Investing in equipment designed to enhance safety and situational awareness is a choice that anyone is free to make, and many of the things that people buy to achieve this greater safety have been shown to be very effective.
That said, just buying the kit without also investing in the appropriate training, and then maintaining currency, will just increase the chances that the investment in the equipment will be wasted. It's not an "either or" situation.
Regarding the point about BRS rockets, here's a link to advice for rescuers on how to deal with an undeployed BRS.
http://www.brsparachutes.com/files/b...Responders.pdf