Situational awareness means perceiving your environment and knowing what’s happening in it. If you carry a concealed weapon, situational awareness plays a critical role in your ability to defend yourself and others.
Situational awareness sets you up for a quick and accurate response, and it may even help you diffuse a situation without the use of your firearm. Read on to learn valuable tips for increasing concealed carry situational awareness.
Assess Surroundings When You Enter
Whenever you enter a new space, including when you’re walking through an area, assess your surroundings. Pay attention to the location itself and the people in it. You can ask yourself some useful questions:
- Where are the exits and entrances?
- Where are potential barricades and obstacles?
- Where are people located, and what are they doing? Do these activities make sense, or should I raise my level of alertness?
Having answers to these questions means you’re aware of your environment and the people around you. The answers can improve your decision-making as you assess your surroundings with a cool head.
Position Yourself Strategically
When you’re settling into a space, position yourself strategically so you can continue to monitor your surroundings. Situational awareness means checking in with your environment periodically, not just when you first enter.
Sit with your back against a wall or in a corner to make it difficult for anyone to sneak up on you. Face the room, rather than a wall, so you can visually scan every now and then.
If you ever do use your weapon for defense, you’ll benefit from thoroughly understanding your surroundings. In fact, knowing your target and what’s beyond it is one of the most important rules of gun safety for concealed carry.
Minimize Distractions
The final tip for increasing concealed carry situational awareness is to minimize distractions. Don’t lose yourself in your cell phone for so long that you don’t pay attention to what’s happening around you. If your phone distracts you too much, put it away. You can look at it later.
Internal distractions present a more difficult obstacle to overcome. If your head is somewhere else, such as replaying events from the previous day, or you’re feeling anxious about things that might happen later, you won’t be present enough to build situational awareness. Improve your mindfulness for better overall well-being and to ground yourself in the present.