For journalists working in dangerous locations, body armor is essential. To stay as safe as possible, preparation is key: you need to understand the risks you may encounter in specific areas, and how best to counter them. Every year, journalists are injured or killed in some of the world's most dangerous countries: in 2014, 61 journalists were killed: five in Afghanistan, three in Mexico, and seven in Pakistan.
With conflicts ravaging multiple countries across the globe, many journalists feel a moral duty to report directly from these sites so the rest of the world is made aware. Whether intentional or accidental, journalists can receive fatal injuries from gunfire, bombings, or other incidents; though absolute safety can never be guaranteed, body armor can save lives.
How do you know which type of armor is best to help you stay as safe as possible? SafeGuard Clothing go into further detail.
Finding the Best Vest
Multiple types of body armor are produced to provide protection against various threats. Bullets are likely to be the key danger you will encounter in most of today's hostile environments – gangs, insurgents, terrorist cells, and drug cartels all have access to advanced military-grade weaponry, including assault rifles and machine guns. While vests carrying stab and spike protection may well be needed in certain areas in which knives and improvised weapons pose a greater risk than firearms, most journalists find that ballistic armor is of most necessity. Multi-threat vests combine all forms of protection, up to certain levels – and making sure you have the right level for the amount of danger you expect is essential.
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) runs tests on each type of bulletproof vest, to assess the amount of defense it provides against specific rounds. With their current standard, five levels of protection are available: IIA, II, IIIA, III, and IV – this range covers most types of ammunition, from more basic, lower-velocity handguns right through to high-powered armor-piercing rounds.
Depending on the environment you're traveling to, the level of risk will vary: in an area with ruthless youth-gangs (such as parts of Brazil), for example, you may only need armor providing protection against handgun rounds and blades (again, a multi-threat vest is key in a situation like this); on the other hand, reporting from Afghanistan or Iraq will place you at higher risk of gunfire from highly-trained attackers, requiring you to wear the highest levels of ballistic protection.
Visibility and Fit: Key Decisions
The more defense a bulletproof vest provides, the bulkier and heavier it will be. However, many ballistic vests are now remarkably lightweight, with even some level III and IV vests (which carry plates to stop rifle-fire) able to be worn underneath clothing. These covert vests (as opposed to overt types, designed to be worn over other layers) are ideal for situations in which you want to remain discreet, without drawing attention to yourself; this will only be a priority if trying to work undercover, whereas, in other circumstances, you'll wear the type you feel most comfortable in. Vests are available in multiple colors, to symbolize your status as a journalist.
No matter which type of armor you opt for, wearing the right size for your shape is essential: entering a hostile environment with improper protective clothing can still leave you exposed to danger. Bulletproof vests and other armors are designed to protect the vital organs from harm – if your vest is too big or too small, then you could still receive significant injuries.
For example, a vest which is too big could hang away from your body, leaving enough space for a bullet or blade to pass between, and could also push up into your throat as you move; a vest that's too small might feel too tight and restrictive, inhibiting your freedom of movement – a huge problem if you need to run for cover or defend yourself against assault.
Preparing for all possible risks (however unlikely) can help you stay safe in some truly terrifying places. Make sure you research the hazards, and choose the right armor to defend against them – a vest may just save your life.