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What's In Your Fanny Pack?: Must
have tools for everyday carry
There is a guy I used to be on
the Sheriff's Office Mountain
Rescue team with who we
affectionately call "Captain
Planet", but his real nickname
should be either "Trouble
Magnet" or "Trauma Magnet".
It
seems that something dramatic
always happens to him. And it
mostly happens when he is
off-duty. Whenever he steps
outside someone is getting in a
fight or getting run down by a
vehicle in front of him.
There is another guy I know
nicknamed "Frostie". Similar to
Captain Planet, Frostie can't go
anywhere without drama unfolding
all around him. Car accidents,
crimes in progress, damsels in
distress, even someone falling
off a cliff. These all happen
right in front of Frostie.
For
the rest of us, our daily lives
aren't quite as exciting, but
you never know when trouble is
going to come your way or cross
your path.
One
off-duty officer that frequents
the same climbing and tactical
supply store I do found this
out. This officer had been on
the force for a number of years
(he was no rookie) but he had
never had to fire his weapon
during a deadly force
encounter. But trouble crossed
his path at 11:30 a.m. that day,
an ordinary weekday permeated
with bright sunshine. He
stopped in to see Ralph (the
owner of the store and former
Mountain Rescue team commander)
to pick up a piece of
equipment. They both noticed
something strange happening at
the liquor store located right
next to the climbing store.
Ralph and the officer saunter
over next door -- right into an
armed robbery in progress.
Ralph retreated to call 911 from
his store. Taking up a
defensive posture with his
firearm at the front door, the
off-duty officer noticed that
one of the armed robbers was
herding employees into the back
cooler ( not a good sign since
this often precedes the
elimination of any witnesses).
The office verbally challenges
the robber who immediately opens
fire on the officer. The
officer virtually emptied his
high-capacity 9mm into the
subject before he goes down.
The other robber surrenders.
Big
time trouble on a sunny day at
11:30 a.m. Who would have
known? It's a good thing the
officer was carrying a weapon.
My
wife and I are walking out to
our car following a movie one
evening. As we enter the
parking garage I pull up short
-- there are five guys sitting
on and leaning against my car.
I'm not armed with anything. Oh
yeah, I do have my car keys. I
could put them between my
fingers and scratch these guys.
I bet I could even break the
skin on one before they stomped
me.
One
of the guys notices me stiffly
standing there pondering my
options. He juts his chin
towards me and says, "This your
car?" Uh-oh, here we go.
I
start looking for an escape
route, then for the biggest one
to fight while I send my wife
off to get help. The guy looks
at me again and says, "Sorry".
They jump off the car and walk
off, continuing their previous
conversation. Whew.
You
never know when it's going to
happen. So you need to be
prepared, because no one has as
much a vested interest in your
safety as you do.
Unfortunately, most people
don't have the will or the skill
to help you much and the cops
are at least two to three
minutes away (in some
jurisdictions it might be more
like 20 to 40 minutes).
Remember the acronym YOYO -- it
means "you're on your own".
That means you will need to
carry -- or have access -- to
lifesaving and life-preserving
self-defense tools. For
operators and officers, this
will invariably be some of the
same tools you carry on-duty.
For the prepared and
safety-minded civilian, some of
these tools will be new, but you
should consider nonetheless.
Cops, operators, bodyguards and
other professionals carry a
staggering amount of "stuff".
Many of these pros have what
they call a "battle bag" which
they can transfer in and out of
their vehicles. I've seen these
bags carry virtually an entire
SWAT team member kit. I've
also seen them packed with
various tools for emergency auto
repair, socks for the gym and
old forms from the office. So
the contents can be widely
disparate.
But
here's what most professionals
carry:
Firearm
This can be your duty firearm or
a backup weapon that is more
suitable for concealed carry and
casual clothes. We are
invariably talking handguns
here. As Col. Jeff Cooper says,
the handgun is the only firearm
that can be worn and not borne.
Massad Ayoob once told me that
he would advise everyone to
carry their duty weapon for
familiarity, power and legal
defensibility. You probably
shoot your duty weapon more so
you are more comfortable with it
under stress, it fires a
full-power cartridge and --
since it is documented that you
qualify with it at least once a
year -- it is more defensible in
court if you ever are involved
in a shooting. Steve Krystek
advocates that your secondary
weapon (after a suitable
handgun) that should be carried
in your car is a shotgun filled
with slugs. The slugs provide
superior stopping power and
penetration in the typical urban
and vehicle environment. Others
like buckshot in their 12
gauges.
I've recommended against buying
or carrying "too much" gun
before. I've seen people of
smaller stature or less
experienced shooters who are
poorly served by trying to shoot
a full-sized .45 or .40. They
immediately do better with a
9mm. I would also contend that
the .380 you have in your pocket
is vastly superior to the .357
you left at home. Don't be
afraid to look at .38 Special
snub nose revolvers as well as
the smaller .380 and .32
automatics. The point is, when
you need a gun, you
desperately need a gun.
Knife
I'm
not a big knife person -- I
don't want to make the mistake
of taking a knife to a
gunfight. I also can't justify
using a knife in a fistfight.
