Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:02):
Welcome to Season one, episodefour of the DSA podcast.
I'm your host, Joe.
And today's episode we'll betalking about situational
awareness.
This episode is brought to youby Dynamic Tactic Firearms.
Before we get started on today'stopic, if anybody is interested
(00:24):
in firearms training.
First Aid cpr.
Check out our website atwww.defensiveskillsacademy.com.
We will either help you get intoa class in your area, or we will
(00:44):
help you get certified throughus.
Either way, check us out.
It'swww.defensiveskillsacademy.com.
Now on to today's subject,situational awareness.
What is it?
Who needs it and why?
(01:06):
It is a skill, a must have skillthat involves being aware of
what's happening around you tounderstand how information,
events, and your own actionswill impact your goals and
objectives.
The skill is widely needed inpersonal safety, especially when
(01:28):
carrying a firearm.
This is a skill the militaryuses all the time.
Law enforcement used to use thisand needs to get back to using
it because somewhere, somehowthey forgot they're there to
protect the community.
Don't get me wrong, I'm pro lawenforcement.
(01:51):
But when offices spend more timelooking at their cell phones
than what's actually going onaround them, that's a problem in
my opinion.
So it is up to you.
It is up to me to be more awareof what's going on around us so
that we can keep ourselves, ourloved ones and our community
(02:12):
safe.
The components of situationalawareness can be broken down as
follows.
Perception, comprehension andprojection perception involves
recognizing the status,attributes, and dynamics of
relevant elements in yoursurroundings.
(02:37):
The comprehension isunderstanding the significance
of those elements you perceivedby using the information to form
an accurate mental model of thesituation.
What do I mean by this?
Making a mental picture in yourhead about all possible
outcomes.
If you get into a situationwhere you feel uncomfortable
(03:00):
using comprehension of thesituation to anticipate future
events and their implicationsallows us to be proactive and
better decision making, we needto project what the possible
outcome might be.
(03:20):
Why is situational awarenessimportant?
It's vital for effectivedecision making and action and
personal defense trust in yourgut.
When it tells you that somethingfeels wrong, you should stay
away, change directions, or go adifferent way.
You should listen to it.
A good example of this is inhealthcare providers, they
(03:42):
utilize situational awareness tomonitor patients.
Identify potential issues anddeliver timely interventions.
It is also vital in variousaspects of personal protection,
such as home security, personalsecurity, public safety,
self-defense, travel safety.
(04:03):
Each one of these can be brokendown even more.
For home security, you should gothrough a checklist.
Check the locks, alarms,surveillance systems, if you
have one, being aware of unusualactivity in your neighborhood.
Strange vehicles, strangerswalking around, people knocking
(04:26):
on your doors, trying to sellyou stuff.
So if your house is all electricand somebody comes knocking at
your door, says excuse me, I'mJoe Schmoe with dealing with so
and so gas company.
We believe there's a gas leak inyour house.
Don't let them in.
(04:46):
Check their IDs.
They're required to have theirIDs on them.
You have the right to call thecompany, but again, if you don't
have gas in your house, don'tlet them in.
When out in public maintainingvigilance, know where the exits
are.
Identify security personnel andwhere they're located, and being
(05:08):
aware of the people around you.
If you keep seeing or runninginto the same people everywhere
you go, this could be a sign.
So don't go somewhere out of thepublic's eye.
If you have to go to therestroom, move away together, go
in groups if you can, soeveryone can keep everyone in
(05:31):
the group as safe as possible.
When it comes to self defense,situational awareness is a key
element.
Allowing you to recognizethreats early and respond
appropriately.
Example, around midnight, youjust leave the club.
You're walking down the streetalone.
You see a few people at thecorner who make you feel uneasy,
(05:55):
so now you need to turn around.
Your gut says something does notfeel right.
You have choices.
Walk back about a block acrossthe street.
Call a friend to meet you.
Walk around the block, come upanother way.
I know it seems like I'm sayingthis only for females.
(06:15):
However, young adults, males aswell need to be just aware as
the females do when traveling,especially outta state, do your
research on your destination.
Stay alert to your surroundings.
Keep an eye on your belongings.
Make sure they're secure whenstopping for fuel or food.
(06:37):
Look around the area.
For anyone who seems suspicious.
Don't leave your vehicleunattended or unlocked for any
amount of time.
If getting food at a diner,park, your car or truck where
you can see it from your table.
If you or someone wants to orneeds to go into a store, go
together.
