2014 PDN Training Tour Update 8/8

Okay. So this is an impromptu version of the PDN 2014 training tour update. And I happened to be in the heart of Manhattan right here in Midtown. Just finished up with a great Fox and friends segment talking about rights and responsibilities and the idea that firearms owners inside of their home have a responsibility to make sure that people aren't getting unauthorized access to their firearms. So we talked about the idea that just because your firearms are secured, like in a quick access safe, doesn't mean they're not available to you when you need them for that imminent home invasion or that other home defense personal defense inside the home type of event.

One of the questions I get whenever I travel to a place like Manhattan is, Oh, what are you doing to defend yourself? You can't have a gun. Do you feel unsafe? Things like that. Reality is that I don't consider the gun a magic talisman.

The gun is a great defensive tool. Whether it's outside the home or inside the home, it's very efficient, it's very easy to use if you're trained and it's a great option, but it's not the only option. It just because you don't have a firearm, doesn't mean that you are of course helpless. And just because you don't have a firearm, you can't legally carry something that It's overtly a defensive tool like a knife, or a taser, or something like that. Doesn't mean that you can't be prepared to defend yourself in ways other than just awareness and mindset and how you move, and where you are, and enforced unarmed defense in the worst case scenario.

So let's talk about what I carry when I'm in an urban environment. When I'm in what some people would call a non permissive environment and an environment where I can't carry a gun can't carry a knife. Well, there's a lot of different improvised tools that you can use. I'm gonna get to those in a second. But of course, I already covered mindset, awareness unarmed skills, health, fitness just being able to run away.

Things like that. These things are incredibly important. The other thing that's incredibly important that you have is cell phone. Having a cell phones that you can call people when you need help, you can use it to find information, you can find your way around, the smartphones obviously you can call it map, you can know where you are, know where you're going. You don't have to wander around aimlessly.

And obviously aimlessly looking at street signs trying to figure out where you are making yourself a target. So the cell phone comes in handy in a lot of different ways. Another thing that you might carry is some type of a pen. That's a solid metal pen and this is a Canton burner design one. This is a custom one.

Obviously it fits into the second amendment theme that fits with a lot of the things I do. It looks kind of like a couple of rounds here put together but more importantly, it's a hard solid metal pen so I can use as an impact device. I can use it to cut. I can use it to puncture. I can use it, the scratch.

I can use it for a pressure point device. Also on this side, if I don't get the pointy end pushed up against someone, this is left-hand or right-hand. So in a sports coat, am I carried here, I might as well carry it inside the pocket on the off side or on the strong side. Today I was in a more formal environment so inside the pocket made sense. I also have over here, one of the capital impact devices.

Now this is a bottle opener very useful tool to have around. I've got a little tail on it. This could be a lanyard. In this case, it's an ice logo a key chain fog that was made for me down at ancient city, a shooting range. So I've got that, that actually, isn't just branding.

That actually allows me something to purchase something to hook my finger on. When I go to pull that out of the pocket get my grip on the turtle itself. Obviously a lot of sharp edges here a lot of things I can use again for pressure points for scratching, for cutting, for impact maximizing the value of any strike that I'm going to give with this device. That's another great tool there. One thing you're gonna want to have is a flashlight.

Obviously this is a one of the compact ones from extreme being the off attack. This is a great little light, really rugged, really small really compact, easy to hold in your hand. And you can also hold this in your hand while you're walking around. So I can completely cover this inside of my hand and have it at the ready to be able to push it on. I can usually use it as an impact device.

I can obviously use it just kind of more on desktop. Only if I need you to read a map or do something else. I can use it to identify things like those street signs, whatever it is. I'm looking for light in area when I'm moving through. Now in the modern city most buses are well lit.

Hopefully you're moving through places that are well trafficked. Well-traveled not isolating yourself and making yourself a potential target. But having this in your hand is obviously very subtle. And if anybody comes up to you, it's it's obviously just a flashlight not a big dealer, having your back pocket. Another thing that I like to have in an urban environment is throw money.

The idea that I might want to have a 20 this is just the 20th. A couple of ones wrapped up around it. Somebody wants to start a search assaulting me asserting their, their space into my space and all they want is money. And I really believe that I can either a distract them by just offering them money and throwing it down. I'm not going to take that call right now.

I'm going to do that. Actually. Let me just close that down. But cell phone, just be ready to knock it distracted by it in the urban environment as well as in your video environment. But this money is great for just tossing down on the ground.

Somebody wants money, great. Here's money. Take it. I'm going to run. Take it.

I'm going to get one of these tools in my hand and make sure I can defend myself. Or even if somebody is not necessarily asking for money but somehow trying to oppress you aggress you, you know maybe a scale-up caters 20 bucks, take this. Don't worry about it. They come for it, drop it on the ground. Again, they get distracted for at least a second.

If I need to strike, if I need to go to a tool or if I need to evade this money can be the distraction that I'm looking for. So, a little bit of a throw money, not the cash. You're going to be using accounting, counting on maybe for that taxi ride or whatever else you need. But this person is very insistent but I'll get to them in a second. Having these tools, having these accoutrements around you when you're moving through an urban environment is really important.

If you're what that piece of mind, if you want the options of course you don't need any of them. You can be dropped off in the middle of the city. If you have your health, if you have your awareness if you have some sense about you, when you go to smart places, especially if you're moving with people and you're not isolated, you can certainly be safe in an environment without a firearm. A lot of people will hesitate to go to big cities. Manhattan is one of them.

I come here, LA, I was in Canada last week, I'm in Europe. People. I would never go there. I don't feel safe. You should feel safe.

There are other ways to feel safe besides just having a gun. And it's an important lesson. When you think about holistic personal offense you can't always have the gun. If you can't always have the gun you're probably limiting your life experiences in a in a much more significant way. Feel comfortable, utilize the tools that you can have in any environment.

Be sure to check out more information on improvised defense and unarmed defense, as well as moving through the urban environment@personaldefensenetwork.com.