Showing posts with label situational awareness. Show all posts

Monday, June 24, 2019

Situational Awareness Tips: Increase Your Personal Safety

Poor Man Survival

Self Reliance tools for independent minded people…

www.poormansurvivor.net

ISSN 2161-5543

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources

Personal Situational Awareness for Self Protection

Too often we witness people, addicted & distracted by cell phones who are oblivious to dangers around them...

Knowing how to defend yourself is important not only in a survival situation but in your daily life s well. There are plenty of threats and dangers around you every day. I tell my students that it's silly to only be a prepper in the purely End Of The World As We Know It sense. Essentially, a prepper is prepared for anything: bad weather, natural disaster, blackout, stock market collapse, EMP, the end of the world and any basic personal threat like attack or home invasion.

It is important to know how to defend yourself and you may be surprised to find that basic self-defense has little to do with hitting the right pressure points...

Here are several basic self-defense tips that an instructor will tell you in a self-defense class.

1. Always be aware of your surroundings when you are out on foot. The best way to defend yourself against a threat is to avoid it altogether. Don't walk around or go for a run with your headphones on. You want to hear what is going on around you. If you have long hair, pull it back before going out so that nothing blocks your peripheral vision.

2. Always survey your destination prior to walking to it. If you are approaching a gas station, a store, an ATM, a restaurant or any other establishment (especially after dark), survey it prior to walking there. If anyone looks suspicious, go the other way.

3. Only walk or run on streets that are lit. I can't count how many situations could have been avoided if people didn't walk on dark streets.

4. If you are parking in a parking garage, park as close to the exit as you can, away from the elevator.

5. If running is an option - run. I can't tell my students enough: self-defense is not about fighting people; it's about putting a stop to an attack and escaping. If something feels wrong - run. If someone starts following you at a distance - run. If you are attacked and manage to temporarily disable your attacker - run. If you are attacked with an intention of being robbed, then throw your belongings away from yourself and run. Essentially, whenever an option to run exists - run.

6. If you are in close proximity and have to fight back then fight back as hard as you possibly can, hitting the most vulnerable spots: eyes, nose, face, neck, knee or groin.

7. Use your feet. Chances are, your shoes are harder than your fists so if you are grabbed, stomp on your attackers feet as hard as you can.

8. Use your elbow. Your elbow is the strongest point on your body. So hit, jam, and jab with it as hard as you can.

9. Never go anywhere with your attacker. Let them have whatever you have but don't leave with them. If someone broke into your car and wants you to drive somewhere (even at gun point), floor the gas pedal and ram your car into a wall or something (avoiding pedestrians of course) to attract attention and cause others to run over to check on you.

10. Don't let strangers into your house, and don't leave the door open to get a family member either. It's way too easy for an attacker to kill you if once they breach your doorway. So don't be naive, be cautious.

Of course, it's always best to learn real CIA-style tactics to disarm and combat an attacker if they come after you or your family. This way you'll be prepared for any style of attack, even if they're much bigger and stronger than you.

RELATED RESOURCE

Have you ever thought about what you will do if the SHTF and friends and/or family start knocking at your door, asking for help? During a local, temporary disaster such as an earthquake or hurricane, it would make sense to help them. I know I would.

But what if it's a long-term disaster that shows no signs of abating? What if you only have enough food to last your family a few months? If you start letting in friends and relatives, then next thing you know, your food will be gone in a week. Then the people you helped will be right back where they started, only they'll have dragged you down with them.

That's why a lot of preppers keep their stockpile a secret, as well they should. However, if you have a chatty friend or family member who spills the beans about your preparedness plans, then a lot of people might end up finding out anyway. If that happens, then you could end up in a situation where you have to turn people away--people you care about...

How To Deal With Non-Preppers After SHTF

Bruce, the “Poor Man”

Also Noted…

On prepaid phones: When you get to the cashier and it's time to pay they ask you your name and address.

Last time I got a burner phone I made up a name, do you agree with that? If forced to give a name should I just simply make one up the way I have in the past?

- Jay G

Answer: First, I would simply decline to give the cashier your name. Tell them you don't like to give out personal information. I have done this myself and I know other customers who have done the same thing.

If they require that you give them a name, I would give them a false name to protect yourself. Some of my customers use these phones because they have stalkers, and if your life is in danger, the last thing you want to do is give the cashier your name in case someone is trying to track you.

