Pepper Spray

  The active ingredient in PEPPER SPRAY is Oleoresin Capsiscum, commonly referred to as OC.  The potency of PEPPER SPRAY depends on the percentage of OC in the mixture.  Concentrations generally run from 5% to approximately 20%.  OC is a biological substance that occurs naturally in varieties of common peppers.  It has proven to be a more desirable agent for self-defense purposes because it is more effective on more people than are the older chemical agents, CS and CN (commonly referred to as MACE).  Another advantage is that there is a larger group of people who may suffer allergic reactions to  CS or CN exposure compared to OC exposure.  Some states prohibit the possession and use of CS or CN by civilians but allow civilian possession/use of PEPPER SPRAY.

   The underlying strategy of PEPPER SPRAY is to accommodate escape from an assailant.  When someone experiences the unexpected exposure to PEPPER SPRAY, they experience an intense burning sensation in their mucous membranes, an interruption in their visual acuity, and and interruption in their respiratory ability.  Some people have reported experiencing anxiety attacks and thoughts that they were experiencing a heart attack following an unexpected exposure to PEPPER SPRAY.  Their mental focus is inevitably shifted from their intended assault to figuring out what the hell happened and their recovery.  This provides the intended victim with precious time to escape.  (It is important to remember that the immediate reaction after deployment of PEPPER SPRAY is to run away and to find help and not to pause to gauge the effectiveness of the PEPPER SPRAY or to admire your handiwork.)

   You'll note that many of the pepper spray units offered by GRW Solutions are designed with a key ring or to attach to your key ring.  The reason is that pepper spray, or any self-defense tool for that matter, doesn't do you much good when it's buried in the bottom of a purse or a pant or jacket pocket.  If it is attached to your car keys, you're much more likely to have it in your hand when you're going to or from your vehicle - when you're most likely to need it.  Remember that assailants aren't likely to give you a "time out" or a "do over."  Whatever self-defense tool you determine is most appropriate for you and your self-defense strategy needs to be where you can get it and deploy it at a second's notice.

Personal Alarms

   Many of us have already decided that when faced with an imminent assault that, barring astronomical odds, surrender is not an option.  I would venture to guess that most people are predisposed to fight and actively resist a physical assault or a kidnapping.  The only quandary is how best to do that.


   It may be simpler than you imagine.  Most assailants tend to approach their criminal activity surreptitiously – they don’t want or like public attention or witnesses as they ply their ‘craft.’  One of the best tactics an intended victim might apply is to draw as much attention to their circumstance as possible. Assailants become much more stressed when they know others in the immediate vicinity are seeing what they’re doing and could serve as witnesses.  (Some people are even inclined to intervene and assist a victim.)


   Most of us are fairly well equipped with a couple of lungs and a set of vocal chords as natural tools we could use to engage in this particular tactic.  Those are good, but they are not best – being rather easily defeated. Sound is a good attention-getter, but sound and light are even better.  The louder thesound the better.  Many assailants’ mental focus switches instantly from the assault to escape from the noise and light, not to mention from the attention of all those in the vicinity of the incident.


   Carrying a ‘personal alarm’ is a safer, most sure way of applying this tactic in self-defense.  There are several relatively inexpensive devices out there with multi-functionality that bring light and a piercing sound to draw attention to you and your situation.  They are convenient to carry, easy to use, and they are effective.


   The particular device that is pictured above can also be used remotely as a door or window alarm – something that could be invaluable while traveling and lodging in hotels or motels.

Fight, flight or surrender.

    How would you respond to an assault?

   Would you fight?  Some people, by their very nature, are inclined to fight when faced with an imminent assault.  Some of them are very capable fighters that have dedicated the time and energy to developing and maintaining serious fighting skills. But, realistically, most of us are not that person.

   In most circumstances of a typical assault, the assailant has the advantage.  They strategize it that way.  They identify targets that they perceive are weaker, slower, clumsier, etc. Most of us would have to bring some assistance along with us if we were to stand a reasonable chance of prevailing in a physical confrontation.

   No one has yet invented the magic ‘Incredible Hulk’ pill. (That famous little blue pill’s effects are too limited to serve us well in this magnitude of assault.)  If we can’t enhance ourselves when facing an assault, the next best option would be to diminish the capabilities of the assailant.  There is a multitude of  techniques to accomplish this.

   Remember that ‘flight’ is always a plausible reaction to an assault – IF the opportunity presents itself.  An assailant who has put thought into his or her attack may have thought about that and strategized to minimize any opportunity of flight.

    Surrender is also an option.  Some hold that resisting an assailant just escalates the confrontation and increases the odds that you might be more seriously injured.  I guess it depends on the assailant’s end target.  If the assailant is after your money, I’m inclined to say, “Surrender it.”  Contemporary philosophy concerning robbery is that it’s not worth the risk of injury to protect things monetary or material.  Some hold that same philosophy concerning sexual assaults as well.

   Whatever you decide to do in response to an assault, don't let anyone tell you it was the wrong decision.  Only you can make a decision under such circumstances. You are the only one who had an opportunity to assess the magnitude of the threat you faced. You are the only one who could assess your immediate capabilities, your level of wellness, and the odds and risks of resistance. Too many people (even some crusty old cops) are way too quick to blame the victims of assault saying things like, “He shouldn’t have been there”; or “She shouldn’t have been dressed like that.”  But this is America. We’re supposed to be able to go wherever we want to go, whenever we want to go there, dressed however we want to be dressed.  It’s called "freedom."

