SecurityDriver News

Queensland Raceway

Joe and Larry have just come back from conducting training in Australia. They were there for a little more than a week.  The training was conducted at Queensland Raceway in beautiful downtown Kurwangbah, which is not too far from Brisbane. The program is specifically developed for our corporate clients and includes not only driving, but also Surveillance Detection and working the principal.

 TSVDI will be conducting the same program in the UAE , Guatemala, and followed by Europe, and South America. Although we have a hectic schedule coming up with 20 programs in 17 weeks in 4 countries, for 20 corporations, with some PSD, government, police, and private security companies thrown into the mix, we do have some seats available in our open enrollment programs.

Dates

Registration

Protective/Evasive Driving Course – This three day program is designed for professional security drivers, executive chauffeurs and protection specialists.

Immediate Action Driving Skills  – For the security driver or protection specialist a program designed to survive the worst-case scenario – October 23^rd New Jersey  

Surveillance Detection Tactics & Techniques  – This highly interactive three day course is designed to meet the unique needs of security professionals responsible for executive transportation and personal protection, particularly those working with limited manpower and resources.  October 27 – 29     New Jersey

  Vehicle Dynamics and Exercise Design –  An advanced 3 day course is designed to provide students with the capability to develop training scenarios that closely replicate the conditions they are likely to encounter in the real world. Restricted attendance November 15^th – 17^th New Jersey

 Instructor Development Program – A 5 day course that is widely acknowledged as the most advanced train-the-trainer driving programs offered today. The course provides the student with an in-depth understanding of the scientific approach to driver training and evaluation that was developed by Tony Scotti and refined over the last thirty five years. Restricted attendance – November 15^th – 19^th New Jersey

1979 Volvo Ad

Cleaning out my garage the other day and I found an old ad I did for Volvo. I’m sure most of the people reading this do not remember the Volvo 242 GT; it was a hell of a performance vehicle. In the late 70’s Volvo had the reputation of a stogy old man’s car (kind of like today’s Volvos) – at the time my school was sponsored by Volvo – we were asked to conduct a  product testing and comparisons program for the Volvo engineers and some people from their ad agency. We were testing the 242 GT against vehicles like the brand new (at that time) BMW 3 Series.

The results of the tests and some comments I made, brought about this ad, the ad appeared in all the Car Magazines. It even made it into the News Weeklies and some other none automotive publications. The ad came out in 1979.

 When the ad guys and engineers were driving through the Lane Change most of the cars were having a difficult time getting through without hitting anything, and were breaking loose at speeds that the 242 GT had no trouble with. Just as we do today (31 years later) we measured the other vehicles handling numbers and compared them to the measured numbers of the Volvo GT. The GT’s numbers were 13 to 15 % higher than all the other cars being tested.

 One comment made by an ad agency guy was “These other cars are exciting to drive”.  My comment was “If you think that’s exciting – drive a Pinto through the Lane Change” My other comment was “ When compared to the BMW the Volvo GT handles better than cars that are known for handling ”. That’s where the tag line came from. It was a classic case of mistaking adrenalin for handling. Just as today when students drive around a race track or through a lane change, without being tested and measured, they mistake adrenalin for education. 

 By the way for all you old racers the picture and test were done at Bridgehampton Raceway on Long Island.

By far the most misunderstood and neglected part of the Protection Business is the Business of Protection. Understanding how to use the web and the social media to acquire work and/or enhance your business is essential. Your web presence is becoming what use to be your resume or if you’re a company your brochure. Google is fast becoming the first impression. Your resume is not enough. Larry Snow, who writes the Web Design Smarts Blog, pointed out that 83 % of all recruiters Google their applicants and that 43 % discard the applicant based on what they see.

Have you ever Googled someone’s web site and are baffled by what you see. In one of Larry’s blog articles he says.

• I get this question asked all the time:”What do you think of my super duper galactic ninja in action business site?” In all honestly I really dislike this question because the expectation is for me to say “Wow, great site, nice design, and great    layout.” Don’t get me  wrong I do give honest praises for the design and the creativity especially if this person created the site doesn’t know that much about web design. The person usually hears the hesitation in my voice and asks, “Well what‘s wrong with it?” In which I reply “I look at your web site and I have no idea what you do, who you are or how to contact you.”

