Some new ways to play it safe

Safeguarding the health and well-being of you and yours gets an assist from these new items, all of which have been tested by the writer.

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Safe and Sound

True to its name, the Ready Freddy Emergency/Survival Pack is stocked with aids for a plethora of emergencies: minor injuries, power outages, vehicle breakdowns, bad weather, even boredom. (There’s a deck of cards.) Housed inside a red knapsack are five color-coded zippered nylon bags devoted to light/power/communication, first aid, protection, personal items and tools/supplies/food/water. The flashlight charges by shaking; the radio and cellphone charger work by cranking. Sealed foil packets contain food and water rations, and a variety of bandages and ointments can be used to treat small burns and wounds. You’ll need to add your own aspirin, antihistamines or other emergency meds. The kit weighs about 13 pounds, so you’re unlikely to take this backpacking. But you may be grateful to have it in your car.

Ready Freddy Emergency/Survival Pack is $150; (800) 731-2860, www.readyfreddy.com.

Tot security aloft

Good news for parents who hate schlepping their tot’s car seat onto the plane. The CARES child airplane safety restraint harness has been certified by the FAA for all phases of flight. Designed for children 2 or older weighing 22 to 44 pounds, the 1-pound belt-and-buckle device straps around the passenger seat back (everywhere but exit rows). The airplane seat belt then is threaded through loops in the bottom of the harness, doubly securing Junior. It’s pretty easy. The only catch is the strap that goes around the seat back will be visible to your back-seat neighbor, but if it doesn’t interfere with lowering and raising the tray table (it didn’t in my testing), perhaps he or she won’t mind.

CARES child airplane safety restraint harness is $75; (800) 299-6249, www.kidsflysafe.com.

Vested interest

Walking or cycling at night will be safer if you’re wearing the Nite Ize L.E.D. Sport Vest. Besides a white reflective stripe, the lightweight black nylon mesh vest has bright red battery-powered, LED-illuminated stripes front and back to announce your presence, even in pitch-black conditions. That can be a lifesaver on dark roads or at dusk, when some cars or trucks may not have their lights on. A power button at the shoulder controls whether the LED lights glow or flash. Comes in one size, with an adjustable elastic side strap to make the fit snugger.

Nite Ize L.E.D. Sport Vest is $30; (800) 678-6483; www.niteize.com.

Pooch protector

Looping Fido’s regular leash around a pole or bench leg while you run into a store provides no protection. But the new DogLock locking leash from RuffWear could be a big deterrent to thieves. The leash is made of heavy-duty nylon webbing reinforced with steel to resist cutting and chewing (by the dog). You secure the leash by looping the loose end around a fixed object and through the handle part of the leash, then wrapping the loose end around the dog’s neck, creating a loop too small for the dog’s head to slip through. You then clamp the removable lock through the two holes in the leash closest to the dog’s neck. When you return, you open the lock with the easy-to-use push-button key. Grommets make the leash adjustable to dog necks from 12 to 28 inches, and a swivel hook provides a quick connection to the dog’s regular collar for walking.

DogLock locking leash is $30 from RuffWear; (888) 783-3932, www.ruffwear.com.

-- Judi Dash