Situational Awareness in an Urban Setting

Most of us spend a fair amount of time in an urban setting, but few of us maintain a level of situational awareness that would allow us to respond quickly to a threat.

You can change this, but it will take a lot of training to become proficient, and discipline to consistently implement your new skills.

Your first priority is to identify exit routes. While driving, I try to use the right lane whenever possible because I can use the shoulder of the road or a side street for a quick escape. I sit in the back of restaurants near the kitchen whenever possible because it gives me easy access to the back door. You should know where any exits are available in any building; this may include doors, windows, elevators, stairs, fire escapes, etc. It’s always better to avoid the threat than try to push through it.

Your next priority is to identify people who look out of place. Some may be obvious, like a guy wearing a heavy jacket in the summer, or some may be more subtle, like the guy who has been sitting in a car across from your office for the last three hours. This isn’t an exact science, but a good way to improve your skill is through people watching. The mall, coffee shop, or park are all great places to practice.

You should also pay attention to things around you. The bombing at the Boston Marathon was a perfect example; to the trained eye, an over-sized duffel bag sitting on a crowded street would throw up a huge red flag, but a crowd of untrained civilians didn’t even notice it and the results were catastrophic. Look for things like doors or windows that are propped open, exposed wires, large containers of liquid—basically, something that could either be a direct threat, or something that could give a person (or group of people) access to pose a threat.

Body language is another detail you’ll want to watch. Someone who appears nervous or agitated is clearly a potential threat, but so is someone who is completely calm and controlled during a chaotic situation, like a fire or bombing. You’re not looking for someone in a particular state of mind, you’re looking for someone in a state of mind that doesn’t fit the situation.

Finally, think like a bad guy. If you were a burglar, how would you enter a home? What path would you take once inside? What would you do if confronted by an occupant? If you were a psychopath hell bent on a shooting spree at the office, what weapons and equipment would you take? What steps would you take to ensure the highest body count possible? How would you choose your targets?

Play these scenarios out in your head to identify potential weak points in your own tactical awareness. As the scenarios become more complex, your awareness will become more refined. When you’re ready to move up to the next level, role play scenarios with like minded folks. You can even add realism by utilizing training weapons like rubber knives and airsoft guns. Repetition builds confidence and confidence builds competence.

Learning to identify threats is the easy part, though. The difficult part is maintaining awareness throughout the course of your typical day. For most, life is pretty mundane so before long, you’re back in condition white, buried in your iPhone while you walk across a dark parking lot to your car. It takes tremendous discipline, but over time, it can become second nature.

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