Staying Safe in an Unsafe World

STAYING SAFE IN AN UNSAFE WORLD

EDWARD BECHER, CORCI, CSMIA

Many of us hear on a daily basis about people being followed while shopping, having had their identity stolen, being robbed, assaulted or have had family of friends who have been victims of violence. In today’s world each one of us must stay aware of what is going on around us, you must maintain situational awareness 24/7 -- even in our own homes.

Situational awareness is the ability to know what is going on around you, and with practice, sense the slightest changes in both your surroundings and environment.

You are sitting there reading this and saying there is no way I can do this. I disagree. I am a firm believer that you can detect these changes. Some things to keep in mind are that we do live in an unsafe world, and we each need to take responsibility for our own safety. Start by looking at where you are right now, whether that be home, office, restaurant, where are the exits? If something bad happened how would you get out of there RIGHT NOW. That something bad you’re talking about could be a fire, robbery, terrorist attack, or an active shooter incident. You should consider the locations of exits; where you came in and where you can exit if the way you came in has been compromised. Once you have established the location of the exits, lets look at who is near us, if you are home you are most likely talking with family or friends. But let’s say you are at a popular restaurant, how many of the other people there do you know? How crowded is the restaurat, are people waiting to get in? Are people getting irritated about the wait? Is alcohol being served; remember in some circles alcohol is also known as liquid courage.

So let’s recap:

• Exits

• Who else is present

• Alcohol?

• Lighting…is it dark inside?

What type of neighborhood is the restaurant located in? Is it a high crime area, has there been an increase in violent crimes in the area? You’re saying, wait how would I know that information? You should be checking the news for the area you are visiting or planning on visiting. As I consider points for this article, a news feed came across my phone about a shooting. This shooting was where I was headed after I had finished my lunch. Did I still go there? Yes. I kept checking news sources for updates which supported my decision to go. Now you’re asking did my wife know about this going on……I’ll let you figure that one out.

• Neighborhood, good, bad

• What’s going on in this neighborhood Shootings Protests High/low crime

The third thing to consider is where did you park your vehicle? Close to the door or farther out in the parking lot under a light? Having a handicap tag on my car has its advantages and disadvantages. If I’m parked right outside the main door and something happens, where is everyone going?

14 | GLOBAL VOICE MAGAZINE GLOBAL VOICE MAGAZINE | 14

going? Yeah you have it…right past my car. The decision to park depends for me on location, do I know the area, and how fast can I get out and away from there if need be.

• Parking: o Close by o Lighting o Valet?

Until next time, stay safe, stay aware.

Ed Becher is currently employed by a big box store providing Asset Protection. He is certified as an Organized Retail Crime Investigator, Human Trafficking Investigator and Social Media Intelligence Analyst.

Ed has taught classes in Executive Protection and Personal Safety. He was a Private Investigator, Personal Protection Specialist and Bail Enforcement Agent. Ed is a retired United States Marine Corps Master Sergeant having served 22.5 years on active duty.

GLOBAL VOICE MAGAZINE | 15