personal Water Filter, maker’s photo
Image: LifeStraw(the maker’s page, opens in a new tab)

LifeStraw

LifeStraw Personal Water Filter

Good for: a walking bag or grab bag: it filters bacteria and parasites from water as you drink, with no batteries.

  • Filters up to 4,000 litres
  • Removes 99.999999% of bacteria and 99.999% of parasites (LifeStraw’s figures)
  • Does not remove viruses or chemicals

From LifeStraw’s own product page, checked 6 October 2026.

Check current price on Amazon

Related guides

Personal safety guideSafety for older peoplePersonal safety training in IrelandNight out checklist

Buttons marked “See it on Amazon” are affiliate links; the others go to the maker’s own site and earn us nothing. We pick these from published specifications and what is sold to Ireland. We have not tested them ourselves.