Can you give some recommendations on choosing parachute cord?

- John G

Answer: When it comes to paracord, the key is to make sure you buy paracord 550 that is made in the United States. A lot of places sell paracord 550 that is made in China and the quality isn’t the same.

I’ve tested so many types of paracord and unless it’s made in the USA it doesn’t hold up, so stay away from the cheap Chinese stuff.

NEWS NUGGETS...

Chime Bank Review – Fee-Free Banking

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MyPoints Review – Easy Way to Earn Extra Cash

With rewards websites like MyPoints, people are learning a quick way to make a few extra bucks with little effort at all. What is MyPoints, how does it work, and bottom line, does it really work at all? Let’s find out.

Are You Smarter About Money Than Most Americans? Here's How You Can Find Out (USA Today)

A better economy does not make a smarter consumer. As Americans' finances recovered from the Great Recession – spurred by the longest bull market, 50-year unemployment lows and an almost record-breaking expansion – they got dumber about money matters.

Debt-Saddled Millennials Are Rushing Into Home Ownership—And It's Costing Them (Fortune)

Speaking at Fortune’s Brainstorm Finance conference in Montauk on Thursday, Hugh Frater, CEO of Fannie Mae, and Anand Cavale, head of consumer lending at SoFi, said one of the biggest money challenges among millennials is a lack of critical knowledge when it comes to things like home buying and paying off student debt. Homeownership is up, and millennials are fueling that growth, Frater said, but they often come into the process with little knowledge on how exactly it works.

The Road to Riches is This Simple: Drive a Crappy Car (MarketWatch)

Unless you are driving a Ferrari, a car is not an investment. A car is basically a huge waste of money. Where else can you take $40,000 and set it on fire in seven years? And pay a bunch of interest to the bank in the process?

A Final Note…

Contributors and subscribers enable the Poor Man Survivor to post 150+ free essays annually. It is for this reason they are Heroes and Heroines of New Media. Without your financial support, the free content would disappear for the simple reason that I cannot keep body and soul together on my meager book sales & ecommerce alone.

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Tuesday, January 31, 2017

How To Be Invisible in Any Environment

Poor Man Survival

Self Reliance tools for independent minded people…

www.poormansurvivor.net

ISSN 2161-5543

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources

TACOP: How To Be Invisible in Any Environment

One of the first lessons I learned in covert operations was to be a chameleon, to blend into any environment. To do this like a pro, there are four critical criteria that you must address, and they are: personal awareness, cultural awareness, situational awareness and third-party awareness.

Let me tell you about one of the first lessons I learned, call it “Close Call Bravo.” I was attempting a “legal” entry into a Third World playground when I was stopped by customs. I had all my ducks in order, nothing out of the ordinary in my suitcase, just the basic necessities, some clothing and toiletries.

I was wearing a pair of torn jeans, older high-top sneakers and a well-worn jean jacket. I had just seen the last several people breeze through the customs checkpoint without so much as a question … then came my turn.

I causally sauntered up to the customs officer, and he immediately looked at me differently. Studying me for several seconds from head to toe, he finally broke his silence and told me to put my bags on the table for inspection.

I set the bags on the table, at which point the agent opened one bag at a time and literally took everything out randomly.

As my belongings lay strewn across two tables, he asked me what I was doing in “his” country. I replied quickly, “Sir I am visiting some family members.” He said, “So you would classify your visit as ‘personal’ ” ? I said, “Yes.”

Without even a pause he said, “I think you’re going to be very hot here, please remove your jacket.”

For those of you who don’t know this, let me tell you something about these Third World customs officers. They may sometimes come off as jolly and friendly people, sometimes they play poor desperate government employees who cannot afford to eat or send their kids to college. But beware!

These folks are drawn from an intelligence pool, and they can be quite adept analytically when it comes to spotting lies and deception, especially by studying behavior and body language.

It is essential to understand that “presentation” upon arriving at customs is an important key point. Presentation here meaning how you dress, carry yourself, demeanor and body language.

Customs officers are trained to look for certain distinctive signs, like calluses on your elbows and knees, bruising, tattoos and other features that set you apart from what they deem “normal for their environment.

For the non-warrior’s among you, you are probably wondering why they would be looking for things like calluses and tattoos?

