A Scottsdale company has created a hand-held personal safety device that blasts would-be assailants with a 130-decibel piercing noise like a jet engine and a blaring strobe light.
“It's peace of mind wherever you go, and if needed, a proven way to distract an attacker and draw immediate attention to your situation,” said Mark Rukavina, CEO of Hootie (9160 E. Del Camino Drive, Ste. B1, Scottsdale), which makes the product.
Hootie can be attached to a keychain or purse with its strong carabiner or kept in a pocket or purse – or in your hand when in what might seem to be a threatening circumstance. The noise, which can be heard 1,000 feet away, and the strobe can disorient an attacker and attract help from bystanders. It last for 40 minutes, or until the owner reinserts its pin.
Its battery lasts a year without use, and it plastic body can take the heat of Scottsdale’s extreme summer heat. Hootie comes in multiple colors.
A company news release said the device may be safer than pepper spray or other device that require an aim or might accidentally go off in a purse. Hootie has no buttons or need to aim, just a pin that needs two pounds of pulling force to activate when facing an assault. It sells for about $30 online.
"Personal safety alarms such as Hootie are devices that are good to have, with the hopes of never needing it," Rukavina said. "But when faced with a dangerous or uncomfortable environment, it's smart to have one at your disposal.”
Hal DeKeyser
Scottsdale Digital Group
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