Page 65 - Florida Concealed Carry Law

The Secret to Self-Defense
One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a concealed weapons permit holder is to view your firearm as the only tool in your self-defense toolbox. I believe concealed carry is a tool, but it can’t be the only option you have. You need non-lethal options like mace or a baton. You need to know how to handle yourself in a fight. But there's one self-defense tool that I believe trumps all others. It's the art of situational awareness.
Situational Awareness
Situational Awareness is the art of being aware of your surroundings. Sounds simple enough, but this is a skill that needs to be developed to become effective. Most people today are so focused on their phones, kids and life that they are completely oblivious to the things that are happening around them. When you're walking through a store, do you look at and analyze the people who are around you? What things do you look for? Anyone can look around in a public place, but are you looking for the right things?
When I walk into a business, the first thing I do is to set a baseline for normal behavior. I ask myself, “How should people be acting?” “What type of clothing is normal?” “What type of personality is normal?” Then I begin looking for things that are out of place. A person wearing a heavy jacket in Florida is not normal. People who don’t appear to be shopping, but instead are looking around or at you... this is not normal. If someone looks extremely angry or frustrated, they may just be having a bad day, or they may be up to no good. Either way, I'm going to keep an eye on them.
The goal of situational awareness is not to be paranoid. The goal is to
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