Being the 10th anniversary of 9/11, I thought I would reflect on security issues facing Americans at home. I will dissect the pitfalls of relying on others for one’s safety and the dangerous false sense of security it creates.
It was right after 9/11 that I joined the Army, completed Ranger indoctrination and deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq. I conducted numerous combat missions— including hostage rescues, raids and direct action operations. I was decorated for actions under fire in Iraq. In addition to working as a private investigator, I am also currently a firearms instructor. My experiences and training made a lasting impression on me. I want to share some lessons.
Every year in this country we spend billions on “security” related expenditures such as car alarms, home security systems and the like, while leaving the planning and execution portion of personal safety in the hands of first responders, law enforcement officers and private security professionals.
Even though we are fortunate to have the best safety providers in the world, even these pros are not capable of keeping you and your family safe from random and catastrophic dangers. Police can’t be everywhere at once; if they could I wouldn’t be writing this article. Government aid is slow to arrive in disaster situations and often underwhelming. Relying solely on others sets one up for terminal failure when the systems fail due to serious calamity. A good example of this is Hurricane Katrina where the entire government and social infrastructure was decimated. When the system fails, so do those who rely on it.
This reliance on a false sense of protection is nothing more than hoping and dreaming that others will save you. If you are like me and don’t want to entrust someone you don’t know with your personal safety, there is a better way. In both security and investigations, you have the advantage when you take action first.
This is where the “personal security system” concept comes in, developing and planning one’s ability to survive in adverse conditions without the help of safety providers and/or systems can increase situational awareness and create a new found personal courage. This will be the key to surviving, escaping and dealing with an attack on one’s security.
How does one go about increasing their Personal Security System? The answer is simple and much more effective than relying on hopes and dreams: Research, plan and train. There are many threats and it requires a multitude of skills and strategies to guard against them.
Creating plans for each takes just a bit of time. However according to the A.C. Nielsen Co., the average American watches more than four hours of TV each day. Skipping a few TV shows a week to research and plan for your safety is a small price to pay for a real essence of safety.
In future columns I will write more specifically about certain threats and what plans you and your loved ones or business can take to be more secure.