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Situational Awareness

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Pre-Test

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Please answer all of the questions.

Watch each video to progress. Click the links on the left to rewatch videos.

Hover over each image to learn more.

A young boy on a playground swing

Tuned Out

This level leaves us unaware of our surroundings. If you are tuned out from what is around you, make sure you are in a safe environment or are with someone who is paying attention to your surroundings. Military and police use the phrase “watching your six” to refer to watching what might be outside of your active sight (just as the 6:00 hour on a traditional clock would be behind you as you face 12:00).

Two women, one of whom is in a wheelchair, talking

Relaxed Awareness

You may be in this state in places where you know the people around you and/or there is an established safety protocol for entry. This may include when you are at a friend’s house with
several people you know well or at a ticketed secure event.

A woman holding her chin

Focused Awareness

In this level, there is no direct threat around you, but you are entering a space that presents a potential danger. This may include driving under adverse conditions, walking in a city you are unfamiliar with, or traveling in a place where a “be on alert” warning has been issued.

The hair standing up on someone's arm

High Alert

There is an active threat or dangerous situation close by. Although it might feel safer to be on high alert all the time to reduce potential negative outcomes, there is a physical, cognitive, and emotional cost associated with being on high alert for a continuous period of time. Think of a flashlight in a dark environment. Although it may be useful to leave it on the entire time, there should be some consideration for battery life.

A deer in a field staring at the camera

Paralysis

Typically, paralysis occurs in the absence of training. Most people are scared and experience paralysis when they first encounter an actively dangerous situation. These situations are often outside of our experiences and comfort zone. The goal of this training is not to remove fear or panic in reaction to a dangerous situation but rather to learn and train on the correct response until it becomes second nature.

Click on the items to learn more.

Practice Awareness and Memory

Notice details about others that you can share with law enforcement if needed. 

text

A man with long hear, a beard and tattoos leaning against a fence
A woman carrying shopping bags talking on the phone
A man with tattooed arms standing in the street
A woman in a hat and scarf holding a jacket
A man in a hat and overcoat holding a duffle bag and a coffee cup

Cover versus Concealment

Concealment hides us from a potential attacker. This makes it harder for them to aim a weapon at us accurately and gives us an opportunity to run further from the danger. Concealment does not, however, stop bullets or other projectiles. Cover provides us with a barrier that can stop bullets or other projectiles, offering us a wider degree of protection.

A concrete stairway

or

Thick concrete provides cover from most weapons.

A wooden fence with stone posts

or

The wooden slats of this fence provide concealment but would not stop projectiles. The sections with bricks may provide cover if they are wide and thick enough.

A large tree trunk

or

The trunk of a large tree can serve as protective cover.

An open car door

or

Car doors only provide concealment - no matter what you've seen in movies. For cover, stay behind the engine block.

A room with two doors made of wood and frosted glass

or

Wooden doors and frosted glass will not provide cover from projectiles. 

A deep and narrow ditch in the earth

or

A thick earth berm provides cover along with concealment.

A house with several landscaped bushes in front of it

or

Thick bushes and shrubbery provide concealment but not cover.

Metal double doors at the end of a walkway

or

While wooden doors only provide concealment, steel doors can also provide cover.

A leather couch

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Furniture may seem protective but only provides concealment, not cover.

Hover over each image to learn more.

Crowd Safety

Click on highlighted items to learn more.

Beware of Phishing Schemes

We fall for these schemes because of:

  • Complacency: if we haven’t had a negative experience, we lower our guard and don’t think about the potential for an attack.

  • Curiosity: phishers use the desire to please, fear, greed, or speed.

 

We all have weak points that hackers and phishers use to their advantage. Know the signs of phishing schemes.

Generic Emails

Always be wary of messages with generic subject lines or greetings.

Suspicious URL

Hover over links included in emails to see the actual destination of the URL.

Improper Use of Copyright

Watch for improper use of copyrights, which are used to make the email look official.

An image of a phishing email

Bad Grammar/Spelling

Phishing emails often contain misspelled words and bad grammar.

Unnecessary Urgency

If something feels off, call the organization or office directly to validate the email.

Suspicious Attachments

Never open attachments that seem suspicious or come from a sender you do not know.

Post-Test

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Please answer all of the questions.

You must score at least 80% correct to pass. Please review the check your answers and resubmit.

Congratulations!

Your administrator will be informed that you have completed this course in Situational Awareness.

Your Guides

Brian Van Brunt, EdD
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Brian Van Brunt, EdD

Stuart Frisch
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Stuart Frisch

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