Larry then goes on how to explain how to fix that.

The other issue that gets me is the Social Media. I recently read an article that mentioned, if you hold a security clearance or if you ever want to apply for one, be mindful of your postings and contacts online, particularly on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. These sites pose risks to gaining and keeping a security clearance.

Larry has an article on his Blog about using the Social Media to your benefit.

The upcoming International Executive Protection Conference in Las Vegas August 6-8 is adding a panel discussion on Protective Operations in Mexico. The change in the agenda is the result of the recent assassination of the gubernatorial candidate Rodolfo Torre Cantu in Tamaulipas, Mexico. Many view the assassination as a declaration of war on the state. This assassination is of enormous interest to those of us engaged in security services in Mexico.  

We are collecting information from those who have firsthand knowledge of the assassination. Using that information we will develop an analysis of the event, and I will introduce the panel with a diagnosis of the assassination. My first impression is that it will be a “lessons learned” attack that will be used in the training environment for years to come.

The panel members include: Dan Johnson, of Risk Control Strategies, Craig Dischinger and Cory Smith of Target’s Executive Services Division and Chuck Mauldin, Manager of Special Services for Wal-Mart’s Global Security Aviation & Travel will join the panel. Pete Dordal, Managing Director of International Security Operations for Garda World, will moderate.

It is the opinion of ESI and I concur, that the outcome of the struggle in Mexico is every bit as important as the war in Afghanistan. It is on our borders and there are tens of thousands of gang members in every city in America that are affiliated with the drug cartels in Mexico.

Hope to see you the conference.

Protective Driving Operations

3-DAY PROGRAM SEPTEMBER 13-15, 2010
PROTECTIVE DRIVING OPERATIONS
ESI’s TRAINING FACILITY IN COLORADO
$950 (Limited Discount Price)

ESI and Tony Scotti’s VDI will be sponsoring a 3 Day Protective Driving Operations in Grand Junction Colorado.

The course provides participants with a unique opportunity to build upon their existing training and further develop the knowledge, skill and ability required to perform one of the most challenging aspects of protection, providing safe and secure transportation in a high risk environment.

This is accomplished through a series of informative discussions and hands on practical exercises, students will develop an understanding of what the driver/vehicle combination can and, most importantly, cannot do when confronted with a potentially life threatening situation while behind the wheel. An emphasis is placed on how the driver can most effectively manage the limited time and distance available to them as a safety or security incident unfolds.

Classroom discussion will include the role vehicles play in mission strategy and tactics. Students will learn how armored vehicles affects the decision making process, and how to select the proper vehicle for the mission – or how to maximize the effectiveness of the vehicle given.

All hands on exercises are scenario based and designed to train and measure driver ability. Hence students will be objectively tested, and are required to attain a standard. All test and standards are based on the laws of physics as applied to vehicle attacks. The scenarios used during the testing are from case studies of vehicle ambushes.

At the conclusion of the program students will have the knowledge too combine mission objectives, with the vehicles supplied, and if necessary, have the skills needed to escape the Kill Zone.

CLASSROOM

DYNAMICS OF A VEHICLE EMERGENCY

CASE STUDIES OF VEHICLE ATTACKS

ROADSIDE BOMBS

KILL ZONE THEORY

TACTICS AND SECURITY VEHICLES

ARMORED VEHICLES 

HANDS ON EXERCISES

BACKING-UP EXERCISE

ROLLING AMBUSH

ATTACKS AGAINST THE CONVOY

VEHICLE FAMILIARIZATION

RUN FLAT EXERCISE

VEHICLE COMBAT

DRIVE DOWN DRILLS

 For more information contact Brandon Delcamp at 888 718 3105

July 24, 2010

For the protection specialist or security driver the worst-case scenario is a deliberate attempt to stop the vehicle.  Surviving those scenarios requires the ability to keep the vehicle moving and clear the kill zone as quickly as possible – no matter what is happening outside the vehicle.