So everyone is keeping everybodyelse safe.
(07:01):
Using situational awareness andproblem solving while you gather
relevant information andanticipate outcomes, enhances
decision making and problemsolving skills.
Transitioning through the colorcodes enables individuals to
adapt their mental state to thecomplexity of the problem at
(07:23):
hand.
When it comes to socialinteractions, applying
situational awareness in socialsettings helps individuals
understand the context anddynamics.
It improves communication andrelationships.
Maintaining code yellowawareness allows for better
interpretation of social cuesand interactions.
(07:45):
I know what you're asking.
What are these color codes ofawareness?
He is mentioned it twice, butnot telling us exactly what it
is.
Let's go over them.
The color codes of awarenessoriginally developed by
Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Cooper,who was a US Marine and Firearms
instructor, created the CooperColor Codes of Awareness in the
(08:06):
1970s categorizing differentlevels of situational awareness
and mental states, particularlyin self-defense and security
context.
They help individuals assesstheir surroundings and respond
effectively to potentialthreats.
The colors of the chart are asfollows, white, yellow, orange,
(08:29):
and red.
Here's what each represent Whitepeople are completely unaware
and unprepared.
They are relaxed and not payingattention to their surroundings,
which can make them vulnerableto unsuspected threats and
accidents.
These levels is only acceptablein a very safe environment, such
(08:53):
as one's home.
Code Yellow represents arelaxed, but yet alert state.
People maintain a generalawareness of the surroundings
without focusing on specificthreats.
This level is ideal for everydayactivities.
It allows people to remainvigilant without being overly
(09:15):
stressed.
Their head is always on a swivelcoat.
Orange people perceive apotential threat.
They focus on specific detailsand prepare to act if needed.
This heightened awarenessenables people to anticipate and
respond to potential dangerscode orange is appropriate when
(09:38):
encountering, unfamiliar orpotentially hazardous
situations.
The code red signifies a stateof imminent danger.
People are fully focused on athreat and ready to take
immediate action.
This level of awareness iscrucial in life-threatening
situations.
It enables rapid and decisiveresponse to protect yourself,
(10:02):
your loved ones and others,ready to protect your property
as well.
Strategies for enhancingsituational awareness.
Improving situational awarenessinvolves developing skills and
observation, critical thinkingand prediction.
(10:23):
Some methods to help you enhanceyour awareness, participate in
different training programs,gain practical experience.
This helps people recognize andrespond to various scenarios
effectively.
By practicing mindfulness, thisenhances the ability to stay
(10:44):
focused and attentive, reducingdistractions and improving
observation skills.
Leveraging tools such asreal-time data centers or
communication systems canprovide insights and enhance
your awareness keeping abreast.
(11:06):
Of new information, trends andbest practices ensures that
people can adapt to changingsituations and maintain high
levels of awareness.
With continuous learning.
Several challenges can hindersituational awareness, including
(11:28):
information overload, cognitivebiases, and stress.
How do we overcome thesechallenges?
One, prioritize information.
Focus on the most relevant andcrucial information to avoid
being overwhelmed.
Two, mitigate your biases byactively seeking diverse
(11:49):
perspectives which can help forma more accurate understanding of
the situation.
In other words, don't judge abook by its cover.
Number three.
Developing stress managementtechniques such as deep
breathing and relaxationexercises can maintain clarity
and focus in high pressuresituations.
(12:14):
Situational awareness ineveryday's life is not just for
professionals, is equallyimportant in daily life.
Here are some examples.
Personal safety.
Being aware of your surroundingscan help you avoid accidents and
identify potential threats.
Maintaining situationalawareness while driving involves
(12:38):
monitoring traffic roadconditions and anticipating the
actions of other drivers becomea better defensive driver.
In social interactions,understanding the context and
dynamics of social situationscan improve communications and
relationships.
(12:58):
In conclusion, situationalawareness is a fundamental skill
that enhances safety,performance, and decision making
across various domains.
By understanding its components,recognizing different levels and
actively working to enhanceawareness.
(13:19):
People can navigate moreeffectively in order to achieve
those goals.
Thank you for listening to yourDefensive Skills Academy.
Till next time.
Welcome to Season one, episodefour of the DSA podcast.
I'm your host, Joe.
And today's episode we'll betalking about situational
awareness.
This episode is brought to youby Dynamic Tactic Firearms.
Before we get started on today'stopic, if anybody is interested
(00:24):
in firearms training.
