When shopping for food, supplies, or souvenirs it’s not always easy to know what you should and shouldn’t bring home. This article will give you some tips on how to minimize the risk of getting sick while out in public.
The “effective ways of protecting family members” is a topic that many people are interested in. There are many different methods to protect your family when out and about.
If you’ve ever gone to an event with a high-ranking official, such as a politician, celebrity, or corporate leader, you’ve probably spotted the men wearing sunglasses and an earpiece, attempting to seem unobtrusive while keeping a close watch on their client, or “principal.”
The duty of a personal security detail (PSD) is to safeguard VIPs from humiliation, harassment, and damage.
Even if you don’t work as a personal security agent for a living, if you’re a family guy, you still have some VIPs to protect: your wife and kids.
The world is a dangerous place. While you and your family are unlikely to get caught in the center of a risky situation, crimes and accidents can happen, and random, civilian-targeted terrorist strikes are on the increase statistically.
The most ancient function of a man is to defend those he loves. The collection of abilities required to fulfill this vocation has evolved through time, but the price has stayed constant. It’s a profession that doesn’t need paranoia, excessive caution, or a plethora of “tactical gear.” Rather, it entails adopting a calm yet attentive mentality — a relaxed alert state — and carrying a few tools that are better to have on hand and not need than to need and not have.
I spoke with the proprietor of Greyfox Industries in Tulsa, OK, to discover how to treat our families like VIPs. When high-level corporate and NGO leaders go worldwide, he manages their personal security arrangements. Below are tips and strategies that the average family man may employ to offer personal security protection for the VIPs in his life – his most important loved ones.
The owner of Greyfox requested that his name not be included in this article due to the nature of his job. As a result, I’ll just refer to him as “Greyfox” throughout this essay.
Prepare yourself.
PSD devotes the most of their time to planning and preparation in order to safeguard their customer. While you may not have the time or money to prepare as well as a professional PSD, you can use the same principles while caring for your family.
Do your homework
Before a PSD team and their principal travel anywhere, they do reconnaissance to verify there are no security dangers, and if there are, they do all they can to remove or neutralize them. You and your family can do something similar. Read up on a place you’ve never visited before going. Avoid a specific cliff near a watering hole if you learn that people have perished leaping from it. Tell the youngsters to bring ponchos if the weather prediction calls for rain. If the location is in a very dangerous area of town, don’t go there.
Take Time to Consider Your EDC
Apart from reconnaissance, PSD personnel are equipped to safeguard their customers. Greyfox suggests keeping a first-aid kit in your vehicle at all times to deal with small injuries that may arise while out and about. (While you’re at it, add a couple more items as well.) He also recommends having tourniquets in the first-aid kit to halt severe bleeding in the case of a gunshot or other incident.
Your mobile phone (to summon emergency workers if required) and a tactical flashlight should be kept on your person at all times. One of the most underappreciated personal defense equipment is the tactical flashlight. A powerful spotlight may aid in the detection of dangers in low-light situations and can be used to temporarily disorient intruders. It might even be used as an improvised weapon in a hurry. Because of its simplicity of use and compactness, Greyfox suggests Klarus tactical flashlights.
Consider bringing a weapon with you.
The vast majority of professional PSD teams are armed. Only you can decide whether or not to carry guns to protect your family’s VIPs from a life-threatening assault. If you do decide to carry a gun, make sure you are familiar with the rules regulating its usage in self-defense situations and that you practice with it on a regular basis. Carrying a gun without learning how to use it and training your marksmanship on a regular basis is insufficient for self protection.
“I want to be at the finest level I possibly can be because my family deserves it, just as my customer does,” Greyfox says. Greyfox asks himself whether he’d want someone with his own guns history and expertise to defend his family to hold himself accountable:
“Would my talents be sufficient if I hired someone to defend my family?” Would I look at my own credentials and think, ‘This man is quite decent.’ Is this individual worth investing in’? That’s how I prefer to think about it. ‘Well, when was the last time you were at the range, and what did you do at the range?’ I could inquire. Is it true that you’re training or that you’re simply shooting? ‘Can you tell me what you do on a daily basis?’ Would I employ this person to guard my family? That’s the standard by which I assess myself.”
You can carry a knife if carrying a weapon isn’t something you wish to do, or if you’re in a place (bars, schools, government facilities) or nation that doesn’t allow it (though some countries and even states forbid this as well). The Ka-Bar TDI knife was suggested by Greyfox. If you’re going to carry a weapon for self-defense, be sure you know the rules that regulate its usage in self-defense circumstances and that you’ve been trained on how to use it.
