"Condition Yellow" is a term coined by one of the all-time great personal defense teachers, the late Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper. Colonel Cooper described condition white as a state in which one was unaware of his or her surrounding and was unprepared to react to sudden danger. Condition yellow is a state of relaxed alertness. In condition yellow, you are aware of who and what is around you. You are paying attention to the sights and sounds that surround you, but this is not a state of paranoia or any other irrational fear. You simply maintain a level of alertness that will prevent you from being totally surprised by the actions of another person. Condition Orange is a heightened awareness focused on gathering input when there is reason to believe that some particular danger is present. And, condition red is when a specific danger has been identified.
Accept that you may be a target, so make yourself a hard target. Conduct an assessment of your vulnerabilities. How might you be attacked on the job, at home, outside doing activities, while driving in vehicle or parked, and anything else that comes to mind. Then take immediate steps to mitigate any vulnerabilities that you identify whenever possible. Look at your daily routines and reassess them.
Pay attention and stay aware of your surroundings at all times. Expect to be attacked. Formulate a plan for wherever you go, and whenever you encounter suspicious people or circumstances. You may be attacked but you should never be surprised.
Pull your head out of your smartphone. Don’t look at it for more than a few seconds when you are out and about in a public area where anyone is around you. If it helps, just think of some attacker coming up from behind and blowing your brains out every time you are looking down to do some texting or check an email in public.
Improve your performance with firearms - particularly handguns. Learning to fight effectively with a handgun is more than just upgrading your qualification scores. If you are being targeted with deadly force, commit to the fight, stay mentally calm and stay deliberate in your shooting. Every round has a purpose. Don’t let fear of consequences - legal or otherwise - rule your decisions. Hesitation is a killer.
Start carrying a gun that you can shoot well. A gun that’s too small is far harder to shoot quickly and accurately then a bigger gun. Use a proper holster and mag pouches. Wear appropriate clothing to conceal it effectively. Carry at least two extra magazines as well as the one in the gun.
Protect your home and your family. Train your spouse and children how to think and what to do. Have a plan for incidents in and out of the home or at school etc. Teach them self-defense skills and the use of firearms if they are old enough to learn. Harden their minds to the use of force and teach them how to fight. Feeling helpless is debilitating at any age.
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