And the answer is this: Other than on the rare professional athlete they may see, calluses on your knees and elbows could indicate that you have been crawling around on the ground a lot. And that could indicate to them that you are either a) potential terrorist or other bad-guy type or b) a soldier or a mercenary, such as myself.

As for why they look for tattoos? They could reveal that you belong to a particular gang, triad or syndicate.

So let’s get back to the first of the four elements that help you become “invisible” or blend in with the surroundings and that is personal awareness.

In personal awareness, we want to develop a “look” that helps us blend into the local environment. This may take some research if you have not been to your destination previously. But primarily, you will want to dress as the locals do. And you want to conceal tattoos as well as avoid piercings and jewelry that could set you apart – in this case not something you want to do!

Following that same thinking, you need to make sure your mannerisms and actions also fit with local customs. For example, the sign for “OK” can be expressed in many ways across different countries and cultures.

In America, many of us have used the traditional “thumbs-up” method of signaling to others that things are “OK.” That cultural tradition has taken on a more global significance as the symbol when you “like” someone or something on a Facebook page. However, a rapid thumbs-up has a very negative connotation in places like Greece, the Middle East or even Australia.

The second element we have to address to become invisible is cultural awareness. In its simplest terms, cultural awareness is the ability to recognize the different values, customs and beliefs within an environment and to then be “sensitive” to them.

For example, if you are in Japan and you are an American on a business mission there, do you bow to your Japanese counterparts or shake hands? The answer is usually to shake hands because while bowing may seem appropriate, you will not likely know the correct ritual and this could either offend or more likely be very awkward for them.

Here is a quick checklist of culturally sensitive areas to watch for:

Language Barriers: (verbal and non-verbal.)

Communication and methods of communication: Communication can be challenging within your own culture at times and given the different cultural contexts possible, you must recognize differences and address them for clarity and so as not to offend.

Cultural Identification: Make sure you identify the person’s culture so as not to offend them.

Beliefs: Identify religious and or spiritual beliefs.

Food: Identify what foods are eaten in that region and make note if you are allergic.

Comprehension: Bear in mind that just because someone in another part of the world “nods” in an affirmative way, it does not necessarily mean they understand what you meant or the point you were attempting to get across to them.

Self-Monitor Bias: You may not like a certain way of dress or food item, but be sure you do not express those feelings in verbalization or body language.

Physical Contact: Identify proper physical contact and mannerisms. Consider that when one greets someone within the United States we may shake hands. Or if you meet a person you have known for a period of time and they are of the opposite sex, you might feel a kiss on the cheek and a hug would be appropriate. However, if you are doing business in Paris, a quick kiss on each cheek is acceptable.

The third element is Situational Awareness. Your role here is to get a good baseline on your area of operations (AO) so that you can discern what is normal for that particular region or locale.

In this manner, you will be able to recognize any change in status to alert you something is not right. The key takeaway for you here is that you must keep your head on a swivel but do so casually and without drawing attention to yourself so that you can quickly recognize danger and avert potential critical incidents or conflict.

The final element in becoming “invisible” is third-party awareness. This could also be called “hostile-party awareness” because the concept here is to maintain alertness to anyone that may be “watching” you.

And that means for any reason. So whether you are operating either stateside or at your host country or destination, always stay alert to hostile surveillance.

Remember you are trying to blend into the environment but as you do so keep an eye out for those that have an eye on you.

To accomplish this, you must understand some tradecraft basics. And the first principle is: Listen to your gut instincts. If you see someone at your local coffee shop and then you see that same person on the other side of town at another time in that same day, that should set off some alarm bells.

“It is demeanor that is critical in identifying the intent of the person or group that is watching you”

In the world of hostile surveillance detection, one of the most critical ways in which we “identify” people watching us lies within certain characteristics or demeanors they exhibit as they are watching. Think of demeanor as behavior.

The behavior a person exhibits while carrying out surveillance on a target is what makes the “surveillant” vulnerable to your detection.

Your job is to proactively and in a low-key fashion observe individuals within your environment as you move about your activities and look for things that you find a bit suspicious.

This could be a car that seems to be following you after you have made several turns or a person who stops to tie shoelaces as you stop to window shop.

It could also be that car that is terminally parked on your block or in front of your hotel each day.

From my experience in covert surveillance I can tell you that professionals will never look directly at you. And they may change their hats, glasses and other clothing, even vehicles. But one thing they rarely change is their shoewear! Start now and acclimate your awareness skills to include scanning feet!

