Blog #186 – What’s in your Tool Belt?

Something that we always discuss in article topics for defense is the use of a firearm. Firearms are an important and valuable tool for everyone for defense because they can be an equalizer. A frail or elderly man or woman can effectively defend themselves against a much larger assailant with the use of a firearm. While we would always support the idea of trying to be healthy, fit and having the ability to take care of yourself, a firearm is a great option to ensure the safety of your family and loved ones. It is also important to talk about levels of escalation. A firearm should not be used for all unsavory encounters with strangers. A man I met a while ago used to say: “You need to have something between a harsh word and a firearm.” So, what are your options, then?... It can vary from person-to-person as to what everyone is comfortable with, but you have more options than you think. The #1 element of defense we all have is awareness. Be aware of your surroundings. If something seems suspicious or “off,” listen to your gut and avoid it. Don’t be caught up in your phone and be an easy victim anywhere in public. Always maintain awareness of who and what is around you. Another tool could be a flashlight. I carry a powerful Surefire pocket flashlight every day. Criminals like to hide in the shadows and conceal their unscrupulous behavior. If you are in a parking ramp or garage, shining a blinding light on a suspicious person that is approaching you can be a huge deterrent where they might leave you alone. Something else you could consider carrying with you daily aside from a firearm would be pepper spray or a taser. Each has its own pros and cons. Pepper spray can be handy in a self-defense scenario because you have distance between you and your attacker – you can deploy pepper spray from aways away. With this, there is the potential you could miss your attacker and then your efforts are rendered ineffective. With a taser, you have the opposite scenario occurring. Your attacker needs to be uncomfortably close to deploy it, but you have an extremely high chance of connecting or making contact. So, while we are all advocates of firearms and they are terrific tools in your line of self-defense you may want to consider other options as well to have in your “defense tool belt.” Until next time, continually check out our blog, join our newsletter, and watch the website for new and exciting updates! As always, let us know all of your thoughts in the comments below. We love it when you participate in our articles and keep the conversation going!