However, a knife has a prime
role in your self-defense kit.
It can be used for combat (I've
kept my hand on my Emerson
during a few tense moments with
three punks inside a convenience
store when I didn't have my
Glock) or for any one of the
crazy scenarios you can come up
with for a cutting tool. I've
also carried a Spyderco during
travels to Europe when,
obviously, I could not carry a
firearm.
A
knife does not necessarily have
to a combat folder. I carry a
Leatherman tool in my fanny pack
("bum bag" for our UK friends).
I know Scott Wagner advocates
carrying the Gerber Mulitplier
multi-tool. I've also trained
an executive protection
specialist who carried a hooked
knife designed specifically for
safely cutting seat belts.
Smith and Wesson has a knife
designed for police and rescue
personnel with different blade
and a windshield punch for
freeing trapped car accident
victims.
You'll probably use the
screwdriver or pliers on the
multi-tool hundreds of times
before you have to use your
combat blade in a fight.
Having said that, however, I do
carry an Emerson CQB-7 folder in
my pocket or clipped inside my
body armor and a Cold Steel push
dagger in my boot when I'm on
patrol for last ditch weapons.
Guys like ex-SEAL Team 6 member
Chris Caracci routinely carry as
many as three knives on them at
all times.
See our
selection of knives.
Flashlight
Mostly I'm talking about the
small, personal flashlights like
the Sure Fires or the
Scorpions. Most professionals
don't carry a gun without
carrying a flashlight since most
shootings happen in reduced
light situations.
Besides illuminating your
target, light can be used to
temporarily blind or disorient
an attacker. If you are forced
to fight, a small personal
flashlight makes a great yawara.
You use the crown of the light
to hit his vital targets while
it is firmly clenched in your
fist.
A
larger C or D-cell flashlight
like the MagLite also makes a
great baton. I've found the 5
battery C-cell MagLite is
perfect. It slides in my baton
ring and the length and weight
is just about right. The
4-battery light is too short and
the 6-battery light is too
long. The D-cell lights are too
fat.
When the power goes off and
you're forced to evacuate from
the 87th floor, you'll thank me
that you have your light.
See our flashights.
Pepper Spray
Off-duty officers need to carry
pepper (OC) spray for the same
reasons they carry it on duty.
If you have to defend yourself,
the court will want to know why
you didn't have an intermediate
force tool available instead of
just deadly force weapons.
For
many civilians in certain
regions of the country, pepper
spray might be one of the only
weapons they are allowed to
carry.
Afraid that your buddies are
going to give you grief about
it? Hey, Ken Good of Combative
Concepts is a former Navy SEAL
who advocates carrying the spray
all the time. He's pretty
tough, so I don't think you can
question his masculinity for
electing to carry pepper spray.
If
I would have had my canister of
pepper spray with me I would
have been in a much better
position to deal with the five
guys sitting on my car.
The
bigger canisters provide more
reach, more duration and more
chemical, but you'll never carry
one. I don't have a problem
with recommending you carry one
of the smaller canisters that
fit on your key ring or your
belt. The rule is to have one
with you.
For
more information on pepper spray
and to take a look at the types
of pepper sprays that are
available,
click here.
Cell Phone
Cops don't go anywhere without
their radios and you shouldn't
go anywhere without your cell
phone. Think of it as your
"radio". With it you can summon
the cops, the paramedics and
firefighters.
Soon most 911 systems will be
able to track your cell phone to
within a 100 yards should you
not be able to give police
dispatchers your location.
I've also seen some remarkable
retreats by bad guys when they
see their intended "victim"
dialing a cell phone --
presumably to the police. By
having a cell phone and letting
the bad guys see you talking on
it, you've tapped into their
second biggest fear: the fear of
getting caught.
Besides your firearm, your phone
is a top priority piece of
equipment.
Note Pad
This might be a surprising one,
but virtually every professional
I talked with said a note pad
belonged with you. You need it
to write down license plate
numbers, descriptions, phone
numbers; anything important.
When you are under stress
important information tends to
evaporate quickly from your
memory. You get on the phone to
the police and you suddenly
cannot remember anything. Write
it down before you call.
If
you don't want to write it down
on an old-fashioned pad, I've
found two new methods that work
great. One is to dictate the
details to yourself. Besides
any of the plentiful models of
pocket tape recorders, you can
now do this on many MP3 players
and even some cell phones. The
second method that works well is
to scribble the notes on your
PDA. Some of them, like the
Palm, have an option that lets
you write freehand on the
screen. Some PDAs also have a
dictation option as well.
Dictating the information seems
to work the best for me as I can
continue to drive without having
to jot down the info. In a jam
I've even used my cell phone to
call my own voice mail and
dictated the info quickly
knowing that I could retrieve it
later if need.
