Recently, my cousin and I were sitting in an Italian restaurant having lunch. It was warm outside, so I was surprised to see they had the front door open with the air conditioning on. As we were enjoying our lunch, I noticed several young males hanging around outside the front entrance. They were all wearing hooded jersey sweatshirts, which I thought was odd because it was so warm out. These are the kinds of things you notice when you practice situational awareness.

Safety Through Situational Awareness

My Aunt had recently been admitted to a nearby nursing home. So, I was engrossed in conversation with my cousin, remembering the good old days. But I could not keep my eye off those guys.

They were not acting friendly with one another and seemed to look around a lot, nervously talking on their phones. I felt uneasy, so I decided we should get up and pay the cashier and leave the restaurant immediately instead of waiting for the check. It’s a good thing, as I found out later that the restaurant was robbed about an hour after we left.

According to recent FBI statistics, there were 1.2 million violent crimes committed in the United States in 2018. (The FBI defines violent crimes as murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault). That boils down to about 369 violent crimes per 100,000 inhabitants.

And among the various types of violent crime reported in the United States, aggravated assault (assault with a deadly weapon) is the most common. In 2018, the crime rate (the number of reported instances per 100,000 inhabitants) was 246.8 for aggravated assault.

But not to worry. There is plenty you can do to protect yourself, and lower your risk of becoming a statistic. A great first step is to develop the fine art of situational awareness.

What is Situational Awareness?

According to Gary Quesenberry, author of the book Spotting Danger Before It Spots You, situational awareness is the ability to identify and process environmental cues to accurately predict the actions of others.

“You cannot fight what you don’t see coming,” explains Quesenberry.

Quesenberry is also a Federal Air Marshall and has been featured on the History Channel’s Top Shot program.

“Without situational awareness, you’re always going to be reactive. So, if something goes down in front of you that you are unaware of, your reaction times are going to be significantly decreased because you were not cognizant of your surroundings.

“In a violent situation, not only seconds count, but milliseconds count. So, if you want to give yourself the best opportunity to survive a violent encounter, you have to have the situational awareness piece in place first.”

In his book, Quesenberry makes the point that situational awareness is a full-time job. Tim Schmidt, president and founder of the United States Conceal Carry Association, agrees.

“Situational awareness is a lifestyle,” says Schmidt.

“It has to be a conscious choice that you make to take responsibility for the things that you can observe and control in the world around you. This includes constantly mitigating risks and mentally preparing for threats, such as always looking for the safest exits, identifying possible dangers, and pre-planning your response if something bad should happen.”

Experiencing a Self-Defense Awakening

Schmidt adds that the first step to developing a general sense of situational awareness is to experience a self-defense awakening.

“It all starts when you awaken to the fact that there are very real threats in this world, and you are personally responsible for the safety and security of the people you love. After that, you need to recognize that you absolutely do have the power to be a protector. I went through exactly that when my first son was born, and that’s why I established the USCCA.”

Look In The Mirror

The first step is to look at yourself the way a predator will examine you. Do you look and act like a soft or a hard target?

“People will be considered hard targets when they appear aware of their surroundings, carry themselves with confidence, and look like they could handle themselves in a fight,” says Quesenberry.

“If you’re out and about, always keep your head up and look around often. Don’t look down at your phone, and don’t wear headphones or earplugs. That’s a sure way to cut yourself off from your surroundings.”

When researchers videotaped people walking through a busy intersection in New York City, they later showed the tape to inmates who were incarcerated for violent crimes. They asked the inmates to rate the pedestrians on a scale of one to 10. One is an easy target, and 10 is a hard target.

The inmates rated the following body language characteristics as being a soft target:

• Short, shuffling strides
• Not swinging their arms in proportion with their stride
• Exaggerated side-to-side movement when walking
• Head facing at a downward angle

Conversely, the inmates rated the following body language characteristics as being a hard target:

• Medium to long stride
• Arms swinging in proportion to their stride
• Body movement in vertical alignment; appeared as a strong and determined walking pattern
• Head level and eyes visible when walking

The Golden Rule

“Don’t go anywhere with your gun you wouldn’t go without it,” says Schmidt.

“If you feel like you might be in danger, you probably are. The hair on the back of your neck doesn’t lie. Don’t meet the attacker halfway by taking a shortcut down a deserted alley or parking in a dark, isolated area. Never start thinking that you don’t need to avoid potentially dangerous areas or situations simply because you carry a gun.”

According to Schmidt, predators look for easy prey. After they see a potential mark, predators want to see if they can move in to strike without being noticed.

“The best way to ensure you are not the victim of a sudden assault is to make sure you notice who is noticing you,” explains Schmidt.

“Has someone taken more than a passing interest in you? Does that person appear to be following you? If you change directions, does he or she mimic your moves? It’s a harsh reality that if you look like prey and act like prey, you increase your chances of being preyed upon. Own the spaces around you.”

Whenever you enter an area, use “what-if scenarios” to rehearse your reactions to bad situations.

“By imagining various scenarios as we move through our environments and visualizing the possible outcomes, we better prepare ourselves to act should the need arise,” explains Quesenberry.

“Remember to include solutions that address all three elements of personal safety, which are avoidance, de-escalation, and confrontation. Of those three, avoidance is the best way to stay safe 100% of the time.”

Escape Plan

No matter where you are, whether you are at home, in your car, at work, shopping, or out with family and/or friends—KNOW YOUR NEAREST EXITS.

“Learn to look at your surroundings like a detective,” advises Schmidt.

“Would that building window actually be a good escape in an emergency? If you already know you have a door or window that works as an exit before an attack happens, you are one step ahead of where you would have been.”

It’s also a good idea to make note of where tables and chairs are. Just in case you have to throw a piece of furniture through the window to escape or use the item to protect yourself against the threat.

For more information on situational awareness, check out the following books:

• Spotting Danger Before It Spots You, by Gary Quesenberry
• The Crucial Advantage, by Steve Tarani
• Sheep No More: The Art of Awareness and Attack Survival, by Jonathan T. Gilliam
• The Green Beret Survival Guide: Advice on Situational Awareness, Personal Safety, Recognizing Threats, and Avoiding Terror & Crime

This article originally appeared in the June/July Gun Annual 2022 issue of Tactical Life magazine. Get your copy today at OutdoorGroupStore.com.