As for my close call with customs, well I’m here to tell the tale aren’t I?

Until next time, stay alert, check your six, put your back against the wall and stay safe!

Jeff

Dr. Jeff Cantor is one of the country’s leading experts on personal and International security, including preparation and response to active shooter and domestic terrorism incidents, kidnap and ransom response, travel security, close quarter combat, tactical edged weapons and personal defense.

Yours for better living,

Bruce , the Poor Man

A Final Note…

You Have a 16-Cylinder Brain-Learn How to Use It and Reawaken the Genius Inside You!

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Additional Resources

The Anatomy of a Breakdown

The Prepper’s Blueprint: The Step-By-Step Guide To Help You Through Any Disaster

Prepper’s Home Defense: Security Strategies to Protect Your Family by Any Means Necessary

Contact! A Tactical Manual for Post Collapse Survival

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Arm Up System-Defense Without Regulation
PM’s Guide to Home Defense

It is a crazy world out there with plenty of violence and everyone knows you that under most circumstances, police usually arrive after the fact. Your rights to defend yourself are often under attack, even for non-lethal self-defense tools…Includes 2 books and 4 bonus CD ROMS…dozens of useful DIY self defense manuals.

http://www.bonanza.com/listings/Guide-to-Home-Defense-Arm-Up-System-Defense-W-out-Regulation-Bonuses/370808566

{Note: We also offer a Three Set CD-ROM-only version at a lesser price for those with limited budgets]

Support our efforts by shopping my storefront…

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A Smoking Frog Feature, Shallow Planet Production

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Emergency! What You Should Do if Protestors Surround Your Car

Poor Man Survival

Self Reliance tools for independent minded people…

www.poormansurvivor.net

ISSN 2161-5543

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources

What should you do if protestors surround your car?

One can rarely turn on the news without hearing about mob violence, especially from black lives matters or the uncivilized anti-Trump protestors. My wife and never go anywhere unarmed and we avoid problem areas and usually don’t even drive at night.

I often wonder why law enforcement no longer makes use of water cannons as a means of crowd dispersal…they were very effective in their day. Below you’ll find some ideas on protecting yourself…

Street protests are all too common these days, and blocking traffic has become one of the favorite methods of public protest. If you, as a motorist, round a corner and find yourself in the middle of a protest march, or if protestors suddenly surround your car, you need to take action quickly.

Dave Young, founder and director of Arma Training, stresses that immediate action is important, but such action requires forethought and a thorough understanding of the laws of self-defense in your state.

“Most state’s self-defense laws allow you to use reasonable force to defend yourself and your family, but you may not use deadly force unless you are facing an imminent threat of death or great bodily harm,” Young said. “Some prosecutors could see using your car to drive away from a protest as using force, even deadly force. So the first thing you must do is assess the threat level.”

If the protestors are merely blocking your way, you may be able to use a reasonable level of force to get out of the situation, but you must remember that someone who was not at the scene will evaluate your decisions.

In Wisconsin, the use of force is outlined in state statute 939.48, which reads:

(1) A person is privileged to threaten or intentionally use force against another for the purpose of preventing or terminating what the person reasonably believes to be an unlawful interference with his or her person by such other person. The actor may intentionally use only such force or threat thereof as the actor reasonably believes is necessary to prevent or terminate the interference. The actor may not intentionally use force which is intended or likely to cause death or great bodily harm unless the actor reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself.

Call 911

Local law enforcement may already be aware of the protest and may even have people on the scene. If you make them aware that you are trapped in a large, angry crowd they may take action to attempt to disperse the crowd and facilitate a rescue, but don’t count on it. Officers at the scene may not be prepared for a riot situation, and it may take several minutes or more before police feel they have the resources to take on a large crowd. You could be injured or killed waiting for help.

Capture the Images

One of the best ways to show what you were facing and begin the basis for an effective legal defense of your actions is to record video of the incident. Most cell phones have video recorders these days. If you are with a companion, have the companion record as much of the incident as possible. Try to remain quiet while recording so as to caption the words as well as the actions of the protestors.

Do not attempt to record video and drive if you are alone. In that case, start the recorder, capture as much of the action as you can, then leave the recorder on, put it down and focus on your escape.

