f.e.m.m.eSafety Blog

I recently received an e mail warning about another predatory, or date rape drug.

It describes an account of a woman who was approached at a gas station by a man offering his painting services. She took his business card, got into her car a left the station. She states that the painter and a second man followed her out of the gas station.

She states that she immediately began to feel dizzy and could not catch her breath and also noticed a strong odor in the car. She apparently went a neighbors home and honked her horn for help at which time she says the men following her drove away.

She states she felt bad for a few minutes and then noticed a substance on the business card. She states she went on the Internet and found that a drug called “burundanga” can be used to incapacitate victims after being absorbed through the skin.

This e mail was accompanied by a link to an article written by Stephen Pittel, PhD a forensic expert and consultant’s site.

Doctor Pittel indeed describes Burundanga as “a potent form of scopalamine that has been used for decades in Columbia in native rituals, as a weapon and by criminals who prey on tourists.”

Doctors most commonly use scopolamine to treat nausea and motion sickness and often with a trans dermal patch. Scopolamine can cause dizziness, drowsiness and blurred vision even in lower doses, and delirium, unconsciousness and memory loss in large doses, three reasons it has been used as a predatory drug. As with many substances, alcohol has a compounding effect!

Some authors state that in recent years fifty percent of emergency room admission for poisoning in Columbia are due to overdoses of this agent.

Pitell and others note that the State Department has issued warnings to those traveling to South American countries to be aware of this potential threat given the number of tourist that have been robbed after unknowingly ingesting burundanga.

Although this substance is absorbed through the skin, most sources seem to question if one can absorb a large enough dose trans dermally from touching a card or travel brochure. The bigger threat is a large dose being put into a drink.

Whether or not the e mail account of the tainted business card is accurate and whether or not one can absorb enough of a trans dermal agent to become incapacitated is not the real issue.

• This e mail account should however serve to remind us that we need to be cognizant of those around us any time we are out in public and especially when at parties or functions. Any number of substances can be slipped into any beverage, or food for that matter, anywhere and at any time.

My recent blog entry recounts the tragic story of a couple who were robbed after being drugged by someone they befriended at a coffee shop while traveling in Europe.

Substances commonly used as predatory drugs here in the States include Rohypnol, GHB and Ketermine. Even if you open your own sealed bottle of water or can of soda when out in public, be aware that these compound can be mixed into the ice cubes that a seemingly considerate person may offer you!

Always watch as your drink is prepared, even if it is a latte on a sunny day. Be wary of someone who prepares your drink below bar top level and out of sight. Also be wary of anyone who wants to keep pouring you alcoholic beverages at a party!

The most commonly used substance for predatory purposes, especially date or acquaintance rape, is alcohol!

The opioid analgesics such as Oxycontin and hyrdocodone, effective pain medications when used appropriately, are also dangerous when abused as are the anti anxiety medications and muscle relaxants. Alcohol combined with these medication can result in death as the person gradually looses their urge to breath also knows as respiratory depression.

Often time a “cocktail” of different substances may be used to incapacitate the victim.

Obviously avoiding predatory drugs is paramount. If you are in a public setting or attending a function and do start to suddenly feel sleepy, disoriented and “out of it”, especially accompanied by loss of motor control, it is best to assume you have ingested a harmful agent and seek medical attention immediately.

Waiting a while to “see if I feel better” only robs you of precious time, time doctors will need to be able to help you!

In closing, and back to the gas station where the account of the lady’s story began, the most important thing to remember is to keep distance between yourself and strangers. You should always be wary of a stranger closing distance on you regardless of the stated reason, and especially when in an isolated environment! If you are followed drive to a busy well light area, or a police or fire station but not home, to a friends house, your place of work or any location your children will be at.

• The avoidance of the predatory drugs and safe dating are amongst the many topics we cover in our Mom Daughter and College Safety Trainings.

• Predatory Drugs are also addressed in our Travel Safety Training.

• Please visit the Resources area of our site for more information on these and other topics

We almost never hear about kidnappings for ransom here in the United States. While we should always be alert when we travel in this country, it is important to be aware of threats we may not think about here at home when we do travel abroad.

The kidnapping and tragic murder of a young man in Mexico who was taken from his wealthy family for ransom made it into the news cycle today. But this type of activity has been going on for a long time in Mexico and other parts of the world, especially the Third World, and is a tragic reminder of this growing problem. (Read the story)

Members of high net worth families living in these regions are not the only ones targeted. The incidence of kidnap for ransom of executives, especially those working for large corporations, is also of great concern.

