When you go out for the day, do you know where you are going? Are you aware of potential situations that may impact you? How do you plan to protect yourself (and loved ones) if danger threatens you?

Those are questions I think about everyday. They are not easy questions, but they need to asked just the same. Many people think the officers of the law will protect or they will depend of the kindness of strangers to protect them, but that is not good enough for my family and I. Many people also think that having just a gun will protect them, but without the right skills and smarts you may be in just as much trouble.

Personal protection and awareness is just that: being aware of yourself in your surroundings. You should have the skills to be aware of the dangers of almost any situation and the smarts to understand how to deal with that situation.

You need to ask yourself these questions:

1. Where are you?

2. Who is around you? Is someone causing trouble, acting foolish, or look like a danger in any way?

3. Who is around you that will need protection besides yourself? Is your family or friends with you? Does someone look vulnerable or look like they would not be able to potentially deal with danger?

4. Where are the nearest exits in the building or any place you are at? Where are good areas to hide if need be? Where do you need to go if a natural disaster happens (i.e. tornado, hurricane)?

5. What are the dangers? Are there large trees or heavy pillars that can fall? Is there a large body of water nearby? Does the building appear to unstable?

Being smart and recognizing who and what is around can already save your life. Then you need to move onto how you will protect yourself if you are threatened.

I believe in multiple levels of defense. You should be ready to practice self-defense at any time. You should be ready to physically extract yourself from a dangerous situation. Taking self-defense classes is one of the best things you can do.

You should also carry items to help defend yourself. You should carry one or more of these items:
Whistle
Pepper spray
Mace
Knife
Stun gun
Taser
Pistol or revolver that is comfortable and legal to carry

I have multiples of these items on my person or in my EDC at almost all times. My college daughter carries pepper spray and a knife which does not violate her college’s weapons policy. My teenage daughter carries a knife with her that does not ever go into her school. The key to carrying any of these things is to keep them concealed as to have the advantage and to know the weapons policy of the places you frequent.

Another key is to have the skills and smarts to use these items. Practice with them. Learn to use them correctly. Learn what situation they should be used in and why. Understand the pros and cons of everything you carry to protect yourself. Teach others about using them or to not touch those things.

When you are aware of the situation around you and have the tools to deal with the potential dangers, you will be better able to protect yourself.

Thanks for reading,
Erica

Thanks for joining the Prepared Bloggers as we work our way through 30 Days of Preparedness. September is National Preparedness Month so you will find everything you need to get your preparedness knowledge and skills into shape. Take one post each day, learn as much as you can about the topic and make it a part of your preparedness plan.

Day 1 – Ready, Set, Get Prepared! Welcome to 30 Days of Preparedness from PreparednessMama 
Day 2 – The Family Meeting Place and Escape from Laughingbear Adventures
Day 3 – I’m Safe! How to Communicate with Family in an Emergency from PreparednessMama
Day 4 – Does Your Family Have a Fire Escape Plan? from Home Ready Home
Day 5 – Preparedness For Pets from The Busy B Homemaker
Day 6 – The Escape Exercise from Laughingbear Adventures
Day 7 – It all Falls Apart Without Mental Preparedness from PreparednessMama
Day 8 – It’s a Matter of Emergency Kits from A Matter of Preparedness
Day 9 – Nine Great Emergency Light Sources Other Than Flashlights from Food Storage & Survival
Day 10 – Cooking Without Power from Mama Kautz
Day 11 – The Importance of a Shelter & Staying Warm and Dry from Trayer Wilderness
Day 12 – The Importance of Having The Right Tools In Your Pack from Trayer Wilderness
Day 13 – Practice Living Without Electricity from Food Storage Made Easy
Day 14 – How We Choose The Right Gear – (including the MultiFlame Tool) from Trayer Wilderness
Day 15 – Water Storage & Purification from The Busy B Homemaker
Day 16 – Food and Water for a 72 Hour “Go Bag” from Homestead Dreamer
Day 17 – 8 Foods You Should Be Storing and How from Melissa K Norris
Day 18 – Planning Your Pantry from The Organic Prepper
Day 19 – Stocking Up on Non-Food Items from Living in Rural Iowa
Day 20 – Dutch Oven Cooking: Off-Grid Before Off-Grid Was Cool from The Backyard Pioneer
Day 21 – Pressure Canning the Harvest from Timber Creek Farm
Day 22 – Personal Protection & Awareness from Living in Rural Iowa
Day 23 – KISS First Aid from Herbal Prepper
Day 24 – Mommy, I have to go Potty! from Mom With a Prep
Day 25 – Fire Starting 101: The Why and How of Lighting a Fire for Survival from Food Storage & Survival
Day 26 – How to Filter and Purify Water from Prepared Housewives
Day 27 – How To Make A Shelter from Trayer Wilderness
Day 28 – Put Your Preps to the Test with 24 Hours Unplugged from The Organic Prepper
Day 29 – What Is Char and Why You Should Have It To Start A Fire from Trayer Wilderness
Day 30 – How To Utilize Bushcraft Skills and Forage From The Wild from Trayer Wilderness

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