WELCOME TO SAFETY ASSIST

THE PERSONAL SAFETY ADVISORY SITE

SAFETY ASSIST is designed to educate and empower you with the necessary knowledge and processes to maintain your personal safety.

QUICK TIPS TO AVOID SOME COMMON PERSONAL SAFETY PROBLEMS

Hijacking in your driveway

You are tired and frustrated after a long, exhausting day in the office and to top it off there are a number of traffic lights out so you have been stuck in traffic for the last hour. Never mind, only 5 more minutes then you will be home where you can put your feet up and have a nice cold drink. You relax as you turn into your street, your mind wanders to the choice of the drink you are going to enjoy and you fail to notice the car that turned the corner behind you. Blissfully unaware you turn into your driveway and as you wait for your gates to open there is a knock on your window, you jump from fright and turn to look down the barrel of a gun. Read on to find out how easily this situation could have been avoided.

1. Be aware of any person loitering around your home (see Awareness and Threat Identification under the Personal Safety tab).

2. Make sure you are not followed home (see Anti Surveillance in the Anti Hijacking Measures section under the Personal Safety tab).

3. Reverse into your driveway (see Arriving and Departing Procedures in the Anti Hijacking Measures section under the Personal Safety tab).

4. Be prepared to drive out at the slightest sign of trouble (see Arriving and Departing in the Anti Hijacking Measures section under the Personal Safety tab).

5. When you get out of your car have a personal defence weapon ready (see Personal Defence Weapons in the Personal Attack Safety section under the Personal Safety tab).

Attacked in a carpark

You've just left the restaurant after a wonderful evening out with your best friends from high school. As you say your goodbyes you begin to walk to your car - alone. Still reminiscing about the food and conversation you fail to notice the furtive figure trailing you. As you get closer to your car you fumble in your hand bag for your keys and just as you open the car you feel the cold, sharp steel of the knife against your throat. Your life will never be the same again. How could I have prevented this? Read on to find out how easily this situation could have been avoided.

1. When entering the car park look out for any people loitering in the vicinity of your car, if there are then alert security personnel to their presence (see Awareness and Threat Identification under the Personal Safety tab).

2. Do not walk directly to your car, walk around a block of cars checking to see if anyone follows you or if anyone is hiding between the cars (see Avoidance in the Personal Attack Safety section under the Personal Safety Tab).

3. Have a personal defence weapon and your keys ready when you enter the carpark (see Avoidance in the Personal Attack Safety section under the Personal Safety Tab).

4. Whilst loading your car or getting in maintain your observsation of the surronding area (see Awareness under the Personal Safety Tab).

5. Be prepared to use your personal defence weapon (see Personal Defence Weapons in the Personal Attack Safety section under the Personal Safety tab).

Attacked whilst broken down at the side of the highway at night

You smile to yourself as you drive along the quiet motorway on your way home after a party, you had struck up a good relationship with another partygoer, you swapped numbers perhaps something will come of it. Suddenly your car splutters, jerks then cuts out; you cruise to a stop on the hard shoulder. "Great, what a way to finish off an excellent evening never mind" you reach for your phone comfortable in the knowledge you have roadside assistance. The call is answered and a recovery vehicle despatched, it will be there in approximately 20 minutes. You hang up, turn up the radio and settle down to wait. Suddenly your window explodes with a bang, your door is yanked open and something hits you on the head. In a semi conscious state you are aware of the hands dragging you out of your car. Read on the see how easily this situation could have been avoided.

1. Look for a place outside of your car where you can go and hide whilst waiting for help to arrive (see Using LIFE under the Personal Safety tab).

2. Identify if there are any people in your vicinity who may see you entering your hiding place (see Awareness under the Personal Safety tab).

3. Have a personal defence weapon ready (see Personal Defence Weapons in the Personal Attack Safety section under the Personal Safety tab).

4. Move to the previously identified hiding place whilst checking you are not being watched (see Using LIFE under the Personal Safety tab).

5. Wait in your hiding place until your help arrives (see Using LIFE under the Personal Safety tab).

In these scenarios above there are common actions that are conducted to maintain your personal safety. To remember these we use a process called LIFE.

LIFE IS IMPORTANT!

LIFE is the primary process you need to follow to maintain your personal safety, especially from violent crime and we go into further detail in the section Using LIFE under the Personal Safety tab.

Crime is a problem

Most people are fearful of crime especially violent crime. In order for a crime to be committed there have to be three factors present, these three factors are:

ABILITY - A person wishing to commit a crime must have the ability and capacity to commit the crime.

INTENT - A person wishing to commit a crime must have the intent to commit a crime. You can identify Intent!

OPPORTUNITY - A person wishing to commit a crime must be presented with an opportunity to commit a crime. An

opportunity to a criminal is a vulnerability for you! You have control over this!

In order to prevent personal crime, especially violent crime, one must present as few opportunities as possible to a criminal by means of an educated approach to personal safety.

The contents contained herein will enable you to educate yourself on how to keep yourself safe from crime. It will enable you to identify threats and take steps to minimise your vulnerability to them.

EDUCATE YOURSELF!

EMPOWER YOURSELF!

ERADICATE THE FEAR OF CRIME!