Situational Awareness

[Out West]

Lots of bad news lately related to terrorists using guns on soft targets. Even though the President says you are more likely to drown in the bathtub than be a victim of terrorism (interesting that in the next sentence the President attributes these acts to the availability of guns and speaks to an urgent need to do something - never mind that the probabilities of being a victim of a terrorist or terrorist with a gun are essentially the same), I've started paying more attention to where I go and where I am when I get there. Example: for years I've sat in the same pew of my church. Its a large sanctuary and I sat close to front row with the main entrance far to my back. Realizing that I was a long way from any exit and even farther from the entrance that I can not observe, I've moved to a balcony seat that allows me to see anyone entering that part of the church.

I may be just a little bit paranoid, but still wondering if anyone else is making adjustments, paying more attention to surroundings, based upon what is being reported in the news.

 

[BUFF]

It is not possible to be too observant. Being aware of what is going on around you may save you from all sorts of unsavory acts by others, not just terrorists. Small adjustments to our habits are not wasted in the times we live in.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Two nights ago I walked up the steps onto the deck of our cabin. I heard a foreign noise and froze, peering over the deck rail. A mule deer stepped out from beneath the deck into a clearing.

Last night, again, I stepped up to the deck. I heard a noise like a pebble being dropped into a shallow pond, again and again (there's no pond on our place). I froze and peered over the rail. A mama and four baby ruffed grouse were pecking in this year's aspens on the forest floor, the mama calling softly to her babies.

Barbara and I moved here ten years ago. We are so isolated from the real world that we often wonder what's happening in your lives. Nonetheless, the media's reporting of world events takes its toll, and we're ever mindful of what's happening around us.

For now it's the occasional deer or grouse, or worse yet, badger or bear, but we feel pretty safe compared to the fear the evening news and our commander-in-chief attempt to conjure in Americans' minds.

Please don't let them keep you from living your life. Otherwise, they win.

 

[twodog max]

IMO our enemies are out to destroy our freedoms. The worst part is that we are doing it to ourselves in the name of security when in reality we will end up with neither.

We live in a very rural area and I do not worry about attacks by terrorists out here but I would not intentionally go anywhere with high profile large gatherings. My personal biggest concern would be something like a large sporting event in a stadium or arena.

 

[vonn]

We are already becoming prisoners of our paranoia in many ways. I am not sure how we fix it but I know we need to get back in charge of our own destinies. Thinking of the hundreds of people hiding from a lone gunman in Florida is enough to convince me that we need to start training people how to overcome the perpetrators of these attacks. Giving up our freedoms must not be the solution!

 

[Arik]

Nope haven't changed a thing. I still go out into the city on the weekends. Summer time, crowds, music, food and drink. I'll go to the mall if there is something I need to buy that's there. Or maybe not a traditional mall but a large shopping center. Movies occasionally....if there is something worth watching.

I carry everywhere it's legal. If something terrible happened then it is what it is ....I can't just sit home or go to sparsely populated areas

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[Grayfox]

We are surrounded by potential threats. Terrorists, criminals, animals, distracted drivers and plain old crazies. But don't let paranoia rule your life. Just pay attention to your surroundings, be prepared to act if necessary and go about your business as usual.

 

[H Richard]

Speak to your pastor and find out about church security. He/she may already have a list of members and know where they sit and if they are armed and what services they attend.

 

[kthom]

Being alert, aware, and paying full attention is hard to do ALL the time! And it's a much greater challenge in a place where there is many people, lots of noise and traffic, with sensory overload. But we should at least be aware of the possibilities and pay as much attention as we can. And we should make good choices about where we go and when we go there.

If we had any clue about the number of impaired, sleepy, angry or otherwise distracted drivers that surround us, some of them in vehicles that are about to have a wheel fall off, we would never get out on the road in our own vehicles. And we would pay a lot more attention to only our own driving and what's happening on the road all around us too. Driving our vehicles on the road or street is probably the single most dangerous thing that we all do regularly, and we seldom do so with the expectation that we might actually get in a crash. So, do we sit home (where any number of bad things can also happen) or do we proceed to live life with our eyes open, our ears attuned for trouble as best we can, while actually prepared, ready, and willing to deal with it to the best of our ability? We can only do the best we can and try our best to keep our heads out of that dark stinky place where we sometimes keep them for long periods of time while being totally oblivious to all that goes on around us?

 

[arjay]

Hyper vigilance seems fairly common in certain groups of people,especially if they feel persecuted

 

[Tom S.]

