Situational Awareness and its Importance

As a subject matter expert, I was recently asked if I thought an online course for young adults beginning college on?#SituationalAwareness?was of interest. And, I thought it made for good blog content, so I have included my answer below and am always available for further discussions on this topic –

I believe that 99% of any confrontation on myriad levels of danger can be prevented with our active, adaptive awareness to our environment that can change many times throughout the day. The college environment is probably one of the most dangeous environments for our young adults today, however, it is an environment that is also increasingly being populated by the older group population. Both group populations have their own respective psychological and physical challenges that should be taken under consideration when thinking about situational awareness.?

I have not looked at all your resources available on the subject of situational awareness, but I noticed three things:?

1. Your personal distance relationship of 1/2 foot (or 6 inches) should be brought out further according to the length of a person’s arm (which is different for each of us) from a 360-degree radius. Many people think about front, back, and side without ever considering every single degree in-between. We must remember this always. If someone is at 6 inches, there is less opportunity to defend ourselves and our chances of prevailing plumment to almost 0%. At our arm’s distance, our chances of prevailing increase. And outside of our arm’s distance, our chances of prevailing increase dramatically.
2. Situational awareness and our ability to properly access its danger level is contingent on our functionality of our senses (sight, hearing, smell), cognitive and affective efficiencies, and physical (or mobility) capabilities. I did not see any of your materials that included any of these challenges when assessing the situation for a baseline, which can be subjective to these challenges.
3. Building from number 2 above is also our compromised ability to establish an accurate awareness of the situation should substances (alcohol, drugs, marijuana, pain meds) be in a person’s system. Or, how to deter any of these substances from entering our systems when exposed to such an environment like in a bar or house party.

I guess the long answer to your question is “yes” there is a huge need to teach young adults entering college situational awareness, but it doesn’t stop there or even begin there as I’m sure you know.?Situational awareness is an essential life skill that should be taught in the home first as an infant, toddler, child, adolescent when their physical, psychological, and cognitive development is at its most important. Creating pathways to safety begin early and extend throughout a person’s life as life experiences increase personally, professionally, and socially.?

Nowadays everything is online, so online is mandated, however, the personal one-on-one connection with a course like this is also important. Offering both venues is smart, but if online, I would have role play exercises to be completed between the young adult and parents and their friends. Perhaps an online, hands-on group approach would be advantageous.?

I love the topic of situational awareness and love teaching this in what I do. I have found that women entertain a longer discussion on this subject than men and that each gender and sexual orientation bring unique challenges and insights to this subject. Have you considered, or perhaps you already do teach separately to the different genders and sexual orientations? And while I love teaching situational awareness, I also teach how to protect yourself within a situation that has gone awry to set these kids up for success with some basic, foundational self-defense principles.?

Want more information? Please contact me at [email protected] or find us at chainofdefense.com