For
hard core note taking, you might
also consider running a
camcorder. If you are doing any
investigation work, documenting
a crime in progress or such
things as unruly behavior at
your nightclub, I've found a
small video camera to be
wonderful. Obviously, you can
capture the action on video
outright. This is usually the
preferred option. But don't
forget that the microphones of
most newer video cameras are
exceptional. You can get all of
the verbal exchanges, threats
and comments on tape even if you
are not pointing the camera at
anything. Simply holding it
down by your leg while you are
recording can capture a great
deal. However, be prepared to
handle some very aggressive
behavior when you point a camera
at someone. The standard
challenge from the person you
are taping is usually, "Get that
cameral the f*** outta my
face!" Get ready for him to
make a snatch at your camera, a
shove or a haymaker punch.
Gloves
As
a public safety officer or
prepared citizen, you probably
have a heightened sense of duty
to help others. That's why many
people get into the public
safety professions.
I
contend that you will encounter
more medical emergencies on a
daily basis than violent acts
that need to be stopped as you
watch them unfold. If you
help, you will need to "defend"
yourself against potentially
harmful blood borne pathogens.
Gloves help protect you from
contact with someone else's
fluids and they help protect the
patient as well from any
bacteria you might have on your
hands.
Other Items
While researching this article,
I frequently encountered two
other items that were
recommended, but I consider
secondary items.
One
was a baton. In keeping with
the police officer's usual
accoutrement of tools, some pros
advocate carrying an expandable
baton (or at least keeping one
in their car). This is
potentially tricky for
civilians. Baton strikes are
usually classified as a high
level of force. Most states
consider batons, bats, nunchakus,
saps and clubs to be dangerous
weapons when used to beat on a
person. Some consider
expandable batons
to be a "dangerous
instrument". However, the
legal principles of self-defense
dictate that if you are allowed
to use a high level of force to
save yourself or someone else
from a serious or deadly
assault, then you are allowed to
use what ever instrument is
appropriate for that level of
force. Check with an attorney
familiar with the laws in your
area if you have any questions
in this regard.
Those who are well-trained with
batons are virtual zealots when
it comes to singing the praises
about this tool. The expert
stick fighter is an awesome
adversary and a baton in their
hands is a versatile weapon.
The baton gives you superior
reach and can be used to disarm
someone, to strike to sensitive
areas forcing the attacker to
retreat and to entangle and
ensnare an attacker generating
some painful holds. Even the
sight and sound of an expandable
baton opening can be
intimidating.
Another advantage is that it is
difficult to kill someone with a
baton -- unless you hit them in
the head or choke them with it.
And therein lies the biggest
problem for civilians with a
stick, cane or baton. The
overwhelming tendency of
non-trained people is to use
their baton to hit a homerun
with the guy's melon.
If
you want to carry a full-size
baton, chances are you are not
going to have it on your person
when you need it. That's why
the expandable batons are so
handy. They are more portable.
They are even better when you
put one of the cool new
flashlights that can fit on the
butt end of the baton. With
this accessory you'll be more
likely to carry it when you are
taking a walk, walking the dog,
or running. But you need to be
willing to put in some training
with your baton or you won't be
competent with the tool and
you'll probably not have it near
you.
The
other item which is often
recommended that I can only put
down here as a secondary item is
handcuffs.
Some pros carry their regular
handcuffs and a great deal more
carry the plastic flex-cuffs
that look like giant zip ties.
If you are in a position that
entails holding someone for a
long time before authorities
arrive, then you might consider
them. If you are a flight crew
member and you need to subdue
and detain a passenger until the
plane can land, then you need
handcuffs or similar restraining
devices. If you are a loss
prevention officer taking
shoplifters into custody for a
long period of time, you need
them.
However, if you are the average
guy on the street, there are
very few scenarios where you
actually want to detain
someone. Most of the time you
want distance from the bad guy.
Drive him off, let him go.
Carrying all your stuff
Figure out a way to carry the
most essential items
conveniently so that you will
make a habit of it.
Ever notice how you only get a
flat tire when you don't have a
spare? The same goes with your
self-defense and safety tools.
Most likely you'll never need
them when you have them -- the
balloon will probably go up when
you decide to leave them at home
because it is too much of a
hassle to carry them or put them
in your car.
Some people keep all their stuff
in one place. Others spread it
around.
Fanny packs and safari-type
vests allow you to carry all
your tools in "one" place. You
can pick up your pack or your
vest, put it on and you're
set. You'll find yourself
stashing your pack or your vest
in your trunk as you go in and
out of places where it is not
legal to be armed like
courthouses, schools and
airports.
Spreading your tools around
usually entails having some sort
of holster for your firearm,
pockets for other items and
putting your spray on your key
ring.
Guys will alternatively use
ankle holsters and various other
concealment holsters for their
handgun that can be disguised as
a pager, a knife pouch or a cell
phone pouch. Concealment
holsters can also be worn on the
belt that hide the handgun in
the small of the back or under a
shirt.
Your system
There is no one method that
seems to work for everyone.
You'll probably find, as most of
us have, that you'll switch back
and forth to a couple of
different modes of carrying all
your tools depending on your
dress and your circumstances.
The key is to get serious and
find a way that is fairly
consistent so you will always
have your tools with you.
God
forbid you'll ever need them.
But better to have them with no
need, than to need them and not
have.
For
more information on expandable
batons or to look at different
lengths of batons for purchase,
click here.
Brad Parker
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