I BE SAFE,
REDUCE SITUATIONS THAT MAKE YOU UNSAFE
Be safe, reduce or eliminate situations that make you
a target.
· Travel
in groups. There's always safety in
numbers.
· Have
a plan or a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the different situations you
might find yourself in, this way you won’t have to think before you act.
II INCREASE YOUR
AWARENESS, DON’T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN
Increase your awareness,
especially in places where you're most comfortable, don’t let your guard down!
·
Before entering your apartment building or
car, have your keys ready. Don't hold
doors for anyone whom you don't know.
III TRUST
YOUR INSTINCTS
Always
trust your instincts even if you feel embarrassed.
· TRUST
your INSTINCTS. Trusting your instincts
is another important aspect of situational awareness. If something feels off or out of place, it's
essential to trust your instincts and react. Your subconscious mind or instincts are
excellent at noticing subtle clues that our conscious mind misses and trusting
your instincts can help you avoid dangerous situations. So, if your subconscious starts ringing the
alarms, at the very least, you should pause and observe your environment with
full attention for a few seconds.
· A
person’s body language can provide important clues into their intentions and
emotional state. By paying attention to
nonverbal cues like facial expressions, posture, and gestures, you can better recognize
threats and anticipate potential risks.
For
example, almost 30 years ago, after a particularly hard day as an assistant
manager at an urban Woolworth’s Store, I was walking to my car, through a
rather dicey neighborhood, head down, shoulders hunched, fists clenched,
flicking the razor blade of my box cutter in and out of its handle, and muttering
to myself. On the sidewalk, in front of,
and walking towards me, was a rather rough looking character, who sized me up,
and then quickly crossed to the other side of the street. True story, he had excellent situational
awareness!
IV DON’T
ACT LIKE A TARGET
· Walk
with your head upright. Violent
criminals often target victims who are not paying attention or who are looking
down.
· Make
eye contact. Give people a split-second
glance so that you have put them on notice that you know they are there. This tells them, “I see you, and I am not
an easy target”. When a predator
knows that he or she has been seen, they may look for another target since the
element of surprise is now lost.
· Walk
assertively and confidently. Swing your
arms and feet smoothly and naturally, keep your chin up, spine straight,
shoulders back and look around you. Walk
at the same pace as the rest of the people around you, so that you don’t draw
attention to yourself, or just a little faster, so that you give the signal
that you are more athletic or energetic than the rest of the crowd.
· Don't
display electronics, or other valuable belongings. Carry your purse or wallet securely and don’t
carry extra money or valuables.
· Ask
for a security escort to your car whenever you are at a mall, office building,
store or any place or time one is available.
V ALWAYS
BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS
Always
be AWARE of your surroundings.
·
Use all your senses.
VI ALWAYS LET SOMEONE
KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING AND WHEN YOU WILL BE BACK
ALWAYS,
ALWAYS, ALWAYS let a responsible person know where you are going and when you
will be back. If your plans change, get
in touch with someone responsible and let them know about the change. Like Rod Stewart sang in 1978, “Give me a
dime so I can phone my mother”. Also
prepare your daily schedule with safety in mind.
VII BEWARE OF MIND
ALTERING SUBSTANCES
Beware
of alcohol or other mind altering substances, they lower both your situational
awareness and your ability to respond to a crisis, so don’t become
impaired.
· Be
aware, if you are in a nightclub or other drinking establishment, of “drink
spiking”. “Roofies” refers to a
drug called Rohypnol, or Flunitrazepam, a
CNS depressant that belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines. It is a date-rape drug that is used to target
victims for sexual violence and is anything that is slipped into people’s
drinks without them knowing. Rohypnol is
the most common date-rape drug, but there are others, for more go HERE.
· Never
leave your drink unattended, whether it's alcoholic or not, and if you can,
keep an eye on your friends’ drinks.
· Be
careful about accepting a drink from someone you don’t know.
· Think
about drinking bottled drinks and avoid sharing drinks.
VIII CONSTANTLY
MONITOR YOUR SITUATION
Constantly
and continuously monitor and assess your situation and surroundings. Your situation constantly changes, and you
must continuously assess your situation and adjust your actions, this way you
can avoid potential risks and keep yourself safe. For example, if you're walking down the street
and notice a person or a group acting aggressively or watching you, cross the
street, or change directions. If you're in a crowded area and the mood of
the crowd suddenly changes and you feel uncomfortable, move to a less crowded
area or get away from the crowd.
IX BE
ADAPTABLE AND FLEXIBLE
X PRACTICE YOUR SITUATIONAL
AWARENESS SKILLS
Develop and constantly practice your situational awareness skills.
Remember
it is up to you to be safe and be alert – the world needs more Lerts! Be aware, stay in “condition yellow”, and
don’t forget, check your six!
I
hope that you continue to enjoy The Woodsman’s Journal Online and look for me
on YouTube at BandanaMan Productions for other related videos, HERE. Don’t forget to follow me on both The
Woodsman’s Journal Online, HERE,
and subscribe to BandanaMan Productions on YouTube. If you have questions, as always, feel free
to leave a comment on either site. I
announce new articles on Facebook at Eric Reynolds, on Instagram at
bandanamanaproductions, and on VK at Eric Reynolds, so watch for me.
That
is all for now, and as always, until next time, Happy Trails!
Sources
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