65. Keeping Yourself Safe in a Potentially Dangerous World with David Nance

15,000 violent crimes occur daily in the United States -  it’s safe to say that  all of us could benefit from learning how to protect ourselves in the event of an attack. David Nance, a nationally recognized personal safety expert and the CEO of SABRE Security Equipment Corporation, is here to teach us how to do exactly that. David, who has appeared on various TV stations and created programs that have certified over 5,000 law enforcement instructors worldwide, knows personal safety inside and out. Instead of focusing on protecting yourself through fighting, he emphasizes safety through distance -- which is something that pepper spray can help you accomplish.  Throughout this episode, you’ll learn dozens of safety tips that seem small and simple individually, but may combine to help save your  life someday. Find Out More About David Here: PersonalSafetyExpert on Facebook @DavidNancePSE on Twitter David Nance on LinkedIn SABRE Personal Safety Expert In This Episode: [01:54] - What should listeners know about self defense? We learn about having an action plan in place before you find yourself in the situation. [02:58] - David gives some key tips on how to stay safe in public. [04:24] - We hear about David’s personal experience with having needed to use pepper spray to get to safety. [05:48] - Antisocial and asocial people can pose different kinds of threats, but David points out the difficulty of figuring that out in a dangerous situation with a complete stranger. [06:32] - What are some techniques to use to create physical distance if someone has already invaded your space? Do you practice your plan? David answers, and gives further insight into how to keep yourself safe. [09:01] - David recommends pepper spray and pepper gel as things to have with you, because you can use them to protect yourself at a distance instead of engaging hands-on with an attacker. Alarms can also be helpful because they call attention to the situation. [10:39] - One of the benefits of pepper spray is that you’re justified in using it if you can later articulate that you felt unsafe or threatened in the situation (which of course is different from lethal force). [11:17] - David tells us more about the effects of pepper spray, as well as its benefits. [14:10] - It’s worth looking into local self-defense classes. David recommends Krav Maga, a system based on Israeli Defense Forces training. He also talks about the value of learning to defend yourself, and describes his own SABRE Personal Safety Academy class. [16:57] - We learn more about the techniques involved in using pepper spray well. [18:23] - David describes some parts of the body to go for if you’re forced into hand-to-hand combat. [20:03] - How do you recognize someone who might be intending to attack you? The answer is mostly to listen to your instincts. [22:32] - David’s most highly recommended book is The Gift of Fear, but he also suggests College Safety 101. He also recommends Guard Llama, which is a small device you can carry with you that lets the company contact the police on your behalf. [24:58] - Thanks to the number of property crimes committed daily, David also suggests having a home security system in place. He goes on to give some specific suggestions for keeping your home safe, like not having shrubs or hedges that block the view of your doors or windows. [29:20] - David advises caution when someone comes to your door without a scheduled meeting. Don’t let people inside even if they claim to be from a utility company, for example. [30:16] - We hear about the value of getting to know your neighbors and forming a sense of community and possibly a neighborhood watch group. [32:41] - David lists some online scams and social engineering tactics that we should all be on the lookout for. He and Stephan talk a bit about the IRS phone scams that have been going around. [35:12] - Stephan’s aunt was the victim of an email scam, and ended up losing several thousand dollars. In the ensuing exchange, we learn how important it is to fight with everything you have not to be taken away in a kidnapping, because if you get taken away you’re more likely to end up dead. [37:53] - What should you do if you end up being put in the trunk of a car? [40:14] - To see David’s safety videos, you can visit personalsafetyexpert.com. Get Optimized! Prepare an action plan for what you would do if you got attacked. Then visualize your plan in detail, to ingrain it in a way that will let you enact it automatically in an emergency situation. Make yourself a hard target. Be present, fully aware, and engaged in what you’re doing at all times, and practice projecting confidence as a deterrent to attackers. When possible in public, keep a 12-foot distance between yourself and anyone you don’t know. They will need to take two steps and then lunge to reach you, giving you time to react. Links and Resources: PersonalSafetyExpert on Facebook @DavidNancePSE on Twitter David Nance on LinkedIn SABRE Personal Safety Expert Krav Maga SABRE Personal Safety Academy The Gift of Fear College Safety 101 Kathleen Baty Guard Llama IRS phone scams