This is part five of a five part series of lesson plans for the Situational Awareness For Everyone (S.A.F.E.) level one course I developed at SATAS Co. I believe those in the emergency preparedness community will find this very helpful. This course is designed to be meaningful to all citizens. You are free to review this material, you may even share this material - so long as links to the original material and credit are given to this author, me, V. Andrew McMillan of SATAS Co. www.SATAS4.me
Lesson Plan
Topic/Title: SAFE 1 – Lesson Five/ Response Plan
Presenter/Instructor: V. Andrew McMILLAN
Lesson Length: 20 Minutes
Required Resources:
Supplies/Reference Materials
Demo Items
Handouts
Projector/Blackboard/Whiteboard
Pens, Pencils & Stationery (PP&S)
Introduction:
Once we can recognize threats, we need a multitude of response plans to have the greatest chance of defeating any identified threat. Like lighting a fire in a survival situation, you need to program your mind with multiple methods of responding to threats. Not all threats can be defeated by brute physical force alone. In fact, that is probably your last resort response plan....when all other plans fail.
Main Topic:
Our Response Plan wants to be layered and have a progressive scale of responses. Like securing an industrial complex, you want more than one layer defending your site.
A response plan is not linear or sequential. You do not have to go individually through all your layers to get to the response that the threat requires to respond properly. If the threat facing you requires a 5th level response and time/distance do not allow for escalation through the 1st to 4th levels, then you go from identifying the threat directly to a 5th level response, no regrets, no guilt, no shame. Whether the threat is a sinkhole on the highway or an armed mugger, time and distance may prevent you from a slower response cycle. That is life and if you wish to preserve yours, you may have to act quickly at times.
Your response plan is an action plan to get out of trouble(s). Many times this will be short term. However, having a response plan will allow you a quicker response time than someone who has not planned at all.
Response Plan Options:
1.Avoidance – If you don't have to be there, then don't.
2.Minimize – reduce your exposure and get away as soon as you can.
3.Flight – Runaway to a safe location. (Ensure to check that you are not followed or pursued.)
4.Fight – You may have to defend yourself. At the earliest possible time break contact and escape to a safe location.
5.WIN THE FIGHT!! If escape is not possible, win the fight. Use any & all means you have to defend yourself.
6.Get a safe distance. Re-Group, Re-Assess Threat, Re-Evaluate Options.
7.Review. Once you are safely away, review what worked, what didn't and what can I do better next time.
8.Update your response plan. What do you need to add. What should you delete. What options do you need.
9.RESET. You must let go of the last incident. Flip the switch & be prepared for the next challenge in your life. You cannot continually re-live/re-play the last incident. Re-Focus & Observe your world.
10.Continue your journey through life.
Once you have gone through an incident, whether avoiding a killer pothole on a urban roadway or just escaped a raging forest fire, you need to invest your time to review what happened, how your plan worked, note what didn't work or didn't work as well as you want and then make changes to your plan. The review process is first aid for your mental health, do not neglect your total health.
Next, because the challenges in life do not wait for you to be ready, you must quickly reset your mind to be looking for the next challenge to intersect your path on your journey through life. Do not dwell on the whatever it was that just happened. If you stop looking out for life's challenges you will be hit and blindsided. Stay vigilant.
To add depth to our action plan we also want to actively improve our success by being prepared, like a Boy Scout. There are many ways to pre-plan for challenges, the easiest to describe will be for wilderness or urban survival and then adapting those processes into all aspects of your life. The combination of skills and gear provide each of us with the most options to survive our daily lives, as well as, any life changing challenge that may be thrown at us by the Universe.
Let us start with first aid kits and bandaid packs. I expect all of you who do not have first aid training, will be seeking that training in the very near future. With minimal first aid training and readily available first aid supplies we can treat ourselves when we experience those minor injuries that seem to happen everyday in life. Without even minor supplies of clean dressings or antibiotic lotions a minor scratch could become infected and then it becomes a life threatening injury. So, with a basic first aid kit in each vehicle and at least one in every home, we will have the resources necessary to treat minor injuries, quickly and without any fuss. If you do any outdoor activities you will want to have a first aid kept in your rucksack or daypack , every time you depart for those activities.
Survival kits should also be considered in this same category. Get training. Practice. Get some experience using your skills. Build a kit with gear you know how to use. Survival training can start when children are 4 or 5 years old and get progressively more thorough as they get older. By 14 or 15 years old a child/youth should be able to survive a night without any adult assistance. If you cannot do this right now, add basic survival to your training to get list. You deserve to have these skills. You are worth it!!
After first aid and survival basics we come to a category called EDC – Every Day Carry items. These will be a blend of first aid and survival items. In some countries the items you can carry will also include firearms, however, here in Canada that is not an option most can do legally. EDC includes things like what is packed in our vehicle(s), what is in our jacket or parka, as well as, what is in the pockets of our jeans or in our purse. (Have items to display to class.)
Here are a few examples:
This Jacket shell – has most of the pockets pre-loaded with gear. The front cargo pockets contain: gloves, a toque, a balaclava, & headlamp. The arm pockets contain: a small signal mirror, cord, pen/pencil & Bic lighter.
This flight jacket – has gloves, toque, balaclava and headlamp in the inner hand pockets. The jacket also reverses from black to international orange to help being found. In the arm pocket there are: pens, Bic lighter, signal mirror and a mini-flashlight.
This parka – has gloves, a toque & scarf in the front cargo pockets. The chest pocket has a Ziploc bag with a notebook & pencil, as well as some cord.
