- Messages
- 16
- Reactions
- 31
More of a mindset than a skill!
It is important to note that situational awareness — being aware of one's surroundings and identifying potential threats and dangerous situations — is more of a mindset than a hard skill. Because of this, situational awareness is not something that can be practiced only by highly trained government agents or special Forces Operators.. Indeed, it can be exercised by those willing to with the discipline to do so. Situational awareness is not only important for recognizing emerging environmental threats such as a sever storm or other potential deadly weather but it also serves to identify criminal behavior and other dangerous situations.The primary element in establishing this mindset is first to recognize that threats exist. Ignorance, stupidity or denial of a threat make a person's chances of quickly recognizing an emerging threat and avoiding it highly unlikely. Bad things do happen. Apathy, denial and complacency is quite often fatal in these type situations. .
Another important aspect of situational awarness mindset is ownership of your own security needs as well as your loved ones who may be limited in thier ability to provide thier own security, the need to take responsibility for one's own security is paramount., Lets be real here. the resources of any government are finite and the authorities simply cannot be everywhere and they haven't the ability to control the weather or even react properly in the aftermath.. Case in point New Orleans 2005 / Hurricane Katrina, would you have wanted to sit on a hot freeway overpass with swamp water beneath you full of gators and water moccasins, for days on end people did just that with no food no water and no help from thier heros the State of Louisana and the U.S. Federal Govt. Hell look at how well the government controls criminal activity, need I say more. Take responsibility for your own security, less you be robbed one day sitting atop a freeway overpass surrounded by snake and gator infested swamp water.. When I say your own security I already said this should include your loved ones but also don't forget your elderly or vulnerable neighbors, its the right thing to do.
Another important facet of this mindset is learning to trust your "gut" or intuition. A person's subconscious will quickly notice subtle signs of danger that the conscious mind can't quite process as rapidly. Trusting your gut and avoiding a potentially dangerous situation may inconvenience you occasionally, but writing of these signs has the potential to be much more than inconvenient.
The discipline aspects surrounding situational awareness is the conscious effort to pay attention to gut feelings and to surrounding events even while you are busy and distracted by life's everyday activities. At such times obvious threats or even potential violent attacks can and do go unnoticed, don't become a victim, learn to be observant even while going about your daily routine. Extreme Paranoia is never good, but denial and complacency can be deadly. Stay alert trust your gut and stay alive.
Practice your situational awarness.
Exercise One: With a partner at hand, when the two of you enter a room, an office a restaurant or small store. One of you should unexpectedly after a minute or so ask the other to step outside for a moment. Then ask them "How many other people are in there?" in that room or building, "How many males how many females?" "How many adults and how many children?" "How many exit points did you identify" you get the picture.
Exercise two: Practice loading your car, SUV or pick-up with all the firearms, ammunition, safety, survival gear, food, water, medicine, documents, money etc. Including all the family members and the dog, and don't forget the elderly neighbor. Continue this exercise until you can get it all done in under twenty minutes. Think thats over the top?. People evacuating the fires in the Santiam Canyon in Oregon last year had less time than that, and unfortunately for some that wasn't enough.
FAILURE TO PREPARE IS A PREPERATION FOR FAILURE.
Jim M.