Non-Lethal Defensive Weapons

As with all categories dealing with weapons, I will begin by stating this:

*Every weapon is designed to harm or in some way incapacitate a subject. They do not know right from wrong and they do not take sides. It is up to you the user to develop the mindset needed to employ that weapon, learn its functions, and learn how to care for and clean it. You will need to know the local laws concerning the carrying and employment of your weapon, and you must be ready to accept the physical and mental consequences of using your weapon, regardless of whether it was a justified action or not. Only then, when you’ve done all that, should you learn how to properly use it. *

Non-lethal defensive weapons are most commonly used to encourage an attacker to stop his attack and look elsewhere, or immobilize him long enough for you to get away. Very rarely will a novice use this weapon in order to gain the advantage and overpower an attacker until help arrives. That being said, non-lethal weapons should not be counted on to end an attack. Follow-on action must be taken by you to evade the attacker and leave the danger zone. Know this and plan for it.

Below will be a list of non-lethal defensive weapons you may use for certain situations. First I will describe the weapon, and then I will give a few examples in which they could be used. Lastly, I will cover some pros and cons of each.

• Flashlight - We all know what a flashlight is. A good flashlight, however, can be utilized to temporarily blind an attacker. In this case size isn’t always indicative of its effectiveness. Surefire makes a great flashlight for this purpose. The lumens of the lamps (meaning the power of the light) range from 65 to 150, depending on which one you purchase. They also make a few that have notched bezels that can be used to strike an opponent. The best use for this weapon is in low-light to no light conditions; however, it is still powerful enough to be somewhat effective when used in visible conditions.
• Cons: The Surefire flashlight is considerably more expensive than regular lights and so are its batteries. The higher lamp output (lumens) the shorter your battery life will be, and its effect as a weapon is only temporary. Also, as with all lights, by utilizing it you are giving away your position.
• Pros: The small design of a Surefire (most fit in the palm of your hand) and its reduced weight will make it a more convenient light to carry on your person or use in conjunction with another weapon. The rugged design will ensure that the light continues working even after being dropped or used to assault an attacker. Lights are also legal to carry anywhere, so you don’t have to worry about identifying the places you can and can’t legally carry it. They allow you to defend yourself from several feet away. The amount of training needed to effectively employ this item is minimal. Surefire has several lights that can be mounted on the end of a handgun or long gun and activated by either a switch or pressure pad, freeing up your hands. Though you will most probably give away your position when you use your light, you will also be able to indentify your target and decide on the appropriate action. Keep this in mind when you have teenage children that may try to sneak in or out after curfew and significant others who may want to surprise you by coming home early. I am not intentionally endorsing the Surefire brand but I have been using it in and out of the military for close to 10 years now and I have never had a problem.

• Mace/OC/Pepper Spray - Small aerosol can filled with a mixture that should temporarily incapacitate an attacker when sprayed in the eyes and mouth. There are many different kinds of these products on the market and I have not, thank goodness, had to try all of them. I suggest you do some independent reading on these products, their safety, and their effect starting with this article: http://www.defense-technology.com/pdfs/resources/oc%20and%20pepper%20sprays.pdf  The one I have been exposed to and certified with is the MK-4 from First Defense. We stood several feet away, with our eyes closed and hands behind our backs, and were sprayed in a Z patter starting from our forehead and ending at our chin. We were then instructed to open our eyes and look at the deliverer of evil who told us to go! From there we had to run to several stations that involved fighting off opponents with our hands, feet, and a baton, protecting ourselves from the blows of three guys with bags, and it ended with us having to subdue an individual in a full body suit utilizing the correct techniques and then cuffing them while still maintaining control of our baton. The time limit at each station depended on our motivation and the correct performance of each technique. It was grueling but we learned a lot. There is a high probability of contaminating yourself while trying to spray an opponent, or being contaminated by an attacker you have sprayed who is still continuing to fight so knowing the effects of your chosen self-defense spray and how to cope if you are accidentally contaminated is a must. Personally, it felt like I had literally stuck my face in a fire and it stayed that way for about 20 minutes. My eyes were pouring with tears, snot was running down my face, I could barely draw a breath, and though I could still function my strength was greatly reduced. Even after it stopped burning, I could hardly focus my eyes…they kept crossing. When we were finally able to take a proper shower, the ingredients reactivated and I started burning all over again, though not to the degree of when I was first sprayed. The usual delivery method is in a stream, cone, or fog. Some companies have also incorporated dye into their products that enables police to identify attackers after you have sprayed them.
• Cons: Self-defense sprays are not allowed in certain places, such as on an airplane or sports arenas. Using them in crowded areas like a bar or restaurant may not only be illegal, but also could cause unintended consequences such as a stampede. They do have a shelf life. Actually hitting your targets face may be difficult in a stressful situation, you could contaminate yourself, and lastly, some people may just not be affected. On one notable occasion while in Africa, a man who was high on cot was sprayed directly in his open eyes from barely 3 feet away and absolutely nothing happened. He blinked a few times and continued to struggle.
• Pros: If you hit your opponents face, the chance that he will stop his attack is great. Not only will he stop his attack, but he may be so affected that you will be able to subdue him and hold him until the police arrive. Most sprays are inexpensive and are even sold as keychain items. They allow you to defend yourself from several feet away. Small canisters are easily stored on your person, in your car, or in your home and can be employed fairly quickly. The amount of training needed to properly use this item is minimal.

• Expandable Baton - Small metal baton that expands up to several feet in length used to either fight off an attacker or control him. I have listed this as a non-lethal item but, depending on where you strike, it can be lethal as well. ASP is the leading manufacturer of these types of batons and they are usually made of either aluminum or steel, aluminum being lighter but a little weaker. They come in several different sizes and they are all priced around $80. In order to effectively use this weapon, I highly recommend taking a few courses. Batons can be wielded as bats but you have a much better chance of defending yourself from an assault if you know how to properly employ the baton and the most effective places to attack the human body.
• Cons: Requires professional training to be employed properly. You must be close to the attacker to be effective. Potential of inflicting unintended serious injuries or death to an opponent exists. Cannot be carried everywhere and are difficult to use in small spaces.
• Pros: Relatively light weight and compact. Easily concealed and carried on your person or in your vehicle. Can be deployed quickly. Batons are low cost and rugged. When used properly, they can incapacitate an attacker thus ending the fight.