These are like most jackets/coats in my closet. Each one is pre-packed with the bare minimum of gear. You never know when all you have time to do is grab a jacket before you run from your home or have to get away from a burning vehicle after a motor vehicle collision. This is as much about pre-planning as it is about programming your mind to be thinking ahead. I think about function and I am not concerned with fashion. Being stylish is fine, until it gets you killed. If fashion is a primary environment you must operate in, then we need to discuss how we can take the concepts presented in SAFE One and adapt them to a fashionable world. I believe you have the knowledge to make these adaptation if you really want to. Most days this means having function-based gear in your vehicle or at your office to augment or supplement your fashionable requirements with items that will help you get to safety if the necessity arises.
The Get Home Bag (GHB), is the item most used to keep the basics at work/in the office so you always have the gear you need. I, would also recommend keeping a GHB in each of your vehicles. The GHB only has enough gear and food stuffs to get you home. It is small, light and easy to carry. How far do you live from work?? How long would it take you to walk home??
What items should you carry??
Wallet – with cash, credit cards, identification
Keys – house, vehicle, storage locker
Fire – matches or a lighter
Knife – folding, locking blade – Gerber Paraframe
Light – flashlight or headlamp
Fold flat 500ml water bottle.
What is the minimum gear to get home??
Sturdy walking shoes or hiking boots
Socks – inner poly pro & outer wool
Weatherproof jacket
Sweater or fleece – for warmth
Hat – shade in warm weather & insulating in cool weather.
Mitts/Gloves – keep hands warm
Safety glasses – yellow lens type. Protect from flying debris.
Bandanna/Triangular bandage – sling or face cover if dusty.
2x 500 ml bottles of water
4x Energy bars or bags of nuts.
Other considerations when planning should include:
What if training/game??
Know the location of fire exits when in public buildings, malls, schools, etc.
Know the location of stairs. If the power goes out or there is a fire the elevators will not be safe to use.
Know where to seek help – security, police, EMS, fire.
Know the location of the AED or first aid kit. Know the symbols.
Know the location of fire fighting equipment – extinguisher, pull station, hose, or the fire axe.
Know how to call for help – cellphone, landline, payphone, CB radio, HAM radio, signal fires or ground-to-air signals.
Questions From Class (QFC):
Review:
In this lesson we have explored what we can do once we have identified a threat to our BUBBLE. We know we need an action plan that has multiple layers, so we can have options when we respond to a threat. We know sometimes we will need to act FAST!! We also explored some training and gear options to give our plan more depth. By pre-packing this gear and leaving it ready to go 24/7 we increase our chances at survival in the journey through life.
Questions To Class (QTC):
Name 5 things you can carry on your person everyday that will assist you if you ever need them?
Explain Get Home Bags? Where would you keep one?
Summation:
You have been an attentive class and I believe you all have shown a genuine interest in this lesson. You now have the foundation of knowledge to continue your journey through life as an situationally aware person. By building on this foundation you can only grow as a person.
Thank you.
Your next lesson is with: ____________________________________________
Who will be discussing: ____________________________________________
At: ________ hrs, in the main lecture room. (or __________________________.)
And to keep this to only five parts, the conclusion.
Lesson Plan
Topic/Title: SAFE One Conclusion/Summary
Presenter/Instructor: V. Andrew McMILLAN
Lesson Length: 10 Minutes
Required Resources:
Supplies/Reference Materials
Demo Items
Handouts
Projector/Blackboard/Whiteboard
Pens, Pencils & Stationery (PP&S)
Introduction:
Thank you for attending Situational Awareness For Everyone (SAFE) Level One. You have all received a great foundational understanding of situational awareness and how it can be used to impact all areas of your lives – whether at home, work or play. During times of crises or just everyday.
Main Topic:
I truly hope each and everyone of you have found this information to be of benefit to you. I also hope that you now see that being situationally aware can benefit you in all aspects of your life.
You all have a better understanding of your BUBBLE and at what range something becomes a threat to you. You have also worked through your personal response plans and have a working inventory of responses you can draw upon to get yourself out of trouble should you find yourself there.
You all know how important it is to review your plan after it has been tested by any event large or small, to improve your plan so it will work even better the next time it is required. You, also know, that you will be challenged often as you travel your path through this life.
Finally, we have explored some methods of pre-packaging gear and resources in common areas to always be ready for your use any time of day, any day of the year. We know that these preparations are very important to your personal survival in the event of an emergency occurring on short notice or during the middle of the night when you may not have time to pack even a few items before having to evacuate your home.
Before we wrap this up, are there any final questions from you?? Are there any areas you feel have not be covered in sufficient depth??
Questions From Class (QFC):
Review:
Nil
Questions To Class (QTC):
Summation:
In closing, I would like to thank you again for taking SAFE Level One. This is just the beginning. If you chose to pursue this further we have two more levels to this program: SAFE Level Two – Family Situational Awareness & SAFE Level Three – Community Situational Awareness.
You have been a great group to work with. You ask awesome questions, and I hope you will continue down this path. The skills you have learned here in this program will be transferable to all aspects of your life, as well as, to any other training you do – whether that is martial arts training or business programs. Being situational aware is being aware of what is happening around you, at all times, in all places. Once this door is opened it is hard to close. It is difficult to go back to a state of unknowing.
Your certificates will be mailed to those who have provided a shipping address. The rest of you, your certificates will be ready for pick-up next week on Thursday.
That's it folks. I hope at least one person out there found this course material educational or at least entertaining. I will review the response to posting lesson plans and then decide if I will publish more in the future. If you enjoyed this material and feel inclined, please send me some feedback in the comments section.
Take care & stay aware,
V. Andrew McMILLAN.
Links to Parts One, Two, Three & Four:
Good writing post
@hogata Thank you. I hope you found this series interesting. Cheers.