First Aid cpr.
Check out our website atwww.defensiveskillsacademy.com.
We will either help you get intoa class in your area, or we will
(00:44):
help you get certified throughus.
Either way, check us out.
It'swww.defensiveskillsacademy.com.
Now on to today's subject,situational awareness.
What is it?
Who needs it and why?
(01:06):
It is a skill, a must have skillthat involves being aware of
what's happening around you tounderstand how information,
events, and your own actionswill impact your goals and
objectives.
The skill is widely needed inpersonal safety, especially when
(01:28):
carrying a firearm.
This is a skill the militaryuses all the time.
Law enforcement used to use thisand needs to get back to using
it because somewhere, somehowthey forgot they're there to
protect the community.
Don't get me wrong, I'm pro lawenforcement.
(01:51):
But when offices spend more timelooking at their cell phones
than what's actually going onaround them, that's a problem in
my opinion.
So it is up to you.
It is up to me to be more awareof what's going on around us so
that we can keep ourselves, ourloved ones and our community
(02:12):
safe.
The components of situationalawareness can be broken down as
follows.
Perception, comprehension andprojection perception involves
recognizing the status,attributes, and dynamics of
relevant elements in yoursurroundings.
(02:37):
The comprehension isunderstanding the significance
of those elements you perceivedby using the information to form
an accurate mental model of thesituation.
What do I mean by this?
Making a mental picture in yourhead about all possible
outcomes.
If you get into a situationwhere you feel uncomfortable
(03:00):
using comprehension of thesituation to anticipate future
events and their implicationsallows us to be proactive and
better decision making, we needto project what the possible
outcome might be.
(03:20):
Why is situational awarenessimportant?
It's vital for effectivedecision making and action and
personal defense trust in yourgut.
When it tells you that somethingfeels wrong, you should stay
away, change directions, or go adifferent way.
You should listen to it.
A good example of this is inhealthcare providers, they
(03:42):
utilize situational awareness tomonitor patients.
Identify potential issues anddeliver timely interventions.
It is also vital in variousaspects of personal protection,
such as home security, personalsecurity, public safety,
self-defense, travel safety.
(04:03):
Each one of these can be brokendown even more.
For home security, you should gothrough a checklist.
Check the locks, alarms,surveillance systems, if you
have one, being aware of unusualactivity in your neighborhood.
Strange vehicles, strangerswalking around, people knocking
(04:26):
on your doors, trying to sellyou stuff.
So if your house is all electricand somebody comes knocking at
your door, says excuse me, I'mJoe Schmoe with dealing with so
and so gas company.
We believe there's a gas leak inyour house.
Don't let them in.
(04:46):
Check their IDs.
They're required to have theirIDs on them.
You have the right to call thecompany, but again, if you don't
have gas in your house, don'tlet them in.
When out in public maintainingvigilance, know where the exits
are.
Identify security personnel andwhere they're located, and being
(05:08):
aware of the people around you.
If you keep seeing or runninginto the same people everywhere
you go, this could be a sign.
So don't go somewhere out of thepublic's eye.
If you have to go to therestroom, move away together, go
in groups if you can, soeveryone can keep everyone in
(05:31):
the group as safe as possible.
When it comes to self defense,situational awareness is a key
element.
Allowing you to recognizethreats early and respond
appropriately.
Example, around midnight, youjust leave the club.
You're walking down the streetalone.
You see a few people at thecorner who make you feel uneasy,
(05:55):
so now you need to turn around.
Your gut says something does notfeel right.
You have choices.
Walk back about a block acrossthe street.
Call a friend to meet you.
Walk around the block, come upanother way.
I know it seems like I'm sayingthis only for females.
(06:15):
However, young adults, males aswell need to be just aware as
the females do when traveling,especially outta state, do your
research on your destination.
Stay alert to your surroundings.
Keep an eye on your belongings.
Make sure they're secure whenstopping for fuel or food.
(06:37):
Look around the area.
For anyone who seems suspicious.
Don't leave your vehicleunattended or unlocked for any
amount of time.
If getting food at a diner,park, your car or truck where
you can see it from your table.
If you or someone wants to orneeds to go into a store, go
together.
So everyone is keeping everybodyelse safe.
(07:01):
Using situational awareness andproblem solving while you gather
relevant information andanticipate outcomes, enhances
decision making and problemsolving skills.
Transitioning through the colorcodes enables individuals to
adapt their mental state to thecomplexity of the problem at
(07:23):
hand.
