Personal debris shield and system

Abstract

A personal debris shield for use as a personal protection device to protect against falling or wind-driven debris, such as during a tornado, hurricane, earthquake, or the like, includes a body-conforming impact absorption shield that may be quickly positioned over a user's body and that may be removed and/or jettisoned if needed.

1 . A protection device for preventing injury to a user comprising:
 a body having a shape generally conformal to a back of the user, including at least one handle accessible at one of the user's chest and the user's shoulder.   
   
   
       2 . The protection device of  claim 1 , wherein said body comprises a stiff member and a resilient material. 
   
   
       3 . The protection device of  claim 1 , wherein said body comprises at least one of a shoulder extension, a neck projection, and an abdomen extension. 
   
   
       4 . The protection device of  claim 1 , further comprising a locating device. 
   
   
       5 . The protection device of  claim 4 , wherein said locating device comprises at least one of a whistle and a light. 
   
   
       6 . The protection device of  claim 1 , wherein said body comprises a buoyant material. 
   
   
       7 . The protection device of  claim 1 , further comprising a survival kit comprising at least one of a food item, a beverage, a tool, a medication, and a bandage. 
   
   
       8 . The protection device of  claim 1 , wherein said body is adapted for stacking with other protection devices in a nested arrangement. 
   
   
       9 . A survival system comprising:
 a protection device comprising a body having a shape generally conformal to a back of a user; and   a locating device.   
   
   
       10 . The survival system of  claim 9 , wherein said body comprises a stiff member and a resilient material. 
   
   
       11 . The survival system of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one of a food item, a beverage, a tool, a medication, and a bandage. 
   
   
       12 . The survival system of  claim 9 , wherein said body comprises at least one of a shoulder extension, a neck projection, and an abdomen extension. 
   
   
       13 . The survival system of  claim 9 , wherein said protection device further comprises at least one of a whistle and a light. 
   
   
       14 . The survival system of  claim 9 , wherein said locating device comprises at least one of a whistle and a light. 
   
   
       15 . A method of using a protection device to protect an individual comprising the steps of:
 disposing a body of said protection device over a back of the individual; and   retaining said protection device over said back of the individual via at least one of a handle and a strap accessible at a front of the individual.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of activating a locating device of said protection device. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of jettisoning said protection device via releasing said at least one of said handle and said strap. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said protection device comprises a buoyant material, and further comprising the step of assisting the individual to float via said buoyant material. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of obtaining said protection device from a stack of protection devices. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of selecting said protection device from a plurality of protection devices, wherein said plurality of protection devices comprises at least one first protection device having a first size and at least one second protection device having a second size.