Many people think that the only danger that an environmental protection agent faces is exposure to hazardous materials. That is not the case at all. Many factors can cause immediate and permanent damage to an agent and protecting one’s self with protective body armor is important. Many of the agencies will now provide the agents with body armor, but it may not be the best option and the vest may not be very comfortable.
FIND SUSPECTS
When someone works as an environmental agent, they will need to find and apprehend suspects that are wanted for manufacturing or using hazardous materials. Someone that is under investigation for doing something that they know is wrong will do any and everything to ensure that they are not arrested for the thing that they have done. That means that they could try to shoot or stab the agent and the agent needs to be properly protected to be sure that they can apprehend the suspect.
OVERREACTING CIVILIANS
There will be times when areas will have to be quarantined to ensure that the hazardous material isn’t causing major damage to the individuals that live nearby. There are times when civilians may overreact to a situation and brandish a firearm in an attempt to get back to their homes. The body armor will give the agent the protection needed to calm the citizens down and still be safe at the same time.
CATCHING POACHERS
The agency is also in charge of keeping endangered animals safe. If someone is suspected of poaching endangered animals, they need to be arrested and it will be the job of the agent to make the arrest. Poachers can be very dangerous and will have plenty of weapons with which they can attempt to defend themselves from a possible arrest. The weapons that they have can be quite strong and having body armor is essential if someone wants to be as safe as possible, while they are attempting to make the arrest. The armor can be worn under clothing so that the poacher can be taken by surprise. The vests are lightweight and fit closely to the body so that there is no way for the poacher to be able to tell that the agent is wearing the body armor.
INVESTIGATING COMPANIES FOR POLLUTING
The agents will also be in charge of investigating to find out if companies are disposing of waste properly. Many people do not realize that companies will try to save money anywhere that they can and disposing of waste in an unsafe way can often save the company a lot of money. The agent may be putting him or herself in a dangerous situation when they go to investigate a company. When investigating, the body armor will protect the agent from danger and ensure that he or she can do their job as efficiently as possible, while still staying safe.