Be Prepared!

The Boy Scout Motto. Seems to work on everything. I seem to be over prepared and people make fun of me for carrying to much stuff. Today I went to a shooting competition, and someone violated safety rule number 3 (keep you finger straight and off the trigger until you intend to fire). He put his finger on the trigger as he drew his weapon, and discharged a round into his leg. Luckily he wasn't hurt badly, through and through without hitting a bone. Just a flesh wound.

I heard the calls come down the line looking for a medic. When no one answered, I grabbed my first aid kit and went. There was a couple people with some skills. I never thought I would be the only one with advanced first aid skills and (more importantly) a good first aid kit.

It was easy, someone called 911, myself and a local county sheriff shooting the competition, patched him up and waited for EMS. They got there and he left. Not a problem this time because the wound was so minor. If it had been bad and I hadn't had a first aid kit, it could have been bad for this person.

Moral of the story, be prepared. I talked with the sheriff for a while after EMS arrived. He said when he was on duty he always carried a personal first aid kit when on duty, the county didn't give him one. No one seems prepared, are you?

Make sure you know what to do and have what you need to do it.

Stay Safe,

Ben

ModernSelfProtection.com

Twitter!

I've started using it (expatben) and enjoy reading it and posting sometimes, but this stuff should be used with care. When I was in the Green Zone in Iraq last year I was almost killed by a rocket meant for Condoleezza Rice. Just because she was about a mile away giving a speech. It was a scheduled visit and was just the way it is. No one was killed by that rocket because whoever launched it forgot to put the war head on it, idiots.

Later last year a Senator (I won't say which one), Twittered that he was in Iraq at Baghdad Airport and that his phone was working. When a high level official go to a war zone, their visits are unannounced for there safety and the safety of the people around them. Most of the time it is part of his security detail that will pay with lives for slip ups in security (this is why pros don't want senators to have classified material, they can't keep their mouth shut). Someone will try to kill the senator and the security team will stop them at all costs. One of those costs could be the life of someone on the detail.

Must of us won't have that much security to worry about, but you should not post to the world when and where you are going. Know your media. If anyone can see what you post, then don't post realtime info about where you are and how long you will be there (Post after you left). On sites like MySpace that you can let only approved people see your posts, make sure you haven't let anyone that you don't know personally to see posts about where you are and where you are going.

Clark Howard just did a story about how criminals are following these sites to see when people aren't home to burglerize your house. They are also using what you post to do identety theft. So be careful what you post.

Read more at ModernSelfProtection Blog

Why Is everyone Carrying a Gun?

This is the question a police officer asked me after I was pulled over for speeding on my bike (I got a warning, and I was only keeping up with heavy traffic).

I have a Carry Permit here in Texas and was asked this because the Cop said every biker he pulled over today was carrying a gun. I smiled and said I don't know, I just always carry mine.

My smart question to him would have been, Why not? Every year thousands and thousands of bikers come to Austin for the ROT Rally. There is always a couple deaths from bike accidents (lots involve drinking and driving) but there is hardly any violence. I wonder why that is when everyone carries a gun? Common sense? Bikers are good people? or the obvious to me, no one wants to rob someone with a gun.

There was a survey done to inmates a while back, I think in California about what they were most afraid of when committing a crime. The vast majority said the victim having a gun. They aren't afraid of the Cops, or System, just the armed citizen. I hope they fear that forever.

Be one of the people the criminals fear! Maybe with a gun, maybe not. Learn how to defend yourself. If everyone started defending themselves when attacked, there would be nothing to be gained by criminals. LEARN HOW TO DEFEND YOURSELF, don't be a victim, let the criminals fear the good people of this world.

Stay Safe,

Ben

PS Want to read more go to ModernSelfProtection.com and click on blog.

Two Weeks, and Counting!

My boy is two weeks old today, and he is already growing a personality. It's great! He likes lights right now. How easily amused kids can be. I hope it stays that way. Now I just have to worry about keeping him safe. The work begins. We do the normal things,

- Keep him with is

- Lock the doors

- Set the alarm

- use the baby monitors

But there is always more that can be done, and as he gets older and more widgets come out to help us, I'll test and evaluate them. Just remember that nothing can be bought to replace a good parent!

Stay Safe

Ben

ModernSelfProtection.com

Home at Last!

Having a new kid makes my personal security more on my mind. Like everyone, I want to protect my kid. Since I have practiced security my entire life, that part isn't the hard part. The lack of sleep is the problem. It's something you can get use to. You just have to concentrate more, and think more. Hard to do when you're tired. More then concentrate, you have to recognize the fact that you are tired and work accordingly. Stay out of bad areas, and situations, drive less, and listen to your instincts.

Stay Safe,

Ben

ModernSelfProtection.com