Kidnapping is not the only crime that international travelers need to be aware of. Carjacking, home invasion and takeover robberies of places of business to include tourist destinations is not uncommon as is the use of date rape or “predatory” drugs for the purposes of robbery. The take over of tour buses and subsequent robbery of its passengers , not much unlike the stage coach robberies of the Old West, is also occurring more frequently.

Those visiting South Africa need to be aware of an alarming increase in the use of explosives to blow open ATM machines, a crime enabled by the easy access to explosives from the large mining industry. (Read an article on the incidence of ATM crime in South Africa)

Being watched upon arrival at an airport and then shadowed to a hotel and robbed at a later time also can and does occur. Unsuspecting tourist have often been abducted when they enter a vehicle at an airport that they assumed was a vetted taxi or transportation service.

As with any area of personal safety, knowledge is always key to forming sound strategies for the avoidance of crime. The State Department website has a country specific information page that includes travel warnings. The State Department also recommends using their Travel Registration service especially for those traveling to higher risk destinations.

We offer a safety class for those traveling within the United States.

• Our partner, Security, Survival Training and Consulting, Inc. offers a class for High Risk Travelers.

The post 9/11 world is more complex and poses more challenges to the international traveler.

Having a sound strategy from pre trip planning, and documentation to in country emergency contacts and contingency plans always makes for a safer and more enjoyable experience.

The importance of awareness, reading body language and knowing what is going on around you at all times is well illustrated in a true story I recently read in a reputable publication. This story also reveals how easily perpetrators can “hide in plain sight” and the importance of not dropping your guard just because you are in a well light, busy environment. Finally, it also is a reminder of how powerful a protective mechanism our instincts can be!

I will recount the writer’s described experience at a shopping mall.

He stated that he accompanied his wife to the mall upon her request. She was concerned about crime that had been reported in that area. He described a typical outing to a mall bustling with holiday shoppers.

At one point he states his wife got about four or five steps ahead of him while moving from one store to the next. He states that although he is always very aware of his surroundings, he suddenly “got that feeling something was about to happen.”

At that moment he noticed a man standing against a wall about 30 feet off to his left. This man was looking directly at his wife and watching her “like he was sizing her up.” The man then looked beyond them and nodded his head.

With his wife still ahead of him he took a quick look over his shoulder, just in time to spot another male 15 feet behind them nod back to the man at the wall.

Realizing that the two males were working as a team, he quickly caught up with his wife, took her by the arm and instructed her to stay close to him as he turned again to track the male behind them. He made eye contact with this person, now just 10 feet away, who by then had a puzzled look on his face. Realizing his element of surprise had been taken from him, the male looked down and reportedly quickly disappeared into the mall’s crowd.

He states that he then turned to track the initial man who he had seen against the wall and made eye contact with him too. He said that male was not intimidated at all and actually glared at him.

Of greater alarm was that he became aware of an additional three males, obviously working as a team, who turned and walked away with their leader, all of whom he had not noticed until that moment!

Knowing that “out of site” does not necessarily mean “out of mind”, the man waited 45 minutes before leaving the mall and walking his wife to their vehicle with great vigilance and no further incident.

I tell this man’s story not to create anxiety or to scare anyone.

Rather, this story is an excellent reminder of how important it is to maintain an elevated yet calm state of awareness when out and about and even in a busy environment. This man’s awareness, instincts, and his observation of body language and related intention, helped him avoid what could have been a serious problem!

A young lady who had taken our introductory situational awareness class approached me at a subsequent one hour “Assembly Safety” presentation at her high school and shared this story with me.

This account contains the four simple elements upon which we construct what we refer to as the “Safety Mindset”

1. Knowledge of crime as a process
2. Awareness of our surroundings
3. Obeying instincts
4. And always having a sound strategy in place

Let us refer to her as Ashley:

Ashley told me that she went out with a friend of hers to a restaurant on a weekend night. She said that she traveled to the restaurant in the same vehicle as her friend so as to adhere to the Buddy System (Strategy)

Upon returning to their vehicle after dinner, they noticed a panel van parked very close to Ashley’s drivers side door in the quiet dark parking lot.

Having knowledge of the relevance of a panel van, and obeying their instincts as to the how uneasy they felt with this situation, they went back into the restaurant and resorted to their strategy, which was to ask a waiter to accompany them back to their vehicle, which a waiter indeed did.

Upon the treos return to the parking lot, the panel vans engine suddenly roared to life and “peeled out” tires squealing as it exited the quiet parking lot!!!!

