...Save YOURSELF...
Imagine the scene: At the end of a long day at the office, you're relaxing at home with your family.
Suddenly, your normally quiet dog is barking madly and there's a crash as your front door is kicked in.
You see two strangers burst into your house, holding guns. Before you can even make sense of the situation,
one screams at you:
“Take us to your safe! Do it now, or we'll kill you”
Take a moment to think: What would you give to turn back time?
What would you change to prevent this from happening?
Your answer might well be: Anything! I don't care what it costs. Nothing is as important to me
as my family's safety.
The hard truth is you need to stop being complacent. You need to take responsibility right now. You can't afford to believe someone else will always be there to protect you.
Why ACT?
Outwitting and outsmarting an attacker is far more effective than physical contact. For this reason, ACT has developed a ground-breaking program that transcends traditional self-defense thinking and focuses on revolutionary techniques to prevent physical confrontation.
Just as criminals dedicate their time to plan a crime, you also need to commit time to plan for your own and your family's safety, as well as those you work with. In so doing, you'll equip yourself with the inner strength and confidence to save lives when it matters most.
In this way ACT offers value way beyond the cost. It might well mean the difference between life and death - making it an invaluable program for every South African serious about their safety.
In the increasingly violent context of our daily lives, it is essential to overcome the belief that someone else is always going to be there to protect you. It is not the police, an alarm, armed response or security company, but you as an individual who is your first line of defense. All of these may be good options but until help arrives it is you who needs to deal with the situation as it evolves.
Remember: you live with the consequences of your decisions and your actions.
“The peak efficiency of knowledge and strategy is to make conflict altogether unnecessary” Sun Tsu
ACT Intro by CEO Kelee Arrowsmith
Make sure you visit our blog, which takes a reality-based and positive look at crime and personal safety (including pictures)
What's Happening...
Take 2 Personal Safety Workshop
Report by Ross Edwards
CAPE TOWN—The event was advertised as a "personal safety workshop" and I carefully
made my way through the Grand West Casino security check-in counters to find my way to hot coffee and
biscuits on Friday 26 February. I walked into a luxurious casino suite to discover a bewildering
array of devices and safety services on display. The menu included personal tracking devices
(Altech Netstar), a dazzling selection of Surefire LED torches (Brooke International),
custom kydex holsters (Gerald Bailey) and the terrifying sparking snap, crackle and pop of
pistol tasers (Viper SA).
[Read the full article here]
Take a look at some of the hilarious bloopers and outtakes the Take 2 rehearsals
Safety Tips...
Dont't be afraid to use your pepper spray
Your best defence against attackers is knowledge and awareness. Remember that an attack is not personal; it is about separating you from your possessions. Educate yourself on how common attacks occur and make decisions about how you will react in various confrontations. And Practice!
During our talks and workshops, one of the most common questions we get is
"Is pepper spray effective?"
And the answer is "it depends"...
Firstly, it depends on the attacker, what type of drug (or
alchohol) he (they) are using, how determined he is, and how big his window of opportunity is, in other words
what are the chances that someone will come by and offer you assitance.
Secondly, it depends on the type and make of pepper spray you are using. There are several different types, the most popular two being fog and stream, which I will discuss later on in this article.
Adding pepper spray as part of your Personal Safety arsenal is a good idea as it is easy to carry and use and it is non-lethal so you will be far less likely to hesitate in a threatening situation. It is also easily used in combination with other weapons, such as your voice.
As with any weapon, is important to understand how pepper spray works and how to use it. Pepper spray is a safe (non-lethal) and effective way to discourage attackers. The active ingredient is oleoresin capsicum, which is a concentrated extract from hot chilli peppers. The 2 main types of pepper gas are FOG and DIRECT STREAM. The FOG offers a larger area of disbursement but has a shorter range and does not work very well in windy conditions as the FOG could blow directly back toward you.
DIRECT STREAM offers a greater range (sprays considerably further) and is less affected by strong wind. However you will need to be more accurate as the stream is much narrower than the FOG.
Pepper Spray is very effective against aggressive animals as well has humans; it affects the eyes and mucous membranes of the nose, mouth and air passages, causing temporary blindness, difficulty in breathing and sometimes disorientation.
To use your papper spray, Aim it directly at the attacker's face press the spray release with either your thumb or forefinger. Be aware that each make of spray has a different kind of safety mechanism to prevent accidental discharge. It is VERY IMPORTANT to test your spray BEFORE you actually NEED to use it so that you can make sure you understand how the safety system works and what the range of your spray is. Bear in mind that the range diminishes as your can empties.
Spray in short 1 to 2 second bursts while moving (rapidly) sideways and away from the attacker (and the spray). A 45ml can of spray should give 7 to 8 X 1 second bursts, while a 60ml can provides about 12 to 13 X 1 second bursts. Be sure to regularly test your pepper spray (outdoors) to confirm that it works and that you know how to use it in case of an emergency.
Caution: Don’t use your pepper spray indoors, unless it is to create a barrier and always ensure that you have an exit route. Pepper sray is an aerosol and IS therefore affected by heat so try not to leave it in a vehicle in the sun. Remember that any weapon that you cannot access cannot be used in an emergency. Your spray can be attach to your belt, pants or handbag for easy access.
NB The spray will NOT work upside down. If you are exposed to the pepper spray, rinse thoroughly with running water and it helps to apply some Burn Shield spray afterwards.
Not all pepper sprays are equal, there is some real junk out there so do your homework before you
make your purchase
Click here to Check out the GREAT article from the
Cape Chat Magazine
Copyright ACT 2007