• Keychain Tools -  I made up the name for this category as there are many different varieties of these types of weapons. Some of the more notable are the Kerambit, Wrench, Koga, Kubaton, and Sharkie. They are small, blunt object weapons made from hard plastic that work great in a pinch but should not be carried as your primary self-defense weapon. They operate by the user gripping the item and striking an attacker, either causing them to flee or potentially stunning them long enough for you to flee or follow-up with a more effective counter-attack.
• Cons: Due to the size of the item, you have to be within touching distance of the attacker. The effectiveness of this weapon is dependent on your strength and/or skill. Violence of action is a must because one strike will more than likely not be enough to halt an attack, so you must hit them again and again. Cannot be carried everywhere.
• Pros: Extremely cheap. Small and compact, easily carried on your person. Easily employed. Training is available for these types of weapons but not really necessary since they shouldn’t be relied on as your only means of defense. Because of their small size, the element of surprise is on your side when fighting off an attacker.

• Tasers - Tasers launch a two-pronged projectile into an assailant, and then incapacitates them by electrically interrupting the brain’s ability to control the muscles in the body. TASER is the premier manufacturer of this item and when dealing with equipment that has a lot of moving parts, the brands trusted by the military and law enforcement should be the ones you consider. I wouldn’t say that you need formal training with this item, but at least practice deploying it. Also, ensure you check with your college campus and/or your local laws concerning their governance of this piece of gear.
• Cons: Usually only get one shot, though they do make some that give you up to three. Hitting your target could be difficult in a stressful situation. There have been cases reported of people dying after being tased. It’s rather bulky to carry on your person and hard to conceal unless you have a purse. They are expensive.  Thick clothing may stop the prongs from entering the body, rendering it useless.  Think winter or "cool" leather jacktes.
• Pros: Easy to employ. Completely incapacitates an attacker. Can be used several feet away from the threat. May be mistaken for a real gun, ending the situation without any further action. Good tasers are rugged and reliable. Light weight. Can be deployed quickly. Because the prongs stick into the assailant’s skin, you have the ability to continue to control him until help arrives. 

• Stun Guns - Work much the same way as a taser, just without firing the barbed prongs. There are two metal prongs at the end of the stun gun that create an arc of electricity, and when you touch a person with that arc, they are affected. Again, make sure you check with your college campus and/or local laws for compliance.
• Cons: Have to be extremely close to your attacker. There have been cases reported of people dying after being hit with a stun gun. It’s rather bulky to carry on your person and hard to conceal unless you have a purse. They are expensive.
• Pros: Easy to employ. Hitting your target should be easy as you have to be close enough to touch the person in order to use it. Completely incapacitates an attacker, but the draw back here is that to maintain control of an assailant, you have to stay close enough to keep stunning them. Good stun guns are rugged and reliable. Light weight. Can be deployed quickly.

These are some of the most popular weapons made specifically for self-defense. If you have any questions concerning the use, training, employment, or brands please feel free to contact me.
Cheers!

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Security Merchandise

Following on the tail of Medical Equipment, we will now begin talking about tools that you can purchase to enhance you’re security. The main categories to be discussed will be as follows:
Alarm Systems
Alarms
Miscellaneous

Alarm Systems:
If you can afford it, I highly recommend putting this at the top of your “to get” list. They are absolutely invaluable in terms of both protecting your property and giving you peace of mind. The upfront cost will set you back a couple hundred dollars and then the monthly fee will be around $40-$60. If you are strapped for cash, the initial cost could be covered by a tax refund check. Then, instead of spending over $100 a month on your super-duper cell phone, you could downgrade to a plan that only costs around $40 and use what you save to cover the monthly bill. Also, most insurance companies will give you a discount for having an alarm system that is monitored. Don’t be fooled, however, by the fast talking salesman. He might show you a sheet detailing the percentage major insurance companies may take off your bill but that is only in the BEST case scenario; like having a fire department, police station, and hospital as neighbors. My salesman told me 12% but when I called my insurance company it was only 4%. That’s a big difference when you are talking insurance payments.
When choosing an alarm company, go with a reputable one. ADT or Broadview (formerly Brinks) are two of the more popular ones. This is not a job for your local no name security “firm”. Once you make contact with them, they will usually send a representative to your home to discuss packages, plans and devices. Listen to them but also think for yourself. The goal is to create an invisible security fence around your home so protecting all possible entrances should be your objective. Money may be a prohibiting factor, but ensure you protect the most important. Some of the devices that might or should be offered are door and window contacts, glass breaks, motion detectors, and fire monitoring. They may offer cameras as well but this blog is for the novice so I will not get into that. If you want some advice concerning them just leave a comment.

• Door and window contacts are devices that detect if a door or window has been moved past a certain point.
• Glass breaks are triggered by the sound of breaking glass.
• Motion detectors detect just that, motion. The company representative will usually inform you on just how big an object has to be to set off a motion detector.
• Fire monitoring devices will detect a fire.

