TWAW: General safety advice
In our last meeting we discussed situational awareness and ways to build our situational awareness skills. We also covered some general safety advice that we want to share with our readers. Some of these items may seem like common sense but sometimes it’s helpful to have a reminder of ways to improve our safety.
Avoid locations or situations that pose unnecessar y threats. Avoiding potentially dangerous situations is one of the best things we can do to protect ourselves. Common places for people to be confronted or assaulted are parking lots, walking trails, parks, public restrooms, and rest stops. Be on high aler t when you are in these places, especially when you are alone. If you feel uncomfortable walking out to your car in the parking lot, don’t be shy to ask for an escor t to walk with you (store clerk, coworker, etc.).
Periods of transition are some of the most common times for being confronted. This includes walking in and out of a store, walking from your car into your house, etc. When leaving a store, put away your phone, have your keys in hand, walk with intention to your vehicle, lock your doors as soon as you enter the vehicle, and drive away without delay.
Run errands during the daylight hours if possible. For example, tr y to plan on getting gas at a busy gas station in the middle of the day as opposed to going to an isolated gas pump at nighttime. If you do have to go out at night, park in a well-lit area.
When walking by people make eye contact with them. You should maintain eye contact long enough for them to understand that you have seen them; about as long as it would take to say, “I see you,” in your head. A greeting is not necessar y, though sometimes a firm, “Hey, how are you?” is all it takes to turn a potential predator into a non-threat.
Do not feel obligated to be friendly or polite to people, especially when they are probing you for information. For example, on a plane ride, don’t give out details about what you are doing or where you are staying. It is better to come off as cold than to accidentally give out important information about who you are or where you live.
Trust your gut! If something isn’t feeling right, trust your instinct and get out of that situation as soon as possible. Don’t ignore anything that makes you feel uncomfor table. Even if you feel like you are being judgmental, trust your gut if someone is making you feel uneasy.
To find out more about personal safety, gun ownership, and other methods of self- defense, please join us for The Well Armed Women (TWAW) Sterling chapter meeting on March 20 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Logan County Shooting Sports complex, 12515 Highway 61/2nd Amendment Way off Highway 61 Sterling, CO. We will be going over information about dr y-fire practice as well as performing dryfire practice.
TWAW Shooting Chapters exists to educate and empower women in a safe and non-threatening environment for their effective and responsible self-defense with a firearm. Prospective members are welcome to attend their first meeting before joining. If you would like to become a member, you can join online at www.twawshootingchapters.org. Women over 18 interested in learning more can contact Jennifer Everhart at twawsterling@gmail.com or visit TWAW Shooting Chapters, Inc. website at www.twawshootingchapters.org. You can also like us on Facebook @twawsterlingcolorado or stop by Boondocks ArmySurplusat324N4th Street in Sterling and pick up a flyer.