When it comes to socialinteractions, applying
situational awareness in socialsettings helps individuals
understand the context anddynamics.
It improves communication andrelationships.
Maintaining code yellowawareness allows for better
interpretation of social cuesand interactions.
(07:45):
I know what you're asking.
What are these color codes ofawareness?
He is mentioned it twice, butnot telling us exactly what it
is.
Let's go over them.
The color codes of awarenessoriginally developed by
Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Cooper,who was a US Marine and Firearms
instructor, created the CooperColor Codes of Awareness in the
(08:06):
1970s categorizing differentlevels of situational awareness
and mental states, particularlyin self-defense and security
context.
They help individuals assesstheir surroundings and respond
effectively to potentialthreats.
The colors of the chart are asfollows, white, yellow, orange,
(08:29):
and red.
Here's what each represent Whitepeople are completely unaware
and unprepared.
They are relaxed and not payingattention to their surroundings,
which can make them vulnerableto unsuspected threats and
accidents.
These levels is only acceptablein a very safe environment, such
(08:53):
as one's home.
Code Yellow represents arelaxed, but yet alert state.
People maintain a generalawareness of the surroundings
without focusing on specificthreats.
This level is ideal for everydayactivities.
It allows people to remainvigilant without being overly
(09:15):
stressed.
Their head is always on a swivelcoat.
Orange people perceive apotential threat.
They focus on specific detailsand prepare to act if needed.
This heightened awarenessenables people to anticipate and
respond to potential dangerscode orange is appropriate when
(09:38):
encountering, unfamiliar orpotentially hazardous
situations.
The code red signifies a stateof imminent danger.
People are fully focused on athreat and ready to take
immediate action.
This level of awareness iscrucial in life-threatening
situations.
It enables rapid and decisiveresponse to protect yourself,
(10:02):
your loved ones and others,ready to protect your property
as well.
Strategies for enhancingsituational awareness.
Improving situational awarenessinvolves developing skills and
observation, critical thinkingand prediction.
(10:23):
Some methods to help you enhanceyour awareness, participate in
different training programs,gain practical experience.
This helps people recognize andrespond to various scenarios
effectively.
By practicing mindfulness, thisenhances the ability to stay
(10:44):
focused and attentive, reducingdistractions and improving
observation skills.
Leveraging tools such asreal-time data centers or
communication systems canprovide insights and enhance
your awareness keeping abreast.
(11:06):
Of new information, trends andbest practices ensures that
people can adapt to changingsituations and maintain high
levels of awareness.
With continuous learning.
Several challenges can hindersituational awareness, including
(11:28):
information overload, cognitivebiases, and stress.
How do we overcome thesechallenges?
One, prioritize information.
Focus on the most relevant andcrucial information to avoid
being overwhelmed.
Two, mitigate your biases byactively seeking diverse
(11:49):
perspectives which can help forma more accurate understanding of
the situation.
In other words, don't judge abook by its cover.
Number three.
Developing stress managementtechniques such as deep
breathing and relaxationexercises can maintain clarity
and focus in high pressuresituations.
(12:14):
Situational awareness ineveryday's life is not just for
professionals, is equallyimportant in daily life.
Here are some examples.
Personal safety.
Being aware of your surroundingscan help you avoid accidents and
identify potential threats.
Maintaining situationalawareness while driving involves
(12:38):
monitoring traffic roadconditions and anticipating the
actions of other drivers becomea better defensive driver.
In social interactions,understanding the context and
dynamics of social situationscan improve communications and
relationships.
(12:58):
In conclusion, situationalawareness is a fundamental skill
that enhances safety,performance, and decision making
across various domains.
By understanding its components,recognizing different levels and
actively working to enhanceawareness.
(13:19):
People can navigate moreeffectively in order to achieve
those goals.
Thank you for listening to yourDefensive Skills Academy.
Till next time.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Boysober
Have you ever wondered what life might be like if you stopped worrying about being wanted, and focused on understanding what you actually want? That was the question Hope Woodard asked herself after a string of situationships inspired her to take a break from sex and dating. She went "boysober," a personal concept that sparked a global movement among women looking to prioritize themselves over men. Now, Hope is looking to expand the ways we explore our relationship to relationships. Taking a bold, unfiltered look into modern love, romance, and self-discovery, Boysober will dive into messy stories about dating, sex, love, friendship, and breaking generational patterns—all with humor, vulnerability, and a fresh perspective.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com