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SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS<br />
work, what’s your plan? How about your<br />
significant other’s work place? Does he<br />
or she have a plan in case the day all of<br />
a sudden goes to hell in a hand basket?<br />
What tools are available to fight with, ie;<br />
fire extinguishers, impact instruments<br />
etc. Do you have your concealed sidearm<br />
with you or do you work for one of<br />
the kinder, gentler companies that won’t<br />
let you bring a firearm on the property<br />
because of whatever lame reasoning<br />
that they give. If you do have your gun,<br />
could you make a shot from any location<br />
in your work area if necessary to stop<br />
the attack? What are the escape routes?<br />
Is there a designated safe place to go to?<br />
How do you communicate with the outside<br />
world and what kind of information<br />
do you provide for those on the way to<br />
help the situation? I could go on, but the<br />
bottom line is to get used to the fact that<br />
it could happen to you, so be prepared<br />
to respond, should you ever need to, by<br />
planning your tactics to get through the<br />
situation alive and uninjured.<br />
In our “off time” we must be considerate<br />
of where we choose to spend it, what<br />
the potential dangers might be, as well<br />
as what to do if the unexpected arises to<br />
change our carefully laid out plans.<br />
I have to believe that few if any who<br />
visit our many malls that dot the country<br />
go to the mall thinking that this is<br />
the day that “it” is going to happen.<br />
Hopefully, more people than not think<br />
tactically about a plan of action should<br />
they find themselves facing the unforeseen<br />
while doing their shopping. All<br />
of the considerations that we give to<br />
escape and intact survival in the work<br />
place should be employed at the mall,<br />
plus a few additional considerations<br />
as well. Try to stay away from choke<br />
points where masses of people will collect<br />
while trying to escape a critical incident.<br />
<strong>This</strong> will slow your escape and potentially<br />
put your destiny in the hands<br />
of other people less prepared than you.<br />
Locate the stores on the outer perimeter<br />
that have a back door to the outside for<br />
an escape route. Once outside, be aware<br />
of your surroundings and continue<br />
away from the scene. Just because you<br />
are outside doesn’t mean that you are<br />
out of danger. Keep going until you are<br />
well out of the affected area. Call 911<br />
during your escape if you can; give the<br />
best concise information that you can,<br />
and remember that your responsibility<br />
is to you and your loved ones that you<br />
may be protecting and leading to safety.<br />
You don’t need to be a hero.<br />
Some of us like to spend our off time<br />
in the mountains, at the lake, or at some<br />
other outdoor location. Some of these<br />
places may be far off the beaten path,<br />
which means that you are responsible<br />
for your own safety and the cavalry is<br />
a long way away even if you have the<br />
ability to call them. Predators that will<br />
harm you range from two legged to four<br />
legged to no legged. Make sure that you<br />
are aware of all of the natural dangers as<br />
well as the human dangers. It should go<br />
without saying that you should match<br />
your armament to the anticipated dangers<br />
that might be encountered. As always,<br />
be aware of your surroundings.<br />
Look for danger signs. Bear droppings<br />
mean that a bear has been at that exact<br />
spot sometime previously. Warm bear<br />
droppings means that it wasn’t too long<br />
ago and the bear is possibly eyeing you<br />
to become raw material for his next contribution<br />
to the landscape.<br />
Our southern border with Mexico has<br />
become a dangerous place to visit and or<br />
recreate. All you have to do is look at the<br />
news to see criminal activity (to include<br />
murder) happening along the border in<br />
every state that touches Mexico. Tactical<br />
awareness is paramount for survival in<br />
this situation. A prudent person would<br />
avoid contact with others unless you<br />
are sure that you know who they are.<br />
Maintain the high ground if possible,<br />
and avoid potential ambush points like<br />
the plague. You never know who might<br />
be laying in wait for their next victim<br />
and what their intentions are. Trust your<br />
gut! If something tells you that there<br />
is danger near, pay attention to it and<br />
leave the area.<br />
The place where many of us tend<br />
not to think in a tactical manner is our<br />
home. Even though we think we know<br />
the layout of our home, do we really?<br />
The next time an overcast night occurs,<br />
cut all of the lights off and try to work<br />
your way into every room of your house<br />
without tripping over something, running<br />
into the furniture or making noise<br />
during your movement. Where is your<br />
cell phone or other communication device<br />
located that you might use to call<br />
for help? Have you designated a “safe<br />
room” for your family to go to in the<br />
case of a burglar or home invaders occupying<br />
a portion of your living space?<br />
Do you know the construction composition<br />
of your house? What will absorb a<br />
bullet if you have to shoot inside of the<br />
house? Where is the rest of your family<br />
located if not in the safe area? Can you<br />
find flashlights, light switches, or secreted<br />
weapons in a totally dark house?<br />
How close are the neighboring houses<br />
which might be occupied? These are<br />
all things that must be thought about<br />
prior to finding your home invaded by<br />
unwanted visitors that you have to deal<br />
with until help arrives.<br />
These are but some of the questions<br />
that need to be answered prior to finding<br />
yourself in a potential life and death<br />
situation.<br />
It is called tactical planning. Having<br />
a plan that has been tested with all individuals<br />
who could be involved can<br />
make the difference between being a<br />
winner or enduring the ravages of being<br />
a looser.<br />
Tactics along with marksmanship<br />
that can be put into play on demand is<br />
the goal that we should strive to achieve<br />
to ensure success in any lethal or potentially<br />
lethal confrontation.<br />
Simple is Good! H<br />
George Harris has spent over 30 years<br />
in the field of adult education with<br />
more than 17 years at the SIG SAUER®<br />
Academy. He has focused his efforts in<br />
the arenas of small arms, small arms<br />
training and combat skill development.<br />
George has evolved from an infantry soldier,<br />
small arms repair technician, and<br />
drill instructor to become the coach and<br />
firing member of the internationally<br />
recognized United States Army Reserve<br />
Combat Marksmanship Team. As a<br />
competitive shooter, George has the coveted<br />
distinction of being Distinguished<br />
with both the service pistol and the service<br />
rifle. As director of the SIG SAUER®<br />
Academy, George is committed to the safe<br />
and successful use of firearms by armed<br />
professionals and responsible citizens<br />
alike through using the SIG Principle of<br />
Training: Simple Is Good!<br />
MAY/JUNE 2011 n CONCEALED CARRY MAGAZINE n <strong>US</strong>CONCEALEDCARRY.COM<br />
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