Here are a few tips when deciding on what type and where to put certain devices:

• Not every door in your home needs to be protected, only the ones leading to the outside. If you have a door (besides the garage door) leading into your garage, and then another door leading from the garage into your dwelling, consider just protecting the very outside entrance. That way an intruder will immediately set off the alarm but will still have to get through another door to enter your house, the contents of your garage will be protected, and you will save money by not buying another door contact. If you are concerned about somebody coming through your actual garage door, put a motion detector in your garage as well. That way you will be confident that that area of your house is secure. Any other door that you may have in your home that leads to the outside needs to be protected.
• Window contacts can become expensive if you are trying to protect every window. When money is a concern, protect only the ground floor windows, or the windows to you and your kid’s bedrooms. If that is still too expensive, think about placing a motion detector in an area that would cover several windows, thus cutting down on the number of devices needed.
• Glass breaks are double protection for windows. Remember, window contacts work when a window is opened. If an intruder breaks a window, the contact is rendered useless. Again, if you are made of money by all means protect every window in your home. If not, put them in the most useful spots. I highly recommend installing a glass break if you have a sliding glass door. Most of your household goods can be shipped right out of your house through them, and if an intruder didn’t sever the contact, nobody will be alerted.
• Motion detectors can be both a hindrance and effective tool. When you are home, you can usually set your alarm in a certain way that will turn on everything accept motion detectors, allowing you freedom of movement. When you leave, you can program it another way that turns on everything, including the motion detectors. This is wonderful unless you have a large animal, such as a dog or pig running around your house (a buddy of mine had a Vietnamese Pot-Bellied pig as a pet, not lying). If your animal has the run of the house while you are absent, then motion detectors are a no-go. If you can keep it penned up somewhere out of the way, then good for you. Another potential issue is your own movement throughout the house if you turn them on at night. This will be a decision you will have to make for yourself.
• Fire monitoring devices are self explanatory. The layout of your home and also its size will determine how many you need and where they should go. Let the alarm representative deal with this one.

Now that we have discussed some of the alarm devices that should be offered, their usage, and their appropriate placement, let’s talk about the way that they are monitored.

Most professional alarm companies will have a monitoring center that will monitor all of their client’s households 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If an alarm is tripped, they will usually call the contact number you provided to investigate the issue and then alert the appropriate authorities if need be. The way companies monitor your system is through either your home phone line, cellular signal, or both. The preferred method is both since one acts as a back-up for the other.  High winds, snowstorms, and vehicle accidents can all render your home line useless. Intruders can also cut your phone line. Either situation will leave you unprotected.

The ability to connect your system to a cellular signal will depend on where you live, as not all areas can receive a cell signal strong enough for an alarm system to be reliable. If you are able to get a signal, you are still dependent on that cell services ability to keep their operation running. In late July of 2010, AT&T had an interruption in their wireless cell service that not only affected cell phones, but also the alarm systems that utilized them. Most users in the eastern region of the United States were without signal for at least a couple of days.

Alarm systems for your vehicle are becoming standard. Most are operated by the press of a button on your key and are triggered by the opening of a door or trunk. If you do not have one and intend on keeping sensitive items in your car, think about purchasing one. You can find them at most retail stores that have an automotive department or at your local sound system business. Since there are many options available to you concerning this product you should do your own research into which one is right for you. I will suggest that you have a professional install it as many electronic problems can arise if you do not know what you are doing. Some vehicles come with services such as OnStar that will monitor your car much like the home alarm systems discussed above. They know where you are at as long as you have a GPS signal, can dispatch emergency services to you if need be, and can inform you when an alarm has been triggered. All of this requires a monthly monitoring fee of course.

Alarm systems are a great security tool, but may not always be affordable or practical. Many apartments will not allow you to install your own system, hotels definitely will not nor would you probably want to, and sometimes you just don’t have the money. Next, we will talk about how to overcome these obstacles and still maintain your security, or at least the appearance of security.

Alarms:

Let’s discuss the home first. We will assume that you are on a tight budget and just cannot afford to dish out the large sums of money needed to fund and maintain a properly monitored security system. There are home security systems on the market that cost hundreds of dollars less, but the only catch is that they are not monitored by a central service. Some you can program to dial preset numbers automatically when an alarm is triggered, such as 911 or your personal cell phone, but be prepared for tickets from your local emergency services for false alarms. This would be my first recommendation.

Secondly, there are inexpensive alarms available that are mobile, run off batteries, and simply create a high decibel sound when triggered. Most are big and rather ugly but there are a few, such as the door stop alarm, that is the size and has the looks of a doorstop. Put these under your doors at night and if someone enters it will not only set it off, but also make it harder for the intruder to get in.

There is dummy equipment on the market. These items look like the real thing and may even have a little red light indicating that they are working, but they are not. These come cheap and will create the facade that your home is protected. This is especially good if you host parties where you may not know all the guests.

Lastly, if you are familiar with someone who is being monitored by a proper security company such as ADT you should consider asking them to order you a few yard signs and stickers regardless if you bought any security equipment or not. Potential intruders or burglars will see these and may automatically cross you off their list of targets in favor of a home they think is unprotected.

All the equipment I listed above for the home can also be applied to your apartment, minus the yard signs and stickers of course. Even if your apartment comes with an alarm system, ensure that there are no gaps in your security. If there are, fix it!

Phony car alarms exist as well. These devices will emit a blinking red light fooling a thief into thinking that your car is protected.

When dealing with hotels/motels and college dorms, you are pretty much limited to mobile security devices. The only other recommendation I will make not covered above is getting a nanny cam so you can be absolutely sure your items were not pilfered, and if they were, you can pursue legal action. Most hotels and colleges do not accept responsibility for lost or stolen items and just because you put a “do not disturb” sign on your hotel door doesn’t mean the staff will adhere to it. If you’ve done any extensive traveling you have probably run into this problem before, I sure have.

Next I will simply list some devices that I may have already covered and other devices that wouldn’t be considered alarms but can be used to enhance your security. I will refer to this list throughout later posts in this blog so keep that in mind.