Keep Moving If You Can

Turing around and immediately leaving the area, if possible, is your best option. If you cannot turn around or go around the group, driving your car slowly through a group of protestors may be seen as a reasonable use of force. But unless you can articulate a reasonable fear of death or great bodily harm, you can’t use your car as a deadly weapon by driving over people or accelerating through the crowd.

“If you can drive away, do so. That might mean driving on the sidewalk or on the shoulder of the road or through the median,” said Young. “Escape is your first option.”

If Things Turn Violent

If the protest turns violent and people begin throwing objects, striking your vehicle or attempting to overturn your vehicle, you have to act quickly. If you reasonably believe the protestors are going to attempt to enter your vehicle, drag you out and injure you, the time to use force — perhaps even deadly force — has come. Young suggests the following:

1. Immediately get your family to lay down in the car while shielding their eyes and covering their skin to protect them from breaking glass or hard objects thrown at or into the car. If possible, pull the back seat down and take cover in the trunk area.

2. Get your car out of the danger area. Drive where you need to in order to escape. Avoid areas where your car might get stuck or hung up. If you can’t see effectively, driving “blind” is dangerous — but you have to weigh that danger against the danger of remaining where you are. If you have to use your car to push people out of the way or drive over people trying to stop you, then you must do it. Remember that you will be held accountable for your actions, so make sure you can prove that you believed you were in immediate danger.

3. Get out of sight of the protestors. If you are in contact with the police, tell them where you are going. If not, call them immediately after you get out of the dangerous situation and be prepared to make a full report.

If Your Car Is Stopped, Stalled or Disabled

If you can’t move and the crowd does not appear to be dangerous, you might just be better off sitting tight and waiting for things to disperse. But if the crowd appears to be dangerous, you are now in a very serious, life-threatening emergency. And this requires a plan (and likely some very intense actions on your part). You will have to determine if you can safely and effectively leave your car and move to a protected area.

Again, if protestors are not attempting to make entry into your vehicle, it may be better to just sit tight until things subside. But Young suggests immediately leaving the vehicle if any of the follow things happen:

1. The vehicle is not operational, has stalled or will not move.

2. There is fire inside or directly outside your vehicle.

3. Protestors are smashing your windows or attempting to make entry into your immobile vehicle.

This is where an effective plan is all but required. If you are planning to leave your vehicle, remember that you will likely be fighting your way out of your vehicle and fighting your way to safety. Do not leave in a panic. Think things through. First and foremost, Young suggests looking for an area that could provide relative safety and determining a direction of travel to that area.

If you are responsible for family members or others who are with you, explain the importance of trying to stay together. This may limit your movement and defensive options, especially if you have young children, but is it paramount that you keep everyone accounted for.

Access your defensive situation, taking a quick inventory of all the items you may be able to use as weapons when fighting your way to safety. In addition to your personal firearm, do you have knives, impact weapons or anything else you can use in your defense?

Do not leave your car without ensuring you take important items with you. This includes your identification, house keys, cell phone and any weapons.

Young suggests you consider the following as you prepare to fight your way out of the situation:

1. Can you operate your firearm effectively from inside your vehicle?

2. Have you ever fired through glass? (Flying glass could cut you or damage your eyes.)

3. Are you and your companions prepared for the discharge of a firearm in a confined space? (This is extremely loud.)

4. Is everyone prepared to move when the time comes?

“Fighting through a large, violent crowd is one of the most dangerous situations in the world. Often the sheer number of attackers can overwhelm even heavily armed and well-trained individuals. Exiting your vehicle is the last resort in a very dangerous situation,” said Young. “The first and best option is to avoid such situations. If you happen upon such a protest, do your best to get away immediately because there is no telling when the crowd can turn violent.”

— Kevin Michalowski

This entry was posted in On Your Own

Yours for another revolution,

Bruce ‘the Poor Man’

Additional Resources

Arm Up System-Defense Without Regulation
PM’s Guide to Home Defense

It is a crazy world out there with plenty of violence and everyone knows you that under most circumstances, police usually arrive after the fact. Your rights to defend yourself are often under attack, even for non-lethal self-defense tools…Includes 2 books and 3 bonus CD ROMS

http://www.bonanza.com/listings/Guide-to-Home-Defense-Arm-Up-System-Defense-W-out-Regulation-Bonuses/370808566

{Note: We also offer a Three Set CD-ROM-only version at a lesser price for those with limited budgets]

…Also>Check this package out, an incredible deal, filled with how-to DVDs, CDs and instructional manuals [last one available]