Licensed Firearms & Ammunition Dealer
This bodycam video taken recently in the US has many lessons for us. Firstly, unlike what is usually portrayed in the movies, handguns are pretty dismal manstoppers. A human hit by a 9mm round doesn’t go spinning like a top or is thrown 6 feet backwards.
Thankfully this police officer wasn’t hurt and her training and mindset allowed her to neutralise a very dangerous threat.
We see it all too often, people walking around while completely oblivious to their surroundings. People, fixated on their mobile phones or in a very animated conversation with someone. If something unexpected were to suddenly happen, they would be a victim.
Simply put, situational awareness is keeping your eyes and ears open and being aware of what is going on around you. You take note of people and objects in your immediate vicinity and form an opinion of their possible intent. Situational awareness is a mindset, a frame of mind.
Situational awareness is like radar that has the ability to detect incoming unknown contacts hundreds of kilometres away. A powerful radar will detect these contacts far enough away that there is sufficient time to identify them as friend or foe and launch fighter interceptors.
Our personal radar is the mindset we call situational awareness. The more we utilise it, the greater its ability to identify possible treats (at a distance), and this gives us time to take react.
All the training in the world, empty-handed, blade or gunfu skills, means nothing if you didn’t see the threat coming. Or perhaps you didn’t notice the lamp post that you’re about to walk into. It happens. Don’t let it happen to you.
Situational awareness isn’t something you an learn by reading a book, you have to live it. You have to go out there, switch on your radar and learn through trial and error how to spot potential threats. You are calibrating your radar. It takes time and patience. Start calibrating now.
Here’s a link to a good introduction to situational awareness youtube video produced by Rob Pincus at Personal Defence Network. If you’re interested in learning something new that may save your life one day, watch it.
There are literally thousands of videos and articles on the internet about situational awareness. Google is your friend. A word of caution, not all are created equal.
I had lots of time during the almost 60 day lockdown, so I wrote this short article on my personal blog at www.themanblogs.com.
My goal is to keep the blog going. I can be reached at bahablogs@gmail.com