Miscellaneous:

• Wireless Alarm System-Already covered
• Door Stop Alarm-Already covered
• Door Contact Alarm-Already covered
• Window Contact Alarm-Already covered
• Motion Sensor Alarm-Already covered
• Glass Break Alarm-Already covered
• Fake Door Contact-Already covered
• Fake Window Contact-Already covered
• Fake Motion Sensor-Already covered
• Fake Car Alarm-Already covered
• Nanny Cam-Discreet, portable video camera designed to covertly record any area you designate.
• Wireless Motion Alarm-Can be used in any small space such as your car or hotel room. Detects the change in air pressure due to the opening of a door and emits a high decibel alarm.
• Outdoor Motion Lighting-Mounted outside and activates when it detects motion.
• Time Switches-Turns on your lights at a preset time.
• Indoor Motion Light-Turns on your interior lights when it detects motion.
• Key Chain Alarm- Attaches to your key chain and emits a high decibel alarm when you activate it.
• Large Rear view Mirror-It is larger than a normal rear view mirror and is great in enhancing your ability to detect someone following you. It also allows you to see more of the traffic around you creating a safer driving environment.

This concludes my post on Security Merchandise. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to submit them. As the topics become more in-depth, the time between postings may lengthen. This is necessary to ensure that the content is as accurate and informative as possible. Thank you for bearing with me.

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Medical Equipment

This post will list a few items you should keep around your house and in your car in case of a medical emergency. Again, I will not go into how you should employ these items, but merely describe what they could be used for.

• The Automated External Defibrillator (AED) will be first on my list. This piece of equipment is not low-tech and is not cheap, so unless you just happen to have the extra cash lying around or live with someone in danger of having a heart-attack, learning CPR may be your most fiscally sound option.

• Israeli Battle Dressings-Can be used to stop large amounts of bleeding.

• Tampons-Great for gunshot wounds. Plug the hole and watch it grow!

• Non-Latex Rubber Gloves-Helps in keeping the victim’s wound clean and acts as a barrier between blood-borne ickies such as HIV and the wearer.

• CPR Mask-While receiving CPR, some victims may vomit. This is ok if you as the rescuer are giving compressions, but it’s not ok if you are in the process of giving a breath. Also, some victim’s may have communicable diseases that you would not want to take part in. This mask will help protect you against both.

• Gauze Roll-Good piece of gear for packing a bleeding wound

• Medical Tape-Holds gauze in place

• Tourniquet- Helps stop severe bleeding, such as a severed artery

• Splint-After a car accident, there is always a chance that a person may have broken their leg. If they have broken their femur and they are writhing in pain, the possibility exists that the broken bone may puncture or sever their femoral artery. Granted, this is a remote possibility but my job is to inform…

• Trauma Shears-Useful in cutting away victims clothing to get to a wound when moving them is impractical. Trauma shears can also be used to cut gauze pads to size.

• Emergency Tool-This piece of equipment is for your car and usually comes with a spring loaded window breaker and hook knife used to cut away a seat belt. It should be mounted (during a car crash, unsecure items will go flying) within arm’s reach of the driver. Breaking the window of your car is the fastest way of exiting a vehicle when it is sinking in the water. A few years ago a local family died when their SUV slid across an icy road and landed in a pond. The hook knife is great for seatbelts as they are very hard to cut with a straight edge. In an emergency you may not have time to unbuckle all of your passengers in order to get them to safety.

• Headlamp-Taking care of a wounded person requires two hands, and dragging a victim to the front of your car so you can see is not always the best option. A reliable headlamp takes care of both of these issues.

• Cell Phone-Used to call for help. Just make sure that it is charged and secure while in your vehicle!

• Blood-Clotting Agent-This item will also help stop severe bleeding. Celox and Quikclot are two examples.

Again, this is not a complete list, but it is a good start. Most of these items are cheap and will fit in a small bag, but make sure certain items, such as the Emergency Tool and cell phone, are readily accessible. As with all of the products I will recommend, it is up to you the user to become familiar with them and learn how to properly use them. Only then will they do you any good.

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Medical Knowledge

The next topic we are going to go over is what kind of medical information you need to know. During any attack, there is always a chance that you or someone in your family may be harmed and you should have at least some basic medical tools in your “toolbox” in order to cope until first responders can arrive. As I am not a qualified medical technician of any sort beyond my military training, I will not be going into the actual performance of anything I am about to list. That will be up to you to learn, practice, and implement if necessary.

• CPR is a skill everyone should know. It seems that they change the number of compressions to breaths every few years so if it has been more than a year since you were qualified I would recommend that you get re-certified. Your local fire department or hospital are both good places to ask about where to get certified and when the next classes will begin, as well as how much they will be. Usually it is around $100.

• Learn how to work an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). This may be covered in the CPR class but if not you should learn how to work it. They are designed for a novice to be able to use (it has pictures and it talks to you) but becoming familiar with this piece of gear before an emergency will go a long way towards success. If you have not seen them before or even know what I am talking about, the next time you are at your local mall there is probably at least one somewhere on the wall. If you can’t find it ask a mall representative where it is located. I will post a picture and discuss this piece of equipment in my next post.

• Have a basic understanding of the human anatomy and the effect trauma has on it. The amount of blood pouring from a wound is not always an indicator of the severity. A small wound to the head will bleed much more than a deep puncture, and depending on where the puncture is at, that will be the worst injury. Become familiar with the location of your major organs, arteries, bones, and in what capacity they function.

• Learn how to spot arterial bleeding, as this is the worst kind.

• Learn when and how to apply a tourniquet.

• Use the acronym M.A.R.C.H when dealing with a casualty.

           M. Massive Hemorrhaging - Look for and treat all wounds of this nature first.
           A. Airway - Next ensure that they are breathing.
           R. Respiration - If they are breathing, is it labored?  Lung issues?
           C. Circulation - Do they have a pulse in their foot?
           H. Head to Toe/Hypothermia - Once the major issues are addressed, treat less serious issues.

• Learn how to spot a head or back injury and the subsequent action you should take.

• Learn how to splint a broken limb

• In the event of a seizure, become familiar with what you should do to help the victim.

• Learn how to proceed in case of an eye injury.

• Learn how to use an epinephrine auto injector (EpiPen). Some people in this world are extremely allergic to such things as insect bites and food, and can go into anaphylactic shock. Left untreated, they will most probably die. To combat this, they carry around an EpiPen that injects medicine into their body counteracting the allergic reaction. You may never need to use one but it is simple to learn and on the off chance someone you know may be at risk, it would be a good skill to have. Security and safety go hand-in-hand.