Ashley said to me that prior to the initial training she attended at her school she would have:

- Not understood the relevance of a panel van. (Many people are abducted by predators in panel vans due to how quickly they can slide the door open, grab someone, close the door and leave!!)

- Probably met her friend at the restaurant instead of traveling together as a Buddy Team

-Not registered the potential danger of the van’s presence and therefore might not have had any instinctive sense that something was amiss?

- And certainly would have not gone back to the restaurant to get help.

As I always say, it’s all the little things we do, or fail to do, that add up to an event or quite simply, an non event

Knowledge, Awareness, Instincts and Strategy = a very simple but powerful safety formula!!!

Stay safe

Larry

During our trainings we continually reinforce the importance of being aware of our surroundings at all times. After all awareness is our first and best line of defense.

Equally important is always having a well thought out safety strategy.

Taking the adage “less is more” into consideration, I always try and focus on executing on one or two simple strategies at a time, with an eye to gradually developing a host of good habits.

Here is one to start with and its as simple as this:

• When you get into your car tomorrow try and remember to keep one car length between you and the vehicle in front of you whenever you are going to be coming to a stop.

• This gives you space to maneuver if needed.

This is a very simple directive but actually is harder to remember to implement since we are all creatures of habit and tend to gravitate back to old habits.

Make this fun. Tell your children or significant other to keep track of your progress when you ride together.

You will be surprised at how often you forget to maintain that important gap!!!

Keeping space to maneuver is always more important at night and in fringe areas but practising during your regular commute is the best place to start.

Be safe

Larry

I just read of this story on abcnews.com home page today:

http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/wireStory?id=4935469

A California couple vacationing in Italy were the victims of a heartless scam artist.

Apparently the perpetrator struck up a conversation with them and “after winning their trust” brought them each cup of coffee. Both cups were laced with drugs to include sleeping pills.

After being robbed and obviously while heavily sedated, the male victim tragically was struck and killed by a train as he stumbled near some tracks. His wife was not hit by the train and after being treated at a hospital in Rome was released.

It is a tendency for us to think in “context” or to catagorize. We hear the words date rape drug, or hear of the use of drugs to victimize people and we usually think of this in the context of a sexual assault against a female.

• In our travel safety class we cover the risks of such drugs being used to incapacitate unsuspecting folks, especially tourists, for the sake of crimes such as robbery.

We also talk about “trust building” as a means by which someone will win your confidence so that you categorize them as “friend” and not “foe” leaving one the least bit suspicious that they would attempt to do you any harm.

Combined, the malicious use of powerful drugs such as Rohypnol, which can be obtained with a prescription in Europe, and trust building can leave anyone in trouble

A big burly commercial pilot I know told me of an incident where he was on a layover in Japan. After just fifteen minutes in a very posh bar in a swanky part of Tokyo, he began to feel light headed and “out of it” He immediately realized what was going on and walked the short distance to his hotel and the safety of his room just before he passed out cold.

In the case of the couple in Rome, the robber brought the coffees to his victims giving him the opportunity to slip in the drugs. In the pilots case, he felt the drug was put in his drink behind the bar before it was given to him.

You can never be too careful.

• Our Colleges Safety and Mother Daughter Safety Trainings both cover this topic and the precautions we must take to prevent this from happening.

Larry

Jeff Cooper was a Marine Lieutenant Colonel who developed a color coding system, each descriptive of a person’s state of awareness of their surroundings and mental preparedness.

Condition White-

This is a person that is oblivious of their surroundings. In this condition, the first time a person realized they are in trouble is when it’s too late. They “never saw it coming” since they were not paying attention. Petty thieves and predators alike are very good at identifying those who are in Condition White since they make much easier or “softer” targets. Being preoccupied, day dreaming, text messaging while walking in public, walking head down and never looking around are all sure signs of Condition White!!

Condition Yellow-

Tom Givens a weapons expert and trainer describes Condition Yellow about as well as I have ever heard it articulated

“This is a relaxed state of general alertness, with no specific focal point. You are not looking for anything or anyone in particular; you simply have your head up and your eyes open. You are alert and aware of your surroundings. You are difficult to surprise, therefore, you are difficult to harm. You do not expect to be attacked today. You simply recognize the possibility.”

Below is another succinct description of Condition Yellow

“In Yellow, you are “taking in” surrounding information in a relaxed but alert manner, like a continuous 360 degree radar sweep.”

