Doing your part

Doing Your Part

When we have a deeper look at safety and security, and the meaning of those words in every day South African life, a rather startling thought pops into my mind.

I would like to share a piece of my mind, and hope that it makes complete sense. However, I would urge you to think clearly about the matter, and come to your own conclusions. Only then can a decision, the best one for you, be made.

When we speak of safety in the context of a residential home the words safety and security means just that.

Safety – A place of freedom away from immediate danger. A refuge, a safe haven where the well being of your life is without threat, and with a reliable consistency in the events that presents themselves.

Living in a safe place indeed is a great luxury and offers more freedom and, more importantly, a sense of control and well being over our lives.

That sense of well being, derived from a sense of control, offers confidence. As long as we feel in control of our lives, and feel good about ourselves and confident, we feel that we can conquer the world. We feel that nothing can touch us.

Security– In the sense of security systems such as the police force, the armed response force, security systems at home. They all are or ought to be, offering one thing – to fend off threats to your safety.

In a sense the work of any country’s government is to assure just that: Consistency in safety regarding everyday life in and around the country.

Unfortunately, all the people living in a country are not law abiding and/or good people, and there are people out there that have no respect for others. We all know the dire crime statistics of South Africa. Those people prey on you, the model citizen who makes an honest living. Coupled to that dire reality, no system is impregnable.

The point I want to touch is therefore the confidence part of feeling safe:  The Mental Attitude.

Although knowing this is a crime ridden country, people tend to live as though they are in Europe. They are ignorant of the risks that threaten their very lives, or simply choose to ignore them in the hope it will go away.

The reality of the fact is that we live in the most violent democracy in the world!

Living in a save haven in the sense of safety described above is almost impossible. That is the reality.

You are at high risk for violent high-jacking just driving your car.

You are at risk in your home.

You are at high risk all the time: going to the mall, seeing a movie, even going to church.

In other words that sense of security and confidence you feel when you are “safe” at home is nothing more than a feeling – a very dangerous feeling. I have heard so many times how untrained and unprepared people make scary remarks like; “When I am under attack, my adrenalin will take over and instinctively I will win the fight” What a foolish comment!!

I want to remind every reader, that you DO have a choice: A choice to look at the situation realistically. A choice to start to do things differently: To take responsibility for your own safety.

And that is What Fortis Pro-Active Defence Solutions is all about. Breaching the gap between false confidence, and professional training in order to empower you to react the way you ought to react in the situations where it will mean the most.

We at Fortis wish to make a positive imprint in the field of preparedness against crime, therefore we urge you to not only prepare yourself but also to go out and spread the word.

A deeper look at false confidence and the reciprocal impact it has on personal defence will be discussed in our next letter. The relationship between instinctive responses when in danger versus professional training where your abilities and weaknesses are known will be given in detail. Until then, happy Christmas and keep safe.

TC