This is by no means a complete list, but if you learn nothing else except what I talked about above you will stand a better chance of saving yourself or a member of your family. Knowing the basics of medical care will boost your confidence tremendously not only during an attack, but also in your everyday life. Remember, EMT’s are reactionary just like the police.

I have included a link that is EXTREMELY GRAPHIC in nature in which an Afghan soldier gets hit with an IED, but it does an awesome job of showing the above mentioned steps of MARCH being carried out.  Again, do not view this video if the site of blood or massive bodily harm makes you squirm or if it will mess you up mentally.  The guy does survive by the way. 

Principles of Security

“Principles of Security” may sound like an in-depth phrase with lots of hidden meaning, but in reality all it is is a few simple rules to live by when dealing with security. If you remember and follow these principles as we travel along on our journey, you will find it much easier to grasp the concepts that will be discussed and you will also be more prepared both mentally and physically for any security situation that may arise.

Diving right in, below are the points that will be discussed in this topic:
a. Mental Preparedness
b. Physical Preparedness
c. Temper and Intent
d. Continuum of Force
e. Deadly Force

Mental Preparedness:
Mentally preparing yourself for situations involving your safety is unlike anything else that you have probably had to do. In acquiring your security mindset, you identified possible situations in your life that could threaten your safety, you reviewed actions that you could take and the possible reactions that could happen, and then you decided on a plan to deal with the threat. Now you have to be mentally prepared to put that plan into action.

Earlier we discussed carrying mace while walking through a parking lot at night, but carrying the mace and actually having to use it in a dynamic and stressful situation are two different things. Most people in this society are averse to causing a fellow brother or sister harm, which is a good thing most of the time. But when it involves you or your family’s safety it could be disastrous. Dave Grossman has written a great book titled On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society. He argues that humans have a natural aversion to killing their own kind and goes on to explain how the military and society has overcome that aversion to a certain degree. The bottom line is that you have to be honest with yourself when you ask “can I really harm another human being if I had to?” If you answer no, then you have to resign yourself to the fact that even if you implement all the best security measures, you could still become a victim. When an attack happens, it is only you and the perpetrator and if you can’t protect yourself, he will always win.
If you answer yes, you think you can, then you need to begin practicing. In the military, if we are not engaged in warfare then we are training. The purpose of all that training is to increase our skill level and make certain facets of individual combat “muscle memory”.

Muscle memory is being able to do something without thinking about it. If you have finally made it out of the Stone Age and accepted the fact that computers are here to stay, then you probably have some idea of muscle memory already. Typing is a great example. You don’t even need to look at the keys or think about what letter you need to hit in order to type a word. Your fingers just “know” where to go. But you were not able to simply sit down at a computer the first time and let your digits fly. You had to practice. The same goes with any security plan that you have decided upon.
The more you practice your security plan the more confident you will feel until the thought of an attack no longer owns you; instead, you will be ready to meet the challenge head-on, afraid, but prepared. Since we all have varied lives, I can’t recommend a catch-all way that you should go about practicing but if you are having trouble getting started or feel that what you are doing is not working, please feel free to drop me a line with your personal situation and I will see if I can help.

Physical Preparedness:
Being physically prepared involves more than just physical fitness. During extremely stressful situations, your brain begins the “Fight or Flight” process that can physically hamper your ability to effectively protect yourself. You must be able to identify these changes when they are happening and overcome them or all your preparation may be for not!

Let’s talk about physical fitness first.
It is no secret that to stay healthy you need to eat right and exercise. This blog is about security, not diet and nutrition so I am not going to go into how you should eat or exercise. What I will go into is pretty much common sense stuff that you may have not thought about before:

• If you have been stabbed, shot, badly beaten, or physically harmed in any way you have a better chance of surviving and recovering if you are a healthy individual. Most doctors will tell you that.
• Any fight requires stamina. I’m in good shape and could go outside right now and run 12 miles, but the same high school wrestler who would lose to me in that run may tire me out in a matter of minutes on the mat. There are different kinds of stamina and the one that matters here is the high intensity, short duration kind. Consider mixed martial arts, jiu jitsu, or krav maga to not only stay healthy and protect yourself, but to also work on the sort of stamina you need to go the distance in a life or death struggle, or to make it to safety.
• There have been reports of people dying of heart attacks simply because of stress. Don’t think I need to explain that one.
• The last one I will cover is injuries. If you are out-of-shape you will be more prone to injuries which may result in you losing a battle with your attacker. More than likely the stress response taking place in your body at that moment may mask the fact that you are even hurt at all but it is still a possibility.
• If you are in shape, stay that way. If you are not, get there. It will only help you.

Psychological Response:
Now, let’s talk about that psychological response. I will let you do your own research into the “Fight or Flight” reaction, but what I am going to cover is what may physically happen to you based on my own personal experiences.

• In the beginning of fight or flight, my body decides on the first initial response and pumps blood to that area. If it deems that I should fight, blood pumps to my arms and torso. If it feels I should run, my legs and torso get the blood. When it is unsure, such as a home invasion, all the blood usually goes to my heart which is pumping furiously.
• Either way, my fine motor skills go out the window. My hands get shaky and numb and it would be really hard for me to push small buttons, such as dialing out on a cell phone, or hold on to things, such as a weapon.
• My legs are also affected. There have been times where I could barely feel them and it was extremely difficult for me to run, and other times when all they wanted to do was run. In one memorable case (I was a little kid being chased by the neighborhood Doberman) the blood did not go to my torso; rather, it all went to my legs.
• Due to losing blood to my head, I get light-headed.
• The reaction with the eyes and ears are pretty cool. If it is bright, your body may shut down your ears to maximize your eyesight. If it is dark, your vision may shut down in order for your body to maximize your hearing. I have had both happen to me. While investigating a possible break-in in the middle of the night my vision completely left me. My body decided that since I could barely see anyways I should just focus on my hearing. One time my ears didn’t shut down they just rang, still with the same result.
• My mouth gets dry so it is hard to swallow.
• Sometimes you may lose your voice all together, hindering you from calling for help. Other times you may not be able to speak above a whisper.
• Unfortunately, you may lose control of your bowels, messing up your pants.
• And last but not least you may freeze. You may not be able to do anything at all!