Condition Orange-

Here you are in a heightened state of awareness and very focused on a potential threat or a situation that you feel could become more serious. You are not in “fight of flight” mode yet, but ready to shift gears to “fight or flight” also known as Condition Red, if need be.

You will remain in Condition Orange until you are satisfied that the potential threat no longer exists, has been adequately dealt with or you have removed yourself form the situation.

You may well feel anything from a mild to moderate “adrenaline dump” which will elevate heart rate and blood pressure, dilate your pupils and shunt oxygen and energy rich blood to you skeletal muscles prepping them for action if need be.

Law enforcement specialists and military trained personal may not experience any physiologic reaction due to their training and how many times they have been in a Condition Orange situation.

Condition Red-

Here you are in “fight or flight” mode and you are ready to do either. The potential threat is now very real and needs to be dealt with. In this state we will experience a full “adrenaline dump” which will dramatically enhance blood flow to large skeletal muscle groups and sharpen our special senses.

This is the situation we do not want to find ourselves in.

· This is the situation we can avoid by maintaining our Condition Yellow!!!!

Condition Yellow is Not Paranoia

If you are one of those people who “instinctively” pays attention to your surroundings, know what’s going on behind you at all times and in general take inventory of who is around you and what they are up to, you are gifted with being able to “live in Condition Yellow”

You might have developed your Condition Yellow out of need. Perhaps you grew up in a threatening environment. One of your parents might have been in law enforcement or the military, or perhaps you just “have it” period? Either way you do so with such ease the process is almost subconscious. You read peoples body language and your “gut” tells you what situations to avoid.

You might live with or know someone who lives in Condition White who actually accuses you of being paranoid!!

You are not paranoid. You are merely following your instinctive drive to remain alert. You are the person who also runs “what if” scenarios through your mind. You engage in what safety experts call “pre- incident visualization”

You understand that having a strategy tucked away in your data bank will allow you to react if a situation did arise, knowing that there would be no time right then and there to come up with a solution. The thinking must have already been done and warehoused in your mind for instant retrieval.

Your Condition Yellow is such an asset that I encourage you to share your mindset with friends and loved ones.

Randy LaHaie, safety training expert and SWAT specialist says it best. He states that if we work on becoming more aware of our surroundings, it soon becomes “part of our essence”

Visit Randy’s site for great reading on many safety topics at: http://www.protectivestrategies.com

And remember, awareness of our surroundings is our first and best line of defense!!!

Larry

Every time I deliver a training I learn something new.

During a recent class delivered in a corporate setting we were covering the topic of safety while commuting.

We discussed the importance of taking a quick look into the back seat area of your vehicle before getting in.

I encourage people to carry a small flashlight with them, especially during the winter months, in order to check the back seat and interior more readily in poor lighting conditions.

A woman put up her hand and commented that she always chooses a vehicle, her own or a rental car, that has a very light color interior this not allowing someone dressed in dark clothing the opportunity to blend in as easily.

An excellent tip!!!

Do you remember to take a quick peek under your vehicle too when you are about thirty feet from it?

Larry

I remind my daughters time and again to be sure to cover their “Six”

Our “Six O’ Clock” is that blind spot just behind us and it is vital to know what is going in in that blind spot at all times!!
Improving your level of awareness of your surroundings, including your “Six” does not have to be complicated.
As with any other learned skill, it’s the fundamentals that make all the difference.
Here’s an example.
I was with my two daughters in the city recently, a busy shopping Saturday with Mothers Day around the corner.

All I asked them to do was to be sure to look left and right when exiting a store. As teenagers would, they gave each other the “Ain’t Dad Lame Look”

So I decided to take the lesson from theory to reality.

I asked them to stand on the sidewalk with me and simply observe folks exiting a very popular fashion store.

Seeing is believing. We observed at most, one in ten folks exiting looking left and right as they exited that store. The rest just turned and walked, the direction they did not go in now becoming their “Six”

We also observed women exiting the store absolutely oblivious of some questionable folks who just happened to be walking by the store when they left and who by virtue of timing, ended up right behind the ladies in question.

We watched these ladies as they walked the entire block without once checking their “Six”

They were also oblivious that the guys behind them went into the fashion store a couple doors down, again right after they did.

Instead of preaching and dictating, I just kept asking my daughters the question: “Would you want to or not want to know that guy was behind you when you left the store?”

They got the message loud and clear. They got to see how vulnerable THEY would be if they did not look both ways as did the 40 odd folks we observed during this little exercise

Lesson learned.

Don’t preach. Just demonstrate.

Coming soon. An entry on our “360 Degree World”
Larry