The Institute for Personal Safety

August 05, 2016

October is fire safety month.  Each year there are 365,000 house fires.  That is one house fire ever 90 seconds.  There are many causes from clogged dryer vents, people falling asleep smoking, defective stoves or electrical wiring, to arson.  Those fires each year take 2,650 lives of Fathers, Mothers, and children.  Even though that number is half of how many died in 1977 it is still too many. These lives were needlessly cut short when there is so much we can do to eliminate these deaths. Most people think people die from exposure to heat and flames however the number one cause of death is smoke inhalation.  This article does a great job of outlining the hazards and methods to stay alive during a fire. There are many elements to fire safety.  They are prevention, detection, containment, evacuation, and extinguishment.  Here are a few suggestions.

Place and inspect semi-annually smoke detectors in your house.   A smoke detector should be placed in each room of the house.  If you close a bedroom door but only have a detector somewhere else in the house you may not be warned of a fire in your room!  The most common is a battery-operated smoke detector because of their ease of installation. You do not need an electrician to install it for you.  One issue with a battery-operated smoke detector is battery life.  Make sure you check the battery in your detector at minimum of every six months.  

Purchase, practice, and inspect a fire extinguisher for your house. Don’t be a hero, if a fire is to large or dangerous call the professionals.  If there is an immediate threat to life they you better know how to use a fire extinguisher.   There are 5 different types of extinguishers A, B, C, D, and K.  We can write a whole article on just this subject This article is a great place to start.  A good suggestion is to learn how to use one before the fire so buy an extra and practice with it. During a high stress event you will fall back to your highest level of training.

Though its not related to fire you should also install a carbon monoxide (CO) detector as well.  Known as the silent killer because it is odorless, colorless, and tasteless CO can kill you quickly or over a period of time. CO will inhibit your body’s ability to transport oxygen through the body. Many household appliances can produce oxygen.  The symptoms of CO poisoning include drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, headaches, burning of the eyes, and loss of consciousness.   Here is a great article on CO and where to place CO detectors.

Fore more information on house fires click here.

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August 01, 2016

Do you know what 80 million people in the United States have in common? They have hypertension.  The problem is many do not know they have it. You could have it and not have any symptoms. If you systolic preassure (the first number) exceeds 180 or your diastolic pressure exceeds 110 you need to seek immediate emergency medical help.  The question is, unless you have been trained to use a Sphygmomanometer (Blood Pressure Cuff) you don't know your readings.  Those blood pressure machines at your local grocery store near the Pharmacy may not be accurate.  Plus I woud be willing to say you probably don't have one in your house.  According to Webmd.com one of the steps you to be performed before taking your blood pressure is "Rest in a chair next to a table for five to 10 minutes. (Your left arm should rest comfortably at heart level."  Do you do that in the grocery store machine? 

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The best thing to do is to take your blood pressure reading at home where you are more comfortable. There are many different models The Omron BP652N 7 Series Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor is the one not only in our house be we purchased one for my Mother.  It is easy to use and the numbers are large enough to read (even without your glasses, Mom).  

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Of course if you purchase a portable blood pressure cuff you will need to read the instructions and take your reading consistently.  You also need to document your readings and share them with your doctor.  That will help him/her understand your medical condition better.  

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July 25, 2016

The average firearm when discharged is between 140 and 170 dB.  It is even louder when when there are reflective surfaces to bounce the noise like walls of an indoor range!  The sound is increased if the firearm has a muzzle break.  Damage begins the first time you are exposed and unfortunately is permanent. I have seen many older shooters at ranges without ear protection because they feel its not manly. Those are also the the same people who have permanent hearing loss. We recommend that not only you wear ear protection but multiple layers of ear protection.  

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Ear Protection is available from as low as the $ 7.00 ear muffs you can buy at a big box store. Is your hearing worth more than $ 7.00?  Spend the extra money.  A disadvantage of ear protection is it also impedes the ability for you to hear any dangerous issue around you.  I use a pair of active ear protection. They have built in ear protection that reduces ambient noise when it exceeds 82dB. The omi directional microphone allows you to have conversation easily or safety instructions from the Range Safety Officer.  If you have a radio for communications there is a 3.5mm jack so you can plug into the ear protection.  Here are some other recomendations from the American Speech and Hearing Association:

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• - Always use some type of hearing protection any time you fire a gun.

• - Always have disposable HPDs handy—make them part of your gear.

• - Double-protect your ears, like putting muffs over plugs, when shooting big-bore firearms.

• - Choose smaller caliber firearms for target practice and hunting.

• - Choose single-shot firearms instead of lever action, pump, or semi-automatic guns.

• - Avoid shooting in groups or in reverberant environments.

• - Use electronic or nonlinear HPDs for hunting.

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July 18, 2016

There are many ways in which one can continute the learning process. One of my favorites is to listen to podcasts and reading.  One of the favorite podcasts is Student of the Gun hosted by Paul Markle.  He always says "Your a beginner once but a student for life". In essence you should continue to learn throughout life. The other method, books, is perfect for when listening to podcasts wont suffice. This is one from our library.  

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"Left of Bang"

This is a must read for anyone. not just the armed citizen,  who is concerned for their safety. The bang in the title is the event i.e. the shooting, mugging, or other event you whish had not happened to you.  THis book will help you avoid those situations by learning how become more familiar with you surroiundings and thus giving you the ability to avoid the event in the first place.  

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Originally written to help young Marines increase thier surviability in conflict. These same skills can help you when out in the public. 

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Here is what a few men I highly respect have to say about this book. 

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"At a time when we must adapt to the changing character of conflict, this is a serious book on a serious issue that can give us the edge we need.”

—General James Mattis, USMC, Ret.

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“An amazing book! Applying the lessons learned during the longest war in American history, and building on seminal works like The Gift of Fear and On Combat, this book provides a framework of knowledge that will bring military, law enforcement, and individual citizens to new levels of survival mindset and performance in life-and-death situations. Left of Bang is an instant classic.”

--Lt. Colonel Dave Grossman, U.S. Army Ret., author of On Combat and On Killing

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July 11, 2016

How often to you go to the range and practice? Probably not enough, you should be going 2 to 3 times a month at minimum. The price and availability of ammo can sure make it a challenge.  I came across this device about a year ago and immediately bought one.  You can practice anywhere and anytime! After the initial purchase there are no consumables (ammo, cleaning supplies, etc) to buy.  This is one of my grandsons favorite things to do.

It comes with a simulated handgun, which is based on an actual handgun. The trigger pull is realistic.  It comes with a laser you put in the barrel and activates when it hears the trigger being actuated.  It emits a brief light and you aim towards the target.  The target reports where you hit it, you can also set it up to for reaction times.  You turn on the reaction timer and wait for the target to give you a brief light and you draw and shoot it. You have to do it within a certain time to get credit.

The only drawback I found is you have to remove the battery from the lazer or the battery will drain. There is no on/off switch

July 04, 2016

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If you travel and stay in hotels you really need one of these.  I have traveled most of my career and multiple times I have had the hotel double book my room and had people walk into my room!  Luckily each time I was awake but what if they checked in during the middle of the night!!

You can have some piece of mind for fewer than ten bucks.  This device slips under the door. When the door is opened it presses on the switch and sets of a 120-decibel alarm.  That’s loud enough to wake even the deepest of sleepers.

It fits easily into a backpack, laptop bag, or your checked luggage. It works off a 9 volt battery and can also be used as a cost effective alarm system at your house or dorm.

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