These are just a few examples of what could happen to you during a high-stress situation. Now that it appears there is no hope for survival, let’s talk about how to fight through these perfectly natural and normal responses and continue to fight effectively.

First and foremost, remain as calm as you can. Do not panic! Once you panic all the training and knowledge that you possess goes right out the window and you become easy prey.
Remind yourself that these responses are normal and that you have a plan of action. Stick to that plan; be confident that your plan will succeed. In the instance I described above where I completely lost my sight all I did was stop, I remained calm, and reminded myself that it was normal and I had a plan. Within a matter of seconds my vision began to clear and I was able to continue investigating. It turned out to be nothing but both my wife and I were woken up. Still don’t know what it was.
Unfortunately it is hard to practice calming yourself and working through the “Fight or Flight” reaction without being subjected to an extremely stressful situation, which is what we are trying to avoid. Becoming intimately familiar with your plan and having confidence in your ability to implement it as well as its likelihood of success are all major factors in overcoming your body’s natural responses. And regardless of how your body responds, remember that it happens to everyone. Grown men have soiled themselves in combat, been frozen in place, and were physically unable to help their comrades no matter how much they wanted to.

Afterwards, after the threat has passed or been eliminated, you will feel extremely drained and tired. Rest! And if you suspect that you have any lingering mental issues regarding your ordeal seek help. Do not be ashamed. Having your safe and secure little world shattered is hard to bear.

The last thing I will mention concerning this topic relates to both physical and mental preparedness.
a. Surprise
b. Speed
c. Violence of Action

If you utilize these three principles during a time when physical violence on your part is necessary, you will stand a much better chance of coming out on top.

Surprise
Surprise your attacker. Do not show him all your cards in hopes that he will run away scared. All you are doing is allowing him to prepare his defenses. I know we have all seen those movies where the man or woman suspects a burglar is in their home and they call out “who’s there?” Negative. Once you call out that burglar will immediately know where you are in the house and that you are awake. Instead of being the hunted, become the hunter. If you feel the need to leave a room you know is secure to confront the unknown (which, having young children is exactly what I would do) do it quietly.
*On a side note, if you have teenage children that may come in and out of the house you need to talk to them about your home security plan. I will cover this in a later topic but want to get it out there now because there has been more than one case of parents harming their children because they thought they were burglars.*

Speed
When it is time to act, do it quickly before your attacker has time to even think. Because you have the proper mindset and are physically and mentally prepared, there should be no hesitation in your attack. “Hesitation will get you killed” is a little saying a lot of Marines go by…because it is the truth.

Violence of Action
To make both surprise and speed work you need to attack violently. Once the decision has been made that you or your family is in danger, never hold back. If you are using a bat to confront a burglar, don’t aim for the arm and ease up on the swing, the only thing you will do is leave yourself open for retaliation. Strive to end the fight on the first blow but don’t expect it to. Continue your attack violently until your attacker has been incapacitated.

Temper and Intent:
Determining someone’s temper and intent is an effective tool in sorting out the wolves from the sheep; wolves being the potential attacker and sheep being everyone else. The earlier you spot a wolf the more time you have to evade or mount your defense. In order to make this tool work though, you have to be aware of your surroundings. Burying your head in your cell phone or “minding your own business” will render this technique ineffective.

In our everyday lives we determine people’s temper. This ability is natural and you may not even know that you are doing it. Humans give off certain visible and subtle clues as they experience emotion, and we as social beings unconsciously pick up on those clues. We learned in elementary school that somebody who is smiling is happy, and somebody frowning is sad. This is the exact same thing, just taken a few steps further. It’s body language. You do not need to be a psychology or sociology major to become good at reading people, you just need to be aware. Spotting the wolf hidden in the flock of sheep is a good start, but then you have to decide if they are a threat to you or not.

Determining intent is a skill most people also practice on an everyday basis. The door may be held for us, at times we are offered certain items off the street, or someone may just need a question answered. While all these are perfectly safe and acceptable social situations, a good rule to go by is that anybody in the public who offers you more than a passing glance deserves to be scrutinized. Most you can dismiss right away as being routine. But when their purpose is more vague, it could be harder for you to decide on the appropriate course of action to take. Let’s look at a few examples:

Imagine that you are on the streets of a touristic city in the United States, it’s around noon, and you are taking in the sites. From the corner of your eye you spy a man take notice of you or your family and start to approach with a purpose. He is a white male, medium build, clean shaven, and his clothes aren’t nice but they aren’t dirty either. His face wears a smile and in his hands he is carrying a bunch of little trinkets. “Excuse me!” “Excuse me!” is his call. Threat or not? If you answered that he was probably not a threat, you are right. Being aware of where you were at (in a touristic city at midday), his demeanor (he was smiling and calling attention to himself by saying “excuse me” loud enough for others to hear) and noticing what he had in his hands should have led you to the conclusion that his intent was just to sell you something. While maybe annoying, he is not a threat.
Let’s take this same scenario but shake it up a little: You are in the same city, same part, but this time you are walking back to your hotel after enjoying your day out. Most of the shops are closing and pedestrian traffic has died down considerably, in fact it’s mostly just locals. You see the same man out of the corner of your eye approach but this time his speed is slower. He has a neutral look on his face and his hands are in his pockets. He quickly looks to his left or right but then always back to you, almost fixated. The “excuse me” that comes out of his mouth is only loud enough for you to hear. Threat or not? Not so easy this time is it? What do you do?

