Dallas County Hospital District police offer tips for personal safety
Situational awareness may be key avoiding danger
As youngsters we are taught the basics of how to protect ourselves – look both ways before crossing the street, don’t get in a car with strangers and tell an adult if you hear or see something suspicious. But as adults our thoughts are often full of work to do, errands to run and the grind of everyday life. According to the Dallas County Hospital District Police Department (DCHD), that’s when personal safety can be put at risk.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reports, every six minutes, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted, and every 34 minutes, someone is murdered.
The key to personal self-defense, experts say, is situational awareness. Ask yourself, ‘What is going on around me that directly or adversely affects my safety?’ and if it does, stay out of the situation.
“Once you have identified a potential risk, don’t enter that risk zone,” said Lt. Robert Johnson, Sr., Crime Prevention Coordinator with the DCHD police. “In other words, if there is a suspicious person standing next to the ATM you were going to use, choose another ATM.”
Remember the acronym ADD (avoid, deny and defend) when in a situation where their personal safety could be compromised. Avoid dark areas such as alleys or places where ambush points exist, such as those with overgrown bushes or hidden doorways. Deny access by locking your doors and windows, and especially locking the door that leads into the house from the garage. And finally, if you’re being attacked, defend yourself.
Lt. Johnson notes, “You can buy all the pepper spray or Tasers you want but you have to be properly trained in their use and effectiveness. If you’re not trained, don’t rely on tools for your safety; instead rely on your ability to see what is happening around you.”
Common sense also plays an important role in personal safety. Be aware of your surroundings, plan ahead and know how you’re going to react in the event that something does happen.
Don’t underestimate the threat. If that voice in your head tells you something is wrong, or the hairs on the back of your neck are standing up, call 911.
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