If you don’t want to carry a firearm, at the very least consider carrying a tactical pen – a pen that can be used as a weapon if necessary. You may legally and quietly take them anyplace. Check out the Hoffman Richter Stinger pen for a pen with more punch but a more visible “military” style. Pick up a Zebra F-701 for a pen that seems more harmless (and is less expensive).
Assume the role of a protector.
The majority of ruffians are chance ruffians. They’ll only assault or harass a VIP if they believe they have a good probability of succeeding without causing damage to the VIP. They are unlikely to disturb a possible victim if they observe a group of strong, fit, and stern-looking guys around him. These bodyguards’ very presence acts as a danger deterrent.
Make sure you have a presence as the PSD for your family to prevent would-be troublemakers. First and foremost, become strong and fit. Humans, like other animals, look for physical traits that indicate whether a person would be dominant or submissive in a battle. In males, broad shoulders and a tapering torso suggest strength and fitness, as well as physical superiority. Attackers will probably think twice about attacking a man who appears fit and strong because there’s a good chance they’ll get hurt in the process. So, if you’re not in as good of condition as you’d want, get started; being able to defend your family is one of the biggest motivators for becoming and staying in shape.
Simply have a confident demeanor in addition to being physically fit. You don’t have to dress like a scowling Secret Service agent or flaunt your chest like an Affiliation-tee-wearing dude-bro to do this. Stand up, look them in the eyes, and talk quietly, slowly, and confidently. The idea is to demonstrate to people that if there is a problem, you will take action rather than remain a passive victim.
Assume the role of Lead Agent.
A whole PSD team consists of multiple agents with various responsibilities. For example, before the VIP arrives, an advance squad is on the scene to examine the environment and deter any possible threats. Agents who have been pre-positioned take up positions across an area to assess hazards.
You don’t have the luxury of having an entire team of agents committed to defending your family as the PSD for your family. As a result, consider yourself to be the “Agent In Charge,” or AIC. In the realm of PSD, the AIC is always one step behind and one step to the right of the VIP. This position enables him to keep an eye on the principal at all times and lead them to where they need to go in the event of a danger.
You’ll want to take a bodily posture comparable to that of a professional AIC as the AIC of your family. Stay close to your wife and children. You’ll be able to lead them to safety if a danger emerges. Open the door for your family and allow them in first while entering a building. It’s not only courteous, but it also puts you in the perfect AIC tactical position, as it lets you to keep an eye on your family as they enter.
Stand between the roadway and your family while strolling on the sidewalk. “Not only is it the gentlemanly thing to do, but it’s also what you should be doing in the field of security,” Greyfox said. “It provides an extra layer of security for your family.” You can maneuver an automobile out of the path if it begins drifting towards you. With people texting and driving, this is extremely critical today.”
As the AIC, work with your wife to develop a plan for what you’ll do if there’s a problem. Again, you don’t have to be too serious about this. Just make sure you and your partner are on the same page. If you were to flee from an active shooter or other danger, decide who would be in charge of/responsible for whose child(ren). For example, Kate and I have agreed that if anything horrible happens, she will take our daughter and I will take our son when we flee. Decide that if you and your friends get separated throughout the circumstance, you’ll meet up at the vehicle.
Leave if a location seems to be troublesome.
The AIC is the one who evaluates if the principal has to be led out of a possibly risky situation in the professional PSD sector. The greatest result for a PSD is if the principal is never exposed to the risk of violence, harassment, or shame. Your role as the AIC of your family is to do the same.
When you’re out with your family, take a look around. If you don’t think it’s safe for your family, be ready to leave. Although this is unlikely, it should be considered. Don’t be neurotic, but don’t allow the inconvenience of having to eat somewhere else or missing a baseball game early prevent you from protecting your family. If a PSD can fully prevent a scenario that might possibly develop, he is doing his job properly.
Keep an eye on the situation.
Practice situational awareness when out and about with your family. We’ve detailed instructions on how to accomplish it here, but here are the basics:
Put yourself in a position where you can pay close attention. This usually entails being at a position where you can view all of the entrances and exits. If you’re eating at a restaurant, request a table with the finest view. If that’s not an option, sit at the table with your family so you can see all of the exits and entrances.
Set some benchmarks. When you arrive at a location, determine what is “normal” in that setting. This may vary depending on the circumstances, but you should be able to build baselines rather rapidly.
Look for oddities. Start searching for abnormalities after you’ve established a baseline. What kind of actions would make a person stand out in the circumstance? Checking faces and hands for abnormalities is a good idea, according to Greyfox, since these regions of the body show dangers the best. Faces (especially eyes) reveal purpose; hands contain what may kill you. You don’t have to be completely insane to accomplish this. Don’t look folks in the eyes one by one. Play it calm, look at hands and faces, and pay attention to what you observe.