In both of the above scenarios you analyzed the man’s temper and intent. By doing so, you could then begin to decide on a course of action, whether it be a simple “No thank you” or an application of self defense. Now imagine those same scenarios when you were not aware, when you weren’t actively determining both temper and intent. Your reaction time would be severely limited and the possibility of you or your family becoming a victim much greater. Once you have determined a person is a threat, this is when your fight or flight mechanism will kick in. Depending on the distance between you and the threat, the environment, and your level of physical fitness, evading may be a wise choice. But if an attacker is any closer than 50 feet away and no cover is available, you should never turn your back. Once you do that you lose sight of the threat and the advantage you had of being able to see what is coming. Your safest option is to turn and confront your opponent on as much of your terms as possible. This will begin our discussion on the Continuum of Force.

The Continuum of Force and Deadly Force will be the one portion of this blog I get into definitions and more textbook type verbiage simply due to the fact that it is important information when justifying your actions to yourself or the authorities. You will need to learn your local laws concerning your right to self-defense and the actions that you are allowed to take in what situations as all states are different. Just keep in mind that you ALWAYS have the right to self-defense if you feel that your life is in danger.

Continuum of Force:
The Continuum of Force is basically the understanding that there are a wide range of actions that you can take during a violent situation. It is called a continuum because you start with the least destructive (mere presence) and work your way up to deadly force. The following information was intended for riot control so there will be some stuff I talk about that won’t apply to “street” situations. It will make more sense once we dive in so just bear with me and let’s begin!
Before we get into the Continuum of Force, let us talk about resistance first. There are 5 levels of resistance you can expect from a person. I will explain and give an example of each.

1. Compliant – Subject may be argumentative, however offers no resistance.
(Subject begins to approach you in a parking lot and you yell “stay back!”, and he complies.)

2. Passive Resistance – Verbal noncompliance and/or physical actions that don’t prevent control.
(Subject is refusing to leave your property after you have repeatedly asked him to.  You could try to physically escort the subject off your property but he may tighten his body or go limp.)

3. Active Resistance – Physical actions that prevent control; but, do not harm you.
(Subject is refusing to leave your property and is actively resisting all attempts to be physically escorted off.)

4. Assaultive /Bodily Harm – Physical actions of assault against you or your family. (Subject attacks using fists, feet, elbows, etc…)

5. Assaultive/ Serious Bodily Harm or Death – Deadly force encounter against you or your family. (Subject uses a knife, handgun, etc…)

Next we will discuss the levels of force (Continuum of Force) as it relates to the resistance encountered.

Cooperative Controls – Techniques used to direct a compliant subject. Examples are:
a. Presence – Your mere presence
b. Verbal Direction – You tell the subject and he listens
c. Hand Gestures – Most often used in conjunction with verbal direction (ex. Giving the sign to stop while  saying “stop!”)

Contact Controls – Utilized when cooperative control fails and the need of force escalates.
(ex. You physically have to remove somebody from your property by using compliant escort positions you may have learned in a self-defense class)

Compliance Techniques – Utilized when the compliant escort positions fail and the need of force escalates.
a. Pain Compliance/Pressure Points
b. Joint Locks – using empty hand tactics or baton restraining tactics
c. OC/Pepper spray

Defensive Tactics – Utilized when the use of compliant techniques fails. Examples are:
a. Counter-striking Techniques
b. Baton Striking Techniques

Deadly Force – Utilized as a last resort when all other lesser means have failed. Examples are:
a. Use of weapons
b. Defensive tactics concerning the use of counter-striking techniques and baton striking techniques directed into vital points of the body that can cause death or serious bodily harm.

These levels of force are dictated by the threat that the subject presents during the time of the encounter. The levels do not have to be applied in order. What that means is if someone pulls out a gun and points it at you, you do not have to go through all the steps in the Force Continuum in order to use deadly force. And on the flip side, if an attacker decides to turn and run you can’t shoot him in the back…he has de-escalated the situation and you have to adjust accordingly.

Deadly Force:
Deadly Force is defined as that force which a person uses with the purpose of causing death or serious bodily harm, or which a reasonable and prudent person would consider likely to create a substantial risk of causing death or serious bodily harm, and it will be used as a last resort when all other lesser means have failed.
There are 3 preconditions of deadly force and usually all 3 must be present before deadly force can be used. These are listed as they apply to “Deadly Force” but can be used in any incident where the use of some sort of “force” is necessary.

Opportunity – The subject is present and has the opportunity to inflict serious bodily harm
Means/Ability – The subject has the ability to inflict serious bodily harm or death to you or someone else.
Intent – The subject must exhibit an overt action that you perceive as a threat.

Basically, and man that has broken into your house and has a gun would meet all three preconditions of deadly force. He has the opportunity, he has the means and ability (has a gun), and the intent is there (he broke into your home). Also, a man walking toward you with balled fists while saying “I’m going kick you’re #*! would warrant action by you as well.
For those just starting on your self-defense journey, the above may be quite confusing and seem too complicated for you to even want to continue. Trust me, it is not. A lot of this is common sense and usually takes place without even having to think about it. Knowing this information helps in covering your butt and will boost your confidence in your ability to succeed in a potentially violent situation. The more you learn about protecting yourself the more everything will fall into place and make sense.
If you have any questions concerning this topic do not hesitate to ask, that is what I am here for.

This concludes my Principles of Security post; I hope you found it not only interesting but helpful too.
Cheers!

*Click on the words in red to be hyperlinked to that item*

The Right Mindset

First and foremost security is a MINDSET. Remember it, sear it into your brain, write it on a sticky and staple it to your head, do whatever you need to do but without having the proper mindset everything I say in this blog will be worthless to you, I promise!

Mindset is defined by the World English Dictionary as, “the ideas and attitudes with which a person approaches a situation, esp when these are seen as being difficult to alter”.

Why do you need a security mindset?

Me personally, I always expect the worse and hope for the best in any situation. It drives my wife crazy. My wife on the other hand, is the complete opposite. Bad things don’t happen in her world and it makes me crazy. The solution is a happy median, but we’ll get to that. What we’re figuring out is why we even need it.

