Situational Awareness

 

Hi gang.

 

Situational awareness is a buzzword these days.

Worse so after the attacks going on worldwide.

 

So what is situational awareness?

Simply put, it is paying attention to your surroundings, and anticipating what can go wrong and what you can do.

 

It is FAR more important than going armed (though that is not always the worst thing). And if you are not paying attention, being armed will actually be a hindrance.

 

So, lets start with the basics.

3 questions to ask yourself whenever you are some place, going someplace, or planning to be there.

  1. Where can a threat come from?
  2. What is my escape/safety route?
  3. What can I use to fight back against any threat?


There are 3 main threats to contemplate.

While it is popular to talk about active threats, lets talk about the most likely threats.

  1. Fire
  2. Medical emergency
  3. THEN AND ONLY THEN active threats.

 

Fires are a big problem this time of year.

Here is a video by the national firefighters association of a Christmas tree going up in flames. It goes up so fast that the fire alarm doesn't even have time to go off.

https://youtu.be/xr6b9b8FYKk

The room is engulfed in 20 seconds, and smoke filled at 40.

Not everyone has a Christmas tree. There are also Channukkah menorahs. Those are small fires ready so spread. Make sure your small kids stay away from them, and don’t pull on them, or pull on whatever you have underneath them. Don’t leave or go to sleep until the flames are out.

But now is also a good time to anticipate and review your fire escape plans from your home. How will you get out? Have you checked your fire extinguisher recently?

You can FIGHT and/or RUN from a fire.

 

Medical emergency can happen at any time.

Anything from a skinned knee to a heart attack.

There is a lot of good educational material on this on the internet, but also in person. First Aid with CPR is a great class, and many places offer it for free. Check with your local red cross and YMCA and many rescue squads.

There is a class called "STOP THE BLEED”. https://cms.bleedingcontrol.org/class/search In many cases the class is free. Some religious organizations and some employers offer this class for free as well.

You can FIGHT a medical emergency.

 

ACTIVE THREATS are a continuing and constant threat.

Pay attention to who is around you.

Let your gut be your guide.

Look for stalkers. https://athlonoutdoors.com/article/protect-yourself-from-stalking/

Always be alert to potential threats, where they can come from, and what your routes out are. And also, where you can find a “safe room" that you can barricade yourself into. Bathrooms, classrooms and closets. Anything that you can lock.

https://athlonoutdoors.com/article/jeff-coopers-4-levels-situational-awareness/

 

I bring these out in this time because of recent events.

The Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia attack is still being discussed and reviewed.

When you disarm your populace, and then globalize the intifadah, you get more events like Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia.

This video will frustrate the hell out of you. 10 minutes.

But. 2 tangos down, 1 arrested.

https://x.com/i/status/2000167034811027556

 

There is also a video of a man who is a Maronite Christian who bum rushes one of the attackers, and takes his firearm away from him. He then either choses not to shoot him (good choice, as shooting unarmed people is not permitted) or cannot figure out how to operate the firearm. However, the bad guy then escapes, retreats to another firearm, and re-engages, shooting the good guy twice- once in the arm, once in the back.

 

Additionally, the attack last night at Brown University in Providence, RI, appears to be racially/religious based. The attack happened in a Jewish Studies class on economics, the bad guy yelled something in Arabic, and then shot up the place.

As of now, there is a person of interest, but last I heard he had not been arrested.

 

So, as you go about your life, contemplate what threats can happen, where your escape routes are, and what tools you can use to fight back.

 

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