In the later stages of my career, I carried concealed at work, but not that often away from work. When I retired, I didn't carry much until a couple of idiot encounters. I now carry a lot more often, and try not to sit with my back to the door in restaurants.

 

[S&W Fan]

A good friend of mine is a young tv reporter (they're not all bad lol), she's about to get married to a great guy who's a capt. on an area fire dept. She covered the Aurora theater shootings and has not gone back to a movie theater since. That incident and the aftermath, talking to the victims/families really freaked her out.

You'd be hard pressed to find a more caring, empathetic person but by the same token she's no longer naive about the evil that lurks around the corner.

We've had long talks, no intention of forcing her, her boyfriend also isn't pressuring but we reiterate that if we stop doing the things we enjoy then the "bad guys" win.

We can continue to do the things we love but be observant. We can't live in a constant state of "orange alert"-you will burn out, but we can be aware very easily of our surroundings.

 

[blues7]

Live your life but be aware. Law enforcement officers have developed that sixth sense over the years which is employed both on and off duty.

It's not a burden, imho, but a gift...the beneficiaries of which are yourself, your family, friends and neighbors when out and about.

 

[kpap]

We live in a relatively small town about 18,000 people. About the only crime is drugs and property. We carry and don't keep our heads in the sand. When we go into the city we are on high alert, but don't alter our plans either. We all must pay attention and do what we want or they have won. Stay safe and look out for your fellow Americans.......

 

[old bear]

Like so many who had a career in law enforcement, I fell into the habit of trying to be aware of my surroundings and who is near me without thinking about it, I still do.

I've always to use common sense as to where and when I go, but I refuse to greatly alter my lifestyle based on the acts or potential acts of a group of sick cowards; to do that means I've given up, without a shot being fired.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Situational awareness is something that I think folks generally overestimate their abilities and likelihood of benefit in altering a situation.

I try to think ahead and avoid known higher risk environments and situations.

 

[blues7]

Situational awareness is something that I think folks generally overestimate their abilities and likelihood of benefit in altering a situation.

I try to think ahead and avoid known higher risk environments and situations.

It's true that you can't plan for every eventuality but it's good to maintain a weather eye when out and about as a matter of course.

A brief anecdote...

Back in the early 80's when I was attending an academy at FLETC in Glynco, GA we had to execute a mock search warrant on the home of "Richard Roe".

I happened to be assigned perimeter security for this role playing exercise and while on the sidewalk I was approached by a woman wheeling a carriage down the block. I intercepted her before she arrived at the property and advised that she'd need to detour or cross the street.

You guessed it, as she turned to depart she pulled out a gun from under the "baby" and shot me.

When the role playing exercise was over and I was asked how it might have gone differently, I asked the instructor if he thought my agency would look kindly upon my drawing down on a woman walking down the street with a baby carriage?

He admitted there wasn't much that could be done in the situation and that it wasn't a particularly realistic scenario though it forced us to think about the fact that a threat can come from anywhere. (Especially true these days in the wake of terrorist and 'lone wolf' attacks at home and abroad.)

Sometimes you just can't win even when you are on alert but as they say, you trust your mother but you still cut the cards.

 

[XD40inTX]

Live your life but be aware. Law enforcement officers have developed that sixth sense over the years which is employed both on and off duty.

It's not a burden, imho, but a gift...the beneficiaries of which are yourself, your family, friends and neighbors when out and about.

I'm not a LEO but I've tried to live by this for years. You can still live your normal, happy life while being vigilant and aware of what's happening around you.

I try to always be aware of things like where the nearest exit is, what alternate routes of escape are available, where the nearest cover is that will probably stop a bullet. My LTC doesn't make me either a LEO or a superhero. My plans are (1) run, (2) hide, and (3) engage.

 

[the ringo kid]

Hyper vigilance seems fairly common in certain groups of people,especially if they feel persecuted

I don't feel persecuted and im not hyper in any way, shape or form BUT it DOES pay to be aware of ones own surroundings. Just ask Audie Murphy:

Didnt seem to bother him none nor does it bother me.

 

[Iggy]

Even though the President says you are more likely to drown in the bathtub than be a victim of terrorism (interesting that in the next sentence the President attributes these acts to the availability of guns and speaks to an urgent need to do something - never mind that the probabilities of being a victim of a terrorist or terrorist with a gun are essentially the same),


Looks to me like we'd better be lookin' into this bathtub thing. Licensing or banning or something..