Developing a Lifesaving Mindset

I recently shared my thoughts on situational awareness and the enemies of situational awareness. While I firmly believe that anyone can practice good situational awareness -- and indeed everyone should -- people will not make the conscious effort to do so unless they first possess the proper mindset. Mindset is therefore one of the fundamental building blocks of personal security.

From my perspective mindset consists of three elements: recognition of the threat, accepting responsibility for one's own security and the will to use the tools provided in security training.  

Recognizing the Threat

The world is a dangerous place. Media reports today on our 24 hour cable news networks discussing events such as terrorist attacks or even workplace/school shootings in the United States provide regular reminders of this fact. In reality, violence and terror have always been a part of the human condition. The Chinese built the Great Wall for reasons other than tourism. Today's "terrorists" are far less dangerous to society as a whole than were the Viking berserkers and barbarian tribes who terrorized Europe for centuries, but even though we live in a safer society today, ordinary people can still face multiple threats on a daily basis ranging from terrorists to street criminals.

Personal and collective security are built upon the realization that threats exist. One must accept that there are evil people in the world who seek to rob, rape, kidnap or kill. Ignoring or denying this reality will not make the threat go away. Indeed, ignorance and denial work to ensure that a person's chances of quickly recognizing a threat and avoiding it are very slim. Quite frankly, many, if not most, victims of violence become victims because they are oblivious to the threat or because they have somehow denied the fact that they can be victimized.

A prime example of denial endangering security is the case of Terry Anderson, the Associated Press bureau chief in Lebanon who was kidnapped March 16, 1985. The day before his abduction, Anderson was driving in Beirut when a car pulled in front of his and nearly blocked him in. Due to the traffic situation — and perhaps a bit of luck — Anderson was able to avoid what he thought was an automobile accident. Even though there had been a long list of American citizens and other Westerners kidnapped in Beirut, including journalists like CNN Beirut bureau chief Jerry Levin, Anderson did not think he would be targeted, and therefore did not see the near-miss for what it was: a failed kidnapping attempt. But the next day, Anderson's luck ran out when the same vehicle successfully blocked him in the same location. Anderson was abducted at gunpoint and held hostage for the next six years and nine months.

Many victims of abductions and attempted assassinations are often able to look back and describe in detail how they were surveilled, recalling how their assailants planned and executed the attacks against them. They also acknowledge having had indications that they were about to be attacked, such as ominous feelings about particular people or situations or a subtle suspicion that things were not quite "right." Because of their mindset at the time, however, they failed to heed the warning signs and take action.

In other cases, some people such as journalists, missionaries and aid workers fail to protect themselves by choosing to forgo the necessary physical security for the sake of accomplishing their business. In such cases, these individuals and their organizations need to establish tripwires to alert them when their mission becomes too risky. These people need to avoid the form of denial that says they cannot be targeted because of their mission or their ties to the local community. History clearly shows that neither can protect them from heavily armed criminals or terrorists.

People will also often adopt a mindset of denial because they believe they are not a big enough target to warrant an attack, so they ignore the signs of an impending operation directed against them, believing the operational activity they see is directed against another, more substantial target. It is not until after the attack that they realize the activity they observed was indeed directed against them.

Accepting Responsibility for One's Own Security

Once individuals recognize that there are threats, they must then understand that they are responsible for their own security. Too many people mistakenly believe that security is something for which only police and security forces are responsible. The truth is, governments cannot protect everyone and everything from every potential threat. They simply lack the resources to do so. Even authoritarian regimes have proven incapable of protecting everything.

It is therefore unrealistic to expect the government to uncover and thwart every terrorist plot or criminal act. There are too many potential actors and too many vulnerable targets. Because of this, individuals need to assume some responsibility for their own security and the security of their families and homes. Collectively when people do this together, they can provide security for their communities. This does not mean living in fear and paranoia, but rather living with an appropriate level of situational awareness and being cognizant of potential dangers and alert to indicators of them.

Another part of taking responsibility for one's own security is developing knowledge of the threat environment. By understanding the types of crimes that occur in an area — and how they occur — a person can assess their vulnerability to such threats and will be able to see them developing if they are practicing an appropriate level of situational awareness. Seeing a problem while it is still developing and avoiding it is better than having to react to a problem that comes as a surprise. Action is always faster than reaction.

Just Do It

Finally, it is important that people have the will and self-discipline to use the security techniques and tools they have at their disposal. Recognizing that something is amiss (whether attack preparation or an actual attack) is just the first step. The second — and critical — step is taking action in response to that recognition. This can be as simple as following one's instincts, or as complex as employing a highly-trained response technique- but do something!

The mindset to take action also becomes critical when a person is wounded. In active shooter situations it is not unusual for many more people to be wounded than killed. In such a situation, it is extremely important for the wounded person to understand that, unlike what is portrayed in the movies, most wounds are not immediately fatal and rarely immobilize the victim right away. However, it is not uncommon for people to drop to the ground when they are shot and freeze in panic or go into shock. This gives the shooter an opportunity to approach them for a point-blank coup de grace.

It is very important for people to realize that most gunshots are survivable and that, even after being wounded, their bodies can continue to function to get them away from the attack site and to safety. Certainly, once a target gets out of the immediate danger zone they will want to seek first aid or treat themselves with improvised pressure bandages to stop the bleeding and avoid going into shock. Modern trauma medicine is very good, and as seen in recent shooting events, most victims wounded in these types of attacks will survive if they get prompt medical assistance.

It is no mistake that training regimens for special operations forces soldiers and serious athletes place so much emphasis on the mental aspect of combat and sports — that is, learning that your body can keep functioning and continue to do amazing things, even after your mind has told you that it is time to quit. That same sense of drive and determination, the inner warrior, can help keep a person's body functioning after they have been wounded.

Beyond techniques, the will to take action also applied to security equipment. A residential alarm is worth very little unless it is used, and even good quality locks are only effective if engaged. It is also foolish to carry a weapon unless one has been trained and is willing to use it.

Speaking of weapons, I often argue that a person's most powerful weapons system is their brain, and the effectiveness, or ineffectiveness, of that weapons system begins with adopting the proper mindset.

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My article on situational awareness can be found here: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/practical-guide-situational-awareness-scott-stewart?trk=mp-author-card

And here is a link to my article on the enemies of situational awareness: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/psychological-threats-situational-awareness-scott-stewart?trk=mp-author-card

For more information about Stratfor's Threat Lens, please visit: https://lp.stratfor.com/threat-lens