Anthony Karpanos
Helping mining, construction & venue organisations build safety that works in the field | Founding Director, Soteria 360 | 25+ yrs law enforcement & WHS | Author | Speaker
April 7, 2025
Welcome back to How to Stay Tacticool, your front-line guide to safety and preparedness. In my very first issue, I broke down myths around event security. This time, I’m zooming out to explore situational awareness in day-to-day life. Whether you’re walking to work, shopping at a mall, or heading out for an evening with friends, recognising early warning signs of trouble can make all the difference. In a world that’s busy and distracting, practicing situational awareness isn’t about living in fear—it’s about staying alert, confident, and proactive no matter where you go.
What is Situational Awareness? Situational awareness is the ability to identify, process, and comprehend the critical elements of what’s happening around you—essentially, knowing what’s going on so you can act safely and efficiently. In everyday life, it means keeping your head up instead of always scrolling through your phone and noticing if something is “off” in your environment. It’s a skill we all have at a baseline level, but it becomes far more effective when we practice it intentionally.
Why it Matters Everywhere
- Commuting: Whether you’re on a train or driving, being attuned to unusual noises, erratic driving behaviours, or suspicious packages can give you time to react calmly.
- Shopping and Errands: Crowded environments are prime spots for pickpockets or conflict situations. A quick scan of exits, security cameras, and crowd flow can help you avoid trouble.
- Social Settings: Bars, restaurants, or busy night spots can quickly go from festive to chaotic. Spotting someone who seems overly agitated or a heated dispute in the making can help you steer clear or alert staff before things escalate.
Key Principles to Stay Tacticool Daily
- Know Your Baseline: Observe what’s “normal” in a location—sound levels, foot traffic, typical behaviours. Anything that doesn’t fit is an anomaly worth paying attention to.
- Engage All Senses: Don’t rely solely on sight; notice sudden changes in sound (like raised voices) or even strange odours (e.g., smoke).
- Positioning: Standing near an exit or having a clear line of sight can be vital if a problem arises. It’s not paranoia—it’s practical forward-thinking.
Overcoming Distractions
Modern life offers constant temptation to tune out—endless apps, notifications, and music streaming. Breaking this habit doesn’t mean you have to “go dark” on technology. Instead:
- Look up every few minutes if you’re on a device in public.
- If you’re listening to music, keep the volume at a level where you can still hear ambient noise.
Professional Spotlight
This week we are featuring Scott Taylor CPP® 🎤🗣️🎙️ – Scott has been involved with the Security sector for over 30 years and has operated across the gamut of security and risk. He is the Founder of Praesidium Risk and Resilience, Australia’s premier specialist training organisation on non-verbal communication, conflict management and pre violence indicators. Praesidium provide training for stadiums, government agencies and a diverse range of organisations across the retail, healthcare and hospitality sectors.
From speaking to people onsite at Westfield Bondi the day after the tragic incident, there were people going about their everyday lives with two noise cancelling headphones in and looking at their iPhones as they went through their day. We are sadly unaware of what goes on around us. This is not about being fearful but just being aware and prepared. Situational awareness is a work skill for first responders of all backgrounds, but it is equally a life skill for us all.
We need to understand that not everyone has a moral compass aligned to our own so we should look for what changes in any situation when we come into it. Change to one headphone and if you have to look at that device, like you are now, position yourself well to have a view across the area you are in and regularly look up.
By making eye contact with those around you, it enhances connection, and it directly ties into one of the principles we teach “people with good intentions want to be noticed, people with bad intentions don’t”
TactiCOOL Tip of the Week
Use the “10-Second Scan”: Every time you enter a new place—a café, office, or store—take 10 seconds to scan for exits, any security presence (cameras or staff), and potential blind spots. This simple habit, repeated enough, becomes second nature and can significantly boost your day-to-day safety.
Call-to-Action & Next Steps
How do you stay Tacticool in your daily life? Share your favourite situational awareness strategy in the comments below. Let’s crowdsource tips: maybe you’ve got a clever commute trick or a surefire way to spot trouble in a crowded spot.
Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-karpanos-088692246
Feel free to share this newsletter with friends, colleagues, or fellow event enthusiasts—together, let’s stay prepared, proactive, and of course… Tacticool!