Self-Defense: The Firearms Strategy

  It seems the first things that come to many people’s mind when they think of self-defense strategies is a firearm.  People have it in their minds that firearms are the ultimate in self-defense because firearms are lethal and  “… nobody can defeat a gun.”  The entertainment media in America has created an entirely romantic notion of firearms usage in defense of the good guys when they are assaulted by the nefarious villains attempting to rob them of their fortunes and virtue.  Reality is a little more drastic than that.

   First, I just want to assure everyone that I would never attempt to dissuade or discourage any qualified and considered person from adopting a self-defense strategy based on firearms.  In fact, I encourage everyone to know and understand their rights guaranteed under the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, and to know their privileges, responsibilities and limitations dictated by their state and local laws concerning the use of firearms in pursuit of self-defense.  Recently, the various levels of government seem to be opening their collective minds a bit more to the legitimacy of firearms ownership and usage for home protection and self-defense.  More and more localities are adopting “concealed carry” laws.

   The downside of a firearms-based self-defense strategy is that there is an imminently higher public and governmental expectation of competency as well as a much more circuitous legal aspect.  There is also a much higher risk of unintended collateral damage associated with firearms as compared with most other self-defense strategies.  Maintaining proficiency with a firearm is time-consuming, expensive and requires special accommodation.  But if you are willing to make the personal investment and commitment required to correctly initiate and maintain a firearms-based self-defense strategy, it is your right.

   If you do decide on the firearms strategy, it is critically important to do it correctly 24/7/365.  If your habits or circulation tendencies cause you to run afoul of the law, you will find your other self-defense options (and many other aspects of your life) significantly more limited.

Strategizing Your Self-Defense.

   Everyone who accepts responsibility for ensuring their personal safety and security should invest a good deal of thought about how they intend to do that.  There are a variety of elements that require serious consideration.

1. What kinds of risks are presented to you personally?  Are you involved in any high-risk activities in your professional life such as carrying quantities of money to or from a bank for your business or employer?  Is there anything going on in your personal life that might cause someone to be angry with you or hold a grudge against you?  Do the patterns of your life take you into areas that have higher incidence of criminal activity?  Are you a Super Model like me?  Could someone be stalking you?  If you had to respond affirmatively to any of the previous questions, you should be concerned about your safety and you should be making preparations to ensure it.

2.  What is your level of vulnerability?  What kind of physical condition are you in?  Do you suffer any disadvantages in your ability to see or move?  What kind of tools could/would help you overcome your disadvantages or disabilities?

3. What about your sensibilities?  What are you willing to do in order to protect yourself?  Many people don’t give much thought to how an assailant might be harmed in the process of defending yourself from him or her, but many people do.  Will your conscience allow you to incur dramatic changes to the quality of an assailant’s life?  Or does your personal ethos require you to inflict as little damage as possible on your assailant in the process of defending yourself?

4. What are you allowed to do in order to protect yourself?  You will need to do a little legal research to determine what the state and local laws you are subject to allow you to utilize for self-defense and what they prohibit you from utilizing for self-defense.  The local laws in many areas prohibit or otherwise regulate when and where certain self-defense tools can be be carried and/or used.  Not only do you need to survive the assault, but you need to survive the inevitable legal scrutiny as well.

   When you’ve answered these questions to your personal satisfaction, you are ready to begin strategizing how you intend to protect yourself.

"When Seconds Count ..."

   The purpose and intent of this blog is to spur thought and discussion about the area of self-defense and self-protection.  The title of the blog, “When Seconds Count …” is the preface of a modern adage that I have observed to be very true and accurate.  The entire adage is this:  “When seconds count, the police are mere minutes away.”

   I recently retired from a 38½-year career in law enforcement and protective services, working on both the front end and the back end of the criminal justice process.  I’ve learned from experience that it is almost impossible that a police officer will be right there with you when you are faced with someone intent upon assailing you or someone that is with you.  Likewise, a police officer is not likely to be at your home or business at the particular moment a burglar or burglars breach and invade.

   Anyone who applies a modicum of rationale thought to this reality would realize the odds are tremendously against the police and the assailant/burglar/vandal/thief/interloper being in the same place at the same time.  This is mostly by design of the assailant/burglar/vandal/thief/interloper.  Those guys just don’t like to be around the police.

   Yet I’ve heard hundreds of people express this ‘police omnipresence concept’ as an actual expectation.  The hard truth is, it just isn’t going to happen – unless your pockets are bottomless money wells and you are able to hire a cadre of round-the-clock bodyguards and security guards.

   The point is your safety and protection and the safety and protection of your property is your personal responsibility.  Anyone who thinks they can defer that responsibility to a law enforcement or private security agency is incredibly naive.

   Future entries on this blog will discuss the philosophy and the various strategies and tactics of taking care of yourself, your stuff, your place and some of the tools and important legal considerations behind them.  The author invites your comments about any or all of the blog posts, especially when the comment presents insights into some of the peculiarities of legal aspects – there are some units of government out there that pass some pretty strange laws.