The Governor of Missouri has just declared a racially charged state of emergency because of the pending results of the grand jury investigation into the shooting of a Ferguson, Missouri man Michael Brown.

A ‘social’ uprising and movement has followed this highly publicized police shooting.

Unfortunately this situation has been out of control since the beginning. Marred by protests, riots, looting, and serious violence.

People are angry … but they’re really angry for the wrong reason. I’m not going to get into the political, social, and racial aspects of what’s going on. But the ringleaders are really causing America trouble on this one.

But the biggest concern I have isn’t fixing society, overcoming racism, or blaming anyone. My concern is STAYING SAFE AND ALIVE!

Avoid Dangerous Places and situations

The first rule of staying safe during times of social unrest is avoidance. Just avoid dangerous areas and groups of angry people. If I need to spell out what and where to avoid … well good luck to you.

Stay Alert and Observant

A lot of people that survive a bad situation usually say something afterwards like: “I didn’t see that angry mob over there.” or “I was caught off-guard.”

When things are getting heated it’s important to have your guard up and pay attention to your surroundings. You can avoid trouble if you aren’t keeping an eye out for it.

Be prepared to Defend and Retreat

I’ve upped my personal defense daily carry when I go out for the time being. There are a lot of people ready to cause harm if they don’t get their way.

If you are a concealed carrier – congratulations. If you aren’t, it’s situations like this where it could come in handy.

Check your local laws for acceptable – and legal – self-defense tools. An expanding baton can be bought for under $20 and can help tip the scales in your favor in a self-defense situation. Only carry if legal in your area.

If you have had to defend yourself don’t stay in a potentially dangerous situation. Defend and get out of there. If you feel like you need to inform the authorities that is your choice. If you’ve had to cause serious harm to another to defend yourself you may be legally obligated to inform the authorities. I likely would just so it doesn’t come back to bite you in the ass later.

Make a Plan

Having a plan for what to do if things go wrong is extremely important. It significantly reduces your reaction time. And if you have multiple family members or friends in a survival situation you should all know the plan.

The situation in Missouri – and across – America isn’t a situation to be taken lightly. There is plenty of danger and I hope that since you’re here and reading this that you are one of the few that understand.

Stay safe out there and be prepared!