National Safety Month: Create A Personal Safety Plan

Each June, National Safety Month is observed to help people focus on how they can help keep themselves, their environment, and their peers safe from danger. As the #1 personal safety brand trusted worldwide, SABRE challenges you to take some time this June and create a personal safety plan for your everyday life.

To help, we’ve outlined a few different scenarios where you should consider having a personal safety plan and some safety tips to keep in mind. From days on the go to your favorite outdoor activities and nights at home, keep your personal safety top of mind this June (and always).

Image: Priscilla Du Preez | Unsplash

On-The-Go

When you’re constantly busy and going from point A to point B, it’s easy for your personal safety and thoughts of threatening situations to slip to the back of your mind. A recent study found that 47% of all men and 59% of women admitted to feeling safer carrying a personal safety device such as pepper spray, a stun gun, or a personal alarm when they’re on the go.

Jeweled Pepper Spray, Silver

SABRE offers personal safety devices that will fit any of your needs and personal safety training that will help you build a personalized safety plan so you can feel confident and empowered wherever you go.

• Practice being a hard target. Hard targets appear confident and are engaged with their surroundings, whereas soft targets appear distracted and lost. By making yourself a hard target, you decrease your vulnerability to potential threats and increase your safety. 
  
• Keep your keys out when you arrive at your destination. The less time you spend fumbling in your bag or pocket, the less vulnerable you are to potential threats.
• On public transportation, choose a seat that has plenty of witnesses around, and if possible, sit near the driver or conductor. When standing on a train platform or at a bus stop, keep your back against a wall to eliminate the possibility of a potential threat approaching you from behind.
• Immediately get out of your car when you arrive at your destination to limit the time you spend sitting idle. Staying in your car to finish a phone call or finish listening to your favorite song can leave you vulnerable to potential threats.

Outdoor Activities

Walking, running, and bicycling are fantastic ways to have a healthy body and mind that can also be done from anywhere. In fact, 59% of active adults chose outdoor activities like running, training, hiking, and walking as the best way to stay fit. But keep your safety top of mind as you enjoy your favorite outdoor activity, as 60% of women surveyed reported being harassed while running.

Runner Pepper Gel with Adjustable Handstrap, Pink

Consider carrying a running personal safety device like a pepper gel with a hand strap or a clip-on personal alarm that easily attaches to any running belt bag, backpack, or waistband.

• Use "When, Then" thinking. Say to yourself, "When this happens, then I will react in this way." Having a pre-planned response in mind will help you be prepared should a threatening situation arise. 
• Listen to your favorite playlist or podcast with only one earbud rather than two. This limits distractions and allows you to be more engaged with your surroundings.
• If you use an app to track your runs, walks, or bike rides, only share it with those you trust. Don’t post your routes on social media, as you never know who might see it.

At-Home

Your home is full of your most valued possessions including yourself, your family, and maybe even your pet. Forbes reports that 75% of homes will be broken into in the next 20 years, so it’s essential to take safety precautions further than simply locking your door. 

Door Security Bar with Vibration Detecting Alarm

SABRE offers DIY home security options that are easy to install and effective, without the hefty electrician or monitoring fees.

• If you hide a spare key, skip your door threshold or a fake rock, as these are the first places an intruder will look. Instead, give an extra copy to a person you trust.
• If you set your home address in your smartphone apps, a GPS, or other devices, use an address that is near your home, but not to your actual home address. That way if your devices are ever compromised, no one will know where you live.

At SABRE, we are dedicated to helping you Make It Safe® in every aspect of your life. To learn more about creating a safety plan, check out SABRE’s Personal Safety Academy or sign up for one of our in-person safety training courses near you.