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Movement is defined as traversing through a public/private space/environment. Movement is walking, bicycling, driving, traveling by train, and/or subway/public transportation. When moving it is imperative you and your party know where your assets are in the environment you will be interacting with. Assets being defined as positive organizations which increase survivability and aid during a crisis or dangerous situation. For example, when traveling in a new environment it is crucial to be aware of these entities: Law Enforcement/Local Police Station. Emergency Medical Facilities and U.S. Embassy [if travelling internationally]. Once you have located these entities closest to the environments you will be in, you must then figure out what realistic aid your assets are able to assist you with. What are their capabilities? Is it a 24/7 aid or are there specific hours the aid will be available? What tools/equipment does the aid posses to be effective in de-escalating/containing or recovering from a crisis situation? What situations are outside of their services? What is their average time of arrival? Can you and your party maintain/survive until they arrive? These are all questions it is beneficial to have answers to when engaging with a new/foreign environment. You should also understand the environment’s rules, regulations, and taboos.
There are two points of location we will be assessing. Habitual Areas and Anchor Points. Habitual areas are defined as environments which offer public access and are usually uncontrolled. Little to no security presence. Examples of this are shopping malls, Plazas, Marketplaces, Movie theaters, and parks. Habitual areas can be observed by the proxemic pull it creates in the environment. Proxemic pulls are instances where there is an influx of people to a specific environment. The American Holiday, Black Friday, is an example of a proxemic pull. Anchor points are areas that are usually controlled environments. Meaning the presence of security. These environments usually have some form of access control [metal detector, wand, and/or Identification verification.] Anchor points create a proxemic push in the environment. Proxemic push being the instance where there is an efflux (outflow) of people leaving or staying away from a specific environment. An example of this are Airports, Private Clubs/Sports Bars, Government buildings, and some Corporate Establishments. Knowing what type of environment one is engaging with will also tell us the rules and regulations as well as what to expect when creating a baseline for the environment. For example if you were at a park, and you noticed a heightened security/law enforcement presence one might begin to feel a sense of fear or raise one’s awareness to take in more information to figure out the reason for their presence. The reason being one does not usually expect to see a heavy presence of officers/security at a public park. This is an anomaly. An outlier to the baseline or what is expected/appropriate in an environment, while seeing a heavy security/law enforcement presence in an airport or government building would be something you would expect in those environments. It should be noted, proxemic pulls and pushes can be observed in any environment with the appropriate stimulus/triggering event/antecedent. Red zones are areas which pose a threat/danger to an individual or group based on race, age, gender, sexual orientation, and/or group/affiliation. It is imperative to be aware of the territorial markers/indicators of these zones as well as the etiquette/protocol to blend in and appropriately interact with these environments if travelling through them is a must in order to get to your destination. Otherwise, these zones should be acknowledged and avoided if possible.
Moving through an environment can be dangerous if one does not know the rules, regulations, and taboos of an environment. It is imperative when traversing a new/foreign environment one is aware of their assets and capabilities, but also aware of what environments directly pose a threat to the individual based on physical/social/identity traits and characteristics.
Be Kind, Stay Deadly
Eclipse Protection Inc.