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How Situational Awareness enhances your Personal Security

It is the festive season as the year ends and crime rates are on the rise. If you won’t be mugged off your belongings, you will not escape a sharp knife on your ribs.
This is becoming increasingly prevalent in Nairobi, Thika, Rongai, Ketengela, Kiambu, and their surroundings.  But before we discuss why it is happening, let’s discuss YOU:
PERSONAL SECURITY 101:
Can you remember that stranger you’ve passed a few minutes ago if you met him again on another street? Can you notice those two guys following you and another one coming your way?
Many times we are told to stay alert, but how do we stay alert? Do you know how to stay alert and conscious?
Just take a simple look around you right now,  in a public matatu, in the street, in that shopping mall, and you will notice one common factor among the people;
They are heads down, they are on phone in deep conversations. Some are texting, maybe some are reading this post including you.
While some are not on phone, some are preoccupied with stress, some are daydreaming about their lives, and some are on vacation in their minds.

Why situational Awareness matters

From above no one is alert, they are all disengaged from their surroundings, their bodies are there but their minds and souls are elsewhere. Simply they are not CONSCIOUS. This is called a lack of SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.
Whenever you are disengaged from your surroundings, do you know what you are? –
You are VULNERABLE! In victimology, criminals choose targets after assessing vulnerability.
Situational awareness is simply knowing what’s happening around you, allowing your mind to process everything, being able to assess your environment, anticipate danger and be ready to take further action.
There are four degrees of situational awareness;
  1. White
  2. Yellow
  3. Orange
  4. Red
Situational Awareness Levels

What awareness levels do you fly in?

1. Condition White
Here you are totally unaware of what is happening around you, totally unprepared.
Likely your head is down, eyes averted and your mind disengaged.
You are likely on phone or your mind is wandering away from your body.
In this condition you might even head towards danger without knowing, people might be running away from danger when you walk towards it.
Here you can’t notice that bodaboda rider approaching you to snatch your phone or those thugs preying on you and waiting for an opportunity to pounce on you.
2. Condition Yellow
This is the state of relaxed alert, in this condition you are allowing your brain to process what’s happening around you, there is no specific threat but you remain aware. Your head is up.
In this state you can never be surprised by a sudden occurrence, you are not disengaged, you will notice a person approaching you, you will notice that car with windows down, that dog with tongue out, you will notice a beautiful lady walking across the street, you will see that motorbike and realize it is carrying two passengers wearing red , grey and green. Simply you are aware.
You will have noticed a strange happening and have ample time to either run, change direction, prepare for a fight or call for help.
3. Condition orange
 In this state you can notice that person in red jubilee cap calling, you can probably tell he is talking to his wife, you can see that person idling across the mall looking at you.
You can notice that man pretending to be on phone but he is probably lost. You can notice that man in the corner who is going for his pocket. Your mind is processing every detail around you, you are extra careful. You are in the specific alert.
4. Condition red
This is a crisis situation, you are looking for an escape route. Never allow yourself to be in this situation, maintain to be in orange. This is the panicky situation where you got no option other than fight or Run.
Now, this is what we mean when we tell you to be alert.
This might save you.
Practice it now. Stay alert! Stay in yellow, stay in Orange.
Let your mind process the environment.
In case of danger Run, Disrupt, Scream, Fight, or Cooperate.

Are you looking to improve your business, property or residence security in order to prevent criminal activity and guarantee a peace of mind? At Opticom Kenya Limited in partnership with Optiwatch Group, we offer free security needs and risk assessment together with flexible Real-Time Remote monitoring solutions to meet your unique requirements. Talk to us today via info@opticom.co.ke or call on 020 2686857 / 020 7909011.  Our security and safety experts will be happy to discuss your security requirements and advise you on how to keep you safe and secure.

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Resources

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Inaction? A Recipe for Regret:

09 Feb 2024

Fortifying Education: Enhancing School/Campus Security

26 Jan 2024

Smart Home Security Solutions with AI Intelligence