Clay's Corner: Situational Awareness
Previously in Clay’s Corner we’ve discussed the fact that we are our own first responders. Because each of us will occasionally face threats that are immediate, we should take the steps necessary to protect ourselves. Today we’ll consider a topic that will hopefully help you avoid those threats altogether. I’ll explain some simple techniques of Situational Awareness and how you can practice them in a way that is easily maintained. Louis Pasteur told us that “Chance favors the prepared mind,” so what can you do today to harden yourself and your family against harm?
Situational awareness is little more than paying attention to what’s going on around you in terms of your location and whether anyone or anything is a danger to your safety. It is a general mentality that can be practiced by anyone and is used in daily decision making to identify dangerous situations. Awareness of the potential for threats is paramount. Being oblivious to danger will greatly reduce your likelihood of avoiding it. You must also recognize that no one is more responsible for your safety than you.
Situational Awareness involves being aware of the events and people in your immediate area, so that threats do not go unnoticed, while at the same time carrying on with the tasks of daily life. There are several levels of awareness that you should be familiar with and practice on a daily basis. On the accompanying chart, they are labeled as colors that indicate the level of attention you are giving to your surroundings or to a specific threat. They begin at White: Relaxed, unaware or tuned out. Next is Yellow: Relaxed, but alert to your surroundings. This is where you should be anytime you are away from your home. Then there is Orange: You have identified some form of potential danger and are attempting to evaluate or avoid it. Orange is a heightened level of awareness and could quickly descend into Red: A condition in which you have verified that there is a threat to your safety and are actively attempting to neutralize it or avoid harm.
Selecting the appropriate level for your current circumstances is critical. Every human needs rest at some point during the day and it is certainly fine to remain in condition white while sleeping or relaxing in your home. Where we get into trouble is when we choose to stroll around outside our homes while being completely tuned out and unaware of potential danger. Condition yellow requires little energy and can easily be maintained for an 8-to 12-hour workday. It allows you to enjoy life while also guarding against harm. However, an important point here is that we should never live our lives obsessed about our safety or in a state of paranoia. It is impossible to maintain a level of intensive alertness outside of short periods. Maintaining condition yellow will allow you to recognize a threat at a distance and avoid it before escalating your response. When we intentionally enter dangerous areas or engage in activities like using an ATM or walking home at night, we should certainly increase our awareness.
Using situational awareness techniques can keep you out of trouble. This is not only about identifying threats, but deterring them. Stand up straight, keep your head up, glance at others and your intended path. Don’t slouch, stare downward or at your phone, or overly avoid eye contact. If you can keep from looking like the perfect victim then maybe you aren’t. Remember, avoidance is always your best option.
If you are attacked or threatened with a deadly weapon you have three options: comply, run or fight. There are no hard and fast rules for self-defense, you must decide the best course of action based on your physical capabilities, location, proximity to help and your perceived chance of success. Your safest options are most likely to comply by turning over valuables to the bad guy or running if help is nearby. Try stalling for more time or distracting the assailant so you have an opportunity to flee toward open businesses or crowds of people for help, all while yelling to attract attention. If you cannot escape you may be forced to fight, but know that a half-hearted attempt at defense here could be worse than no attempt at all. If possible, create distance between you and the attacker and block any strikes with whatever is in your hands, a purse, backpack or umbrella. Attempt to flee behind a hard object like a tree, lamp post or vehicle for some protection.
If you’d like to learn more about situational awareness join myself and Ranger Brian Vick as we discuss situational awareness techniques on April 16 at 1 p.m. in the west picnic shelter at the Paddy’s Creek Area of Lake James State Park