In our time we have a lot of luxuries, things our forebears never even dreamed of having. World travel is quick, the temperature is easily controlled, and all of the information from the entire history of mankind is accessible from a phone. Our society is, relatively speaking, peaceful and safe. There are bad people, but they are few and far between. Life is good.

Except when the bad guy chooses you as his target. Then what?

For most people, their thoughts regarding a plan for dealing with the criminal element revolve almost entirely around Police involvement.

In spite of the best efforts of the news media to convince me otherwise, I know that most Police are great people doing a dangerous and thankless job. Not everyone is mentally equipped to run toward danger. For them, it is in the job description. I love and respect the men and women who serve in Law Enforcement, they keep things from falling apart.

But in truth, they cannot be everywhere at once.

What is your plan for when things go sideways and Law Enforcement is minutes away?

Well, let me clue you in on what my plan is, and if you are lacking a plan, this might serve you as a point of departure in creating your own. Mine will not work for everyone but it has some basic elements that might prove useful in creating your own.

Firearms

Firearms are the great equalizer. People are constantly trying to turn them into a political issue, but the fact is that in the USA, there are more firearms than there are people. They aren’t going anywhere. If you live in an area where they are not restricted, buy a gun, even if it has to be a budget gun (I own one and it is awesome), get one and learn to use it.

Proper firearms training involves first gun safety, then a ton of time and effort spent at the firing range. Once you achieve proficiency, you will need to train on draw and fire, and then move on to tactical stuff, which is more fun than you can imagine. Follow all laws regarding when, where and how you may carry. Have a handgun and a shotgun or an AR-15 at home, and carry your handgun when and where it is allowed.

 Blades

Bladed weapons are not that difficult to use; the point is for stabby stuff and the edge is for slicey stuff.

But training is still required. As with firearms, training on the when and where of legality is essential. Training in draw and strike is necessary as well. True enough, a person with a blade and no training at all can still be deadly, but your own safety should not be an area where your plan revolves around luck.

Hand-to-hand

Training in combatives, all ranges, is something that you ignore at your own peril. You need to train to be fit enough to fight, you need to have knowledge of kicking, striking, in-fighting, takedowns and ground-fighting. This is not a game. By the time you need hand-to-hand, things are not going well. It really means that everything above failed. Your training and your fitness come into play here, and it is an area that should not be overlooked.

Responsibility

In the end, the responsibility for your safety lies with you. Not the Police, not the legal system, and most definitely not with some imaginary world where there are no bad guys who harm other people. So take that responsibility into your own hands and do your duty. The men and women of Law Enforcement do their job, and they do it well. But you are your own first line of self-defense. Take care of business and do it right.

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