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Learning ways to protect yourself in unsafe and unpredictable situations is necessary. Whether you are a victim of a hijacking or a home invasion, being aware, prepared, and knowing when to act can improve your safety. Read on to discover practical steps to protect yourself when faced with situations that compromise your safety.

1. Stay Alert

Staying alert and enhancing your awareness can be your first line of defence in public spaces. Avoiding distractions like being on your phone or wearing headphones can help improve your awareness of your surroundings. Constantly scanning your environment for potential threats, such as unfamiliar faces loitering near you, unusual vehicles trailing you, or people acting suspiciously in public, can help you stay alert and know when to run for safety.

2. Trust Your Instincts and Remove Yourself from Danger

Trusting your instincts can help you sense danger and distance yourself from it. Whether walking away from an escalating heated argument or crossing the street if you feel someone is following you, the goal is to put as much space as possible between yourself and the threat.

Most importantly, it’s always important to identify safe spaces like well-lit shops or police stations when you feel like you’re in high-risk areas.

3. Secure Your Location

If leaving isn’t an immediate option, the main focus should be securing your current location. In such circumstances, the FREE-to-use iER App can be your lifeline to accessing immediate emergency services at the press of a button. Other steps you can take include:

• Locking your vehicle’s doors and keeping your windows rolled up, especially at traffic lights.
• Investing in strong locks, security gates, and alarms at home.
• Finding a secure, visible spot to monitor your surroundings in public.

4. Call for Help

The FREE-to-use iER App offers exceptional emergency assistance solutions by connecting you with various emergency services, including police, medical, and roadside assistance during a crisis. Moreover, you can connect to the emergency centre without risking your safety through the panic button widget or the silent alert feature. Knowing how to contact emergency responders quickly can be a lifesaver.

5. Defend Yourself when Necessary

While avoidance and escape are always preferable, unfortunately, there are situations where you may need to defend yourself to survive. Basic self-defence techniques like pepper spray can help you create an opportunity to escape. Common self-defence strategies include targeting vulnerable areas like the eyes to weaken your attacker so you can escape.

6. Communicate Your Whereabouts

Letting someone know where you are can improve your chances of survival. Before heading to unfamiliar places, share your plans and expected arrival times with trusted family or friends. It’s important to keep trusted contacts updated on your movements should anything happen to compromise your safety.

7. Stay Calm Under Pressure

In emergencies, panic can be your worst enemy. Take deep breaths to stay grounded and focus on immediate steps to ensure your safety. When calm, you’re better equipped to make rational decisions like finding an exit route or alerting authorities.

8. Prepare for the Worst

Preparation can mean the difference between life and death in an unsafe situation. Here are some proactive measures that can keep you safe:

• Take a self-defence class.
• Keep emergency contacts saved on your phone and write them somewhere easily accessible.
• Carry a charged power bank to ensure your phone is always usable.
• Download safety apps like the FREE-to-use iER App for quick access to emergency services.

9. Learn and Adapt

After experiencing an unsafe situation, it’s important to reflect on what happened and identify areas where you could improve your response. For instance, if you don’t know the closest police station, research such locations in your area. Learning and adapting ways to improve your reactions and awareness can improve the outcomes when you deal with a real-life emergency.

The Role of the iER App in Your Safety Plan

The FREE-to-use iER App is a reliable emergency response app that everyone can use. It offers peace of mind through:

• One-tap alerts to an emergency centre that can immediately connect to over 18,000 medical and non-medical responders.
• With enabled location settings on your smartphone, emergency units can find you quickly.
• Wide Service Network: Access medical, police, and other emergency services in one place.
• 24/7 emergency support to ensure you have easy access to emergency assistance any time, day or night.

Anyone can experience unsafe situations. However, preparation, awareness, and tools like the FREE-to-use iER App can significantly improve your chances of safety. Adopting these various steps to protect yourself when faced with unsafe situations can help improve one’s chances of staying safe.