Riot Shields for First Responders

They are probably the least spoken about, yet they appear in almost all kinds of danger-prone scenarios and riots. Yes, they are the first responders. They are also the emergency responders. You would see them arrive in an ambulance in accident scenes, riots, mobs, or other situations that involve people.

To stay protected, first responders can make use of a riot or ballistic shield to avoid being caught in the crossfire of riots. Bet it, riots can be quite messy. It takes a riot shield to offer a level of protection to first responders.

Riot shields are lightweight protection devices, typically deployed by police and some military organizations. However, they can also be utilized by protestors and first responders. Riot shields are typically long enough to cover an average-sized person from the top of the head to the knees, though smaller one-handed models may also be used. They are generally intended to be used in riot control, to protect the user from melee attacks with blunt or edged weapons.

For first responders, they can also be used to protect themselves from thrown projectiles and non-lethal weapons such as rubber bullets and water cannons. They can also be used as short-ranged melee weapons to push back the opposing force when attending to people in need of emergency attention. Most riot shields do not offer ballistic protection. For that, ballistic shields are used, especially in situations where heavily armed resistance is expected.

Riot shields are used in almost every country with a standardized police force and are produced by many companies. Law enforcement often uses them in conjunction with a baton. Riot shields made for law enforcement are typically constructed from transparent polycarbonate to enable the bearer to see incoming thrown objects. Riot shields used by protesters are often constructed from improvised materials, such as wood, scrap metal, or plastic barrels.

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