A good security mindset will go a long way in keeping you from getting into trouble in the first place. Criminals go after what they perceive as easy targets, and if they are tracking someone who appears to be aware of their surroundings, has implemented the most basic security precautions, and looks confident, they will most likely choose a softer target. The main thing to remember is that, while police officers are awesome at their job, very rarely can they get to an incident soon enough to prevent it from turning into a crime. They are usually reactionary which is bad for you, good for the criminals. As a member of this society, you need to come to grips with the fact that there are desperate, deranged, and downright evil people in this world that are constantly looking for a victim. Don’t be the one! Help yourself.

Developing a security mindset will take a little bit of time and effort on your part unless you have unfortunately already been the recipient of a violent or criminal act. I was in downtown San Diego many years ago enjoying the sights when I stopped at a bench to eat a tasty sub. I didn’t have any back pockets so my wallet had to go in my hip pocket. After eating I got up and went around the corner to buy some chocolate chip cookies and realized my wallet was gone! I retraced my steps back to bench I was sitting on and there it was…with nothing missing except all my cash; about $180 which was funding my weekend trip. I was young and living from paycheck to paycheck so I drew out the remaining funds from my bank account, which barely covered my hotel expenses, and for the next two days had to mooch off the guys I was with. I was fresh out of bootcamp so (don’t laugh) those were my only pair of pants I had with me…all my other clothes being in another state. And since I had no money to buy anything else, I had to continue wearing those pants for 2 more weeks (I washed them of course). What changed was that now every time my wallet went into that hip pocket I zipped it! I zipped it and then double checked it and kept checking for several days after until I felt comfortable that it wouldn’t open on its own. I had developed a security mindset concerning that one particular item. The trick is to develop the security mindset proactively instead of reactively, which by then is already too late.

Here’s how:

Start small and specific. What is the one part of your day or week that scares you or gives you that funny feeling in your stomach the most? Is it driving through a certain neighborhood? Shopping at your local grocery store? Your neighbors? A creepy co-worker? For this scenario let’s go with your neighbors.

Begin by playing the “what-if” game. "What if they play their music really loud while my kids are trying to sleep?"

Next, ponder the possible actions you could take and the possible reactions of the neighbors. Do you confront them? If you do will they apologize and turn it down (if you have that funny feeling in your tummy probably not), or retaliate by keying your car, slashing your tires, or physically harming you? Should you call the police? The neighbors will know it was you. We’re back to the same possible outcomes. Do you sneak over there at night and smash their radio? Probably not a good idea. You are now breaking the law and they can pursue legal action against you, or they may catch you and harm you. Neither conclusion works in your favor.

Finally, decide on a plan in dealing with the situation. Unfortunately, in this scenario you may just have to put up with it until you can move. The point is that you are now on your way to developing that proper mindset.

Once you have “resolved” that possible threat, you can move on to other areas of your life which we will be getting into per the agenda.

*Note-Resolved in this case means that you have come to terms with the situation.  You now have a better grasp of your options, you've thought through possible actions and reactions, and have made a plan in dealing with the outcome you chose.

Implementing a Proper Security Mindset:

Having a security mindset is useless unless you implement it into your daily life. Knowing that you should check your mirror before merging into another lane doesn’t help if you’re busy texting or trying to catch the eye of the pretty girl or gorgeous guy in the car next to you.

Driving requires an active mindset and so does security.

Here’s another scenario:

You know that you get off work late sometimes and have to walk across an abandoned parking lot at night. Because you are starting to rely on yourself for your own security instead of the 18 year old kid driving around the parking lot with a giant yellow light on the top of his car, you went through the steps of developing a proper mindset for this situation. You decided that your best defense against a possible attack was to carry a can of pepper spray in your hand while walking to your car, ensure your cell phone was charged in case you had to call for help, and have your keys readily accessible so you could quickly enter your vehicle. Good job. But holding a canister of pepper spray in your hand while walking to your car at night doesn’t do you any good if you are thinking about what you are going to have for dinner or are replaying the events that happened that day in your head. An attacker will not stand in front of you and announce himself, then allow you sufficient time to point and spray your vile potion at him. No! He has a brain and though he may not be the most educated he does know that he should attack you from the rear, violently and forcefully, before you have a chance to even comprehend what is going on. Now you’re in trouble.
Just because you came up with a plan do not get complacent. Do not think everything will be ok now. You have to actively implement that security mindset until you are out of the “danger zone”. Keep your head on a swivel (constantly look all around you, 360 degrees). Continue playing the what-if game (what if the guy digging in his trunk starts walking towards me, what will I do?). Peer into shadows, be alert to movement and anything out of the ordinary, and be ready at a moment’s notice to put your plan into action.

That is how to implement your security mindset.

I understand that this may seem a bit unsettling or over-the-top. I’m sure my wife will think the same thing when she reads this. The reality is that 99% of the time everything will be ok.  There will be no boogeyman jumping out of the shadows to get you, you will walk to your car like you do every night, get in, drive home, and enjoy the rest of your evening.

But what about the 1%? Violent crime does happen and that exact scenario is played out many times a year in places all over America. Are the preventative steps I described above so intrusive into your daily life, so complicated and difficult to accomplish that you would rather risk your life or your personal well-being to continue living how you have always lived? Since you are still reading this I’m going to assume that some part of you cares about your own safety and that of your family. Just stop for a moment, close your eyes and really contemplate how your life would change if that were you in the parking lot and you were attacked, raped, and beaten. Or as a man, if you were violently assaulted and robbed? What would it do to your family? Your ability to perform your job? The mental health of your children? Your family? If you are still skeptical do a Google search on how people’s lives have changed after a violent crime and make your own decision on whether you want to continue reading. I will try to keep this blog as bright and shiny as I possibly can, though that won't always be possible.

Moving on…

Once you have established a security mindset, you need to know a few principles behind basic security.  These principles will be covered in the next post entitled Principles of Security.