Tip of the Week: Effective Situational Awareness
Imagine for a moment you are driving along your every-day route to work. Your mind is preoccupied thinking of your calendar, all those emails to send and a hectic day ahead. You fail to take notice of an unusually large crowd of people gathered on the sidewalk as you pass. Suddenly the cars in front of you slow dramatically, and as traffic grinds to a halt – you’re stuck. The crowd charges into the street. You are now blocked in the front and rear and realize the crowd is a flash mob demonstration. You are stuck with no means of escape. With a little more attention to your surroundings, you could have taken a turn two blocks prior and avoided the demonstration.
Practicing what we in the security industry refer to as good “situational awareness” or the perpetual state of awareness of one’s surroundings, can keep you from serious trouble, or could even save a life.
Following are 5 Tips for Effective Situational Awareness:
1. Engage actively in your surroundings. Consider your surroundings three-dimensionally and pay attention to what is happening 360 degrees all around. Most of us tend to drift away in our thoughts as we drive or when we walk and text at the same time. Engaging actively in your surroundings means you bring your mind back to the here-and-now every few seconds, scan your environment and note abnormalities.
2. Evaluate consciously. Once you’ve taken note of your surroundings, think about what you’ve seen. If something is odd or unusual, evaluate the situation to determine if it poses a risk to you. If your gut tells you it does, take an alternate route or retreat.
3. Trust yourself. If you’ve determined something may pose a risk, trust your instincts and act immediately. We can be tempted to deny risk simply because we’ve never encountered the risk before. The idea that “this can’t be happening to me” can paralyze you when swift action is required. Never second guess yourself when you sense danger.
4. Engage threats. Engaging a threat can be a simple act of looking directly at someone walking behind you. It could also include dialing 911 or taking evasive action. Once you’ve determined a threat exists, act without hesitation. Engagement tells a potential attacker you are aware of the possible danger and will not be an easy victim.
5. Commit to your course of action. Trust yourself and commit fully to your course of action. If you flee, do so as if your life depends on it. If you confront a threatening person, do it fiercely. If you simply decide to avoid a situation by reversing course, do so immediately without hesitation. When you are threatened, quick confident action is critical. There are no half-measures when protecting yourself.
As with all skills, practice improves situational awareness. When away from home in the usual course of your business, practice bringing yourself back to the here-and-now and evaluate what you see. Do this daily, and soon good situational awareness will be second nature to you. Your personal security will be greatly enhanced!
 Kathy LeodlerChief Executive Officer Email:kathy.l@rampartgroup.com Phone: (360) 981-2703 PI License #3555 |
 Paul LeodlerExecutive Vice President Email:paul.l@rampartgroup.com Phone: (360) 981-3397 PI License #4180 |
We at Rampart Group are committed to your security. Call 1-800 421-0614 or contact us today with your security or investigative needs.