In managing a violent physical threat you have only three available protective measures: proactive measures, active measures and reactive measures. You guessed correctly; the “A” answer is proactive measures. If you can hear it, see it, smell it coming, then you’ve got all the time and opportunity at your disposal to step off those railroad tracks and avoid the impact of that incoming freight train.
Failing proactive measures, you still have time and opportunity to take effective active measures, such as move out of the way, cross the street, get out a back door, place an obstruction (or obstructions) between you and the threat. All of these will at least help you avoid being trapped with your back up against the wall and forced into reactive measures.
Failing both proactive and active measures you end up behind the action-reaction power curve where your soft skills (non-physical measures) are no longer applicable. Here, you are caught off guard, moving backwards on your heels and trying to gain control of extreme physical violence.
First responders, if alerted, may try to reach you expediently, but if they don’t, then you are the one and only first responder on scene by default. You are the “agent in charge” responsible for protecting those with you including yourself.
Under duress optimal physical performance is diminished. Trying to remember a dozen different tacti-cool ninja moves and keeping them all straight in your head doesn’t afford you a tactical advantage and adds nothing but further complexity to the situation. Keep it simple by employing three core elements of an optimal response: preparation, mental toughness and planning.
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