There’s no need to get worked up if you see anything unusual; it doesn’t always imply the individual is a danger. Simply be aware of it and keep it in mind.
Make a strategy. Have a strategy in place for what you’ll do if you detect an irregularity everywhere you go. Let’s pretend you’re with your family at a movie theater. People would enter and depart the theater using conventional doors and exits, rather than the emergency exits near the screen, as a baseline. What would you do if someone walked in via one of those doors? It may be a youngster attempting to get a free movie, or it could be a gunman on the loose. Increase your vigilance and plan what you’ll do if the intruder becomes aggressive.
Again, anomalies are uncommon, but you must have a strategy in place for what you will do if they do arise.
To improve your situational awareness, do these games/exercises.
Leave if someone is causing your family problems. Don’t let things get out of hand.
If an assault on your family is immediate and life-threatening, your first concern is to keep them safe. And getting them out of there as quickly as possible is typically the goal. Running is your first line of defense, as we mentioned in our post about what to do in an active shooter scenario. Fighting back should always be an option, but it should be used only as a last resort. When you’re with your family, the most important thing is to move them as far away from the danger as possible. If fleeing is not an option, you must do everything it takes to defend your family.
What to do if someone is merely verbally harassing your family is where things become complicated. The majority of guys would wish to protect their loved one’s dignity by asking the harasser to stop talking right away. In the world of PSD, such things are dealt with lot more quietly. A team of agents will escort the harasser out of the location depending on the scenario. You won’t have that choice as the AIC of your family. So you do what experienced PSDs do when they can’t get rid of a harasser: you transfer the principal, which is your family.
“You have to evaluate your pride before putting your family in danger,” Greyfox advises. “You could become confrontational and have a screaming match with a jerk, but is that what you want for your family?” Most likely not. It will frighten your children and may unnecessarily worsen the problem.”
Instead of escalating the issue, gently and firmly withdraw your family from a harassing environment. If the harasser follows you and becomes physically violent, you have the right to respond with physical violence of your own. If he shoves your wife, you can punch him, but you can’t shank him with a knife or kill him with a rifle.
But, as AIC for your family, it’s your responsibility to make sure things don’t go that far. Get them out of there as soon as possible.
When walking at night, have your flashlight handy.
Assailants want to surprise their victims by operating under the cover of night. So have your tactical flashlight handy while you’re out with your family late at night. “While strolling in a dark parking lot, you don’t need to pull out your flashlight and show it about like an idiot,” Greyfox advises. Once again, prudence is crucial. Simply keep your hand in your pocket and around your flashlight so you can rapidly deploy it if a possible danger is detected.
Allow your family to board the vehicle first.
Because you’re so concentrated on loading children or belongings into the car, you’re vulnerable to assault while getting into a vehicle. Remember to adopt the position of AIC — remain behind your principal — while you’re out with your family and they’re getting into the vehicle. “Stand in the rear of the vehicle while the rest of your family gets in.” You don’t have to act like you’re guarding your family from assassins, but you should keep an eye on them and look about for any dangers,” Greyfox advises. You’ll be at a tactical disadvantage if you get in the automobile before your family does and an assault occurs. Threats don’t have to come in the form of assailants. It may be tiny old women backing up their Cadillac boat, oblivious to the fact that they’re going to strike your child.
When you’re stopped in your car, be sure you can see the tires of the vehicle ahead of you.
The PSD driver is an essential member of the team. These people have undergone tactical driving training and understand how to bring the principal to safety as swiftly as possible. While you’ll probably never need to do a Rockford J-Turn to get away from bad men, PSD drivers have a simple tip: make sure you can see the tires of the vehicles in front of you anytime you’re stopped at a crossroads. Greyfox adds, “This gives you ample freedom to swerve and drive away if you need to.” Aside from threats, it provides for easier mobility if an emergency vehicle has to get through traffic; if everyone is packed in, no one can go to the side.
Conclusion
In life, your family members are your VIPs. When you’re out and about with them, provide them the same level of security that business or political VIPs enjoy. You don’t have to go completely tacti-cool with it. Be discrete, just like in real life PSD. Use common sense, be alert of your surroundings, and have a strategy in place to safeguard your family from danger.
Listen to my podcast about becoming your own bodyguard with Nick Hughes:
If you are out and about with your family, it is important that you do everything in your power to keep them safe. “How can you protect yourself from danger” is a question that will help guide you on the right path. Reference: how can you protect yourself from danger.
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