No this is not a movie. Be Prepared for anything!

Worldwide pandemic, riots in the streets, surging crime rate and law enforcement being openly attacked.

It sounds like something straight out of an apocalyptic movie. No its not a movie, its our current reality. Today’s trial and tribulations touch every single person regardless of your race or social status.

Recent events have people re-thinking many things, especially preparedness and self protection. .

Whether you recognize it or not you put yourself in a dangerous situation each time you walk out your door. Whether it be the risk of getting a virus,  being a victim of surging crime rate or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. So it begs the question “what can I do to protect myself?”

Train Lift Shoot personifies what you can do to be prepared to protect yourself. Today we are talking about personal protection. Something that embodies all three aspects of Train Lift Shoot.

Self protection is a personal matter and can be different for the person living in rural America or the person living in a booming metropolis. Each person can take steps to ensure their safety.

Situational awareness is free!

Something that requires no training and what I feel is the most important in self-protection is situational awareness.

Situational awareness is as its title simply says being aware of your situation., your surroundings and those that surround you.  Its not about being paranoid. We can not live our life in such a way that we think their is a boogie man around every corner. However, we can not live our lives as their is no such thing as the boogie man. We must make decision every second of every day that puts us in the best situation to be safe and get home. Just as we drive we must know what is going on around us and have a plan.

Doing these things can save your life!

• Know your exits when you enter a building.
• Take note of all the people in the room by doing a brief scan and identify any possible threats or hazards.
• Avoid areas that you know are high risk areas
• Avoid being distracted by your phone
• Always have a plan

The best situation is the situation where you go home safe and sound.

Situational awareness is also being prepared for the worst. Here are four things that I feel can give you a better sense of safety and perhaps save your life.

TRAIN

First is learning basic hand to hand self defense. I’m a big proponent of carrying a firearm when permitted but lets face it, the use of a firearm should and is the last resort. We must first know how to defend ourselves if we are physically attacked. If you do not know hand to hand self defense, your simply a holster for someone else.

LIFT

The next part of that is being physically healthy and able to protect yourself. This could be simply requiring you to pick someone up and drag them to safety in an emergency. To running to escape an out of control mob out to riot or fight off a would be attacker. You have to be strong and have the cardiovascular capacity to sustain a fight or emergency until help arrives.

SHOOT

Next is my favorite. If your area permits you to have and carry a firearm then do so. However, having a firearm is not good enough. You must learn how to use it and handle it safely. The resources out there are amazing but be careful of who you follow. The magnitude of insta-ninja’s on the internet are abundant. Just because you have a YouTube channel does not make you an expert. Find a credible instructor in your area and start with the basics of safety and leave the ego at the door. Your best option is to take an NRA basic firearms safety course. It is great for the beginner and from there you can move on to the cooler and more exciting stuff. 

Plug, Pack and Wrap!

Last and certainly not least. Get first aid training! Especially if you carry or train with firearms, medical training  is synonymous. However we are more likely to have to help someone who has been  hurt in a vehicle accident then putting on a chest seal for a bullet wound. I carry a first aid kit everywhere I go. I have one that never leaves my car, one in the backpack I always carry for security details, one in the house, one in my range bag as well as one in my patrol car. You should arry and learn to use a tourniquet. This simple tool can save a life when seconds truly count. Get CPR certified at your local fire station. A simple first aid kit can save lives if properly used. Get one and learn to use it.

These few things I mentioned is just the tip of the iceberg and  each will be expanded in the future. Start somewhere. Start to read. Train the brain and the body will follow. This is not a movie. You are not in a dream. This is reality. Train Lift Shoot.

- Mario R Morris

BIO

Mario Morris is a Navy Veteran and Active Law Enforcement. He is also the owner and President of Core Protective Solutions. Core Protective Solutions is a private security firm specializing in high risk protection threat response as well as firearms training.