Focused, Intense, Effective Training

 VDI’s Immediate Action Driving Skills course is designed to provide security practitioners – from the entry-level protection specialist to highly experienced private sector, military and law enforcement professionals - the training and experience needed to deal with the worst-case scenario, a vehicle ambush. Where survival comes down to the driver’s ability to respond instinctively to the threat, when the difference between success and failure is measured in tenths of a second. 

This one day course provides students with an opportunity to:

 - Learn from professionals with real world experience

 - Experience the realities of driving through a kill zone        

 - Understand how to effectivelyoperate damaged vehicles

 Students will gain hands-on, practical experience in:

 - Pushing through roadblocks - (One & two vehicle ramming)

 - Defeating rolling ambushes - (PIT/Counter-PIT techniques)

 - Dealing with an incapacitated driver – (Driving from passenger seat)

 - Forced lane excursions – (Surface transitions)

For addtional information
Joseph Autera
Tony Scotti’s Vehicle Dynamics Institute
Tel: 732 738-5221
Cell : 732–586-4020   email: jautera@vehicledynamics.net

Or Tony Scotti
781 395 3097 email tonyscotti@securitydriver.com

This is the first of two articles by Derek Humble. Derek is a transplanted British security professional currently living in Toronto, Canada. After a career in the British Military he took a position with a large Canadian security provider operating a specialized department offering corporate protective services to Canada’s elite. In 1988 Derek decided to incorporate his own business that he named The Anvil Group.

The Anvil Group Inc under Derek’s guidance ran operations in Canada and around the world with operations in North, Central and South America as well as Europe. Derek has run numerous versions of secure driver programs around the world specifically Moscow, Chicago, Mexico City and London to name a few. He is a long time friend, and was an early graduate of the old Scotti School of Defensive Driving and has constantly strived to study the cerebral aspects to protective driving as much as the physical practical side of the business.

 Currently Derek consults with companies on matters of personal protection, risk management and travel risk assessments. His company is NEMESIS CONSULTING     Derek’s email dhumble@nemesisinfo.com

“Situation Awareness” Just a catch phrase or a vitally useful tactic? Part 1The phrase “Situation Awareness” has gradually entered the lexicon of security trainers and is seen in text books as an almost throw away line when talking about anything from driving the CEO in their day-to-day lives or driving down Route Irish. However few of those using this important term truly understand what is meant by being “Situation Aware” or even where that phase derives from.

 “Situation Awareness”, as a catch phrase, owes its birth to the very steep learning curve experienced by the Brits in the very difficult war against terrorists, both Republican and Loyalist, in Northern Ireland and the British mainland. As with all counter insurgency situations survival lessons must be learnt faster than the terrorists learn theirs. Staying ahead of the insurgent’s tactical learning curve means keeping friendly forces alive long enough to slow the enemy successes. This has been a core requirement in all counter insurgency wars since WW2. As the threat changes and increases so must the counter tactics to those dangers. Those immersed in facing a competent enemy, such as Irish, Iraqi, or Afghan insurgents or even the ordinary criminal element must developed training tactics that were/are meaningful, sensible. They must also be easy to learn and understand but most of all there is a need for tactical sustainability.

Whether the protector is in the military, law enforcement, government security, or in private sector protection, training is always budget, time and resource sensitive. Even those with significant budgets struggle with the needs of those on the leading edge of the battle. Physical skills taught need regular practice, areas needed for training are difficult to find and staff are often too busy with operations to be released to retrain. Situation Awareness is a tool that addresses the inability of operational personnel to regularly retrain and refresh to meet the required standards. How often have operational staff laughed when told that they need to re-qualify on a regular basis.

The maxim of “it is impossible to protect everyone, everywhere all the time from everything” has never been truer than it is now in the year 2010. A large part of the protective battle is to understand the “alert level requirement” to know this increases the sustainability of any protective task. High Risk situations (Route Irish) can be adrenalin demanding and then draining to the body. Intensive concentration is exhausting and in most cases a high state of awareness cannot be maintained for periods of hours let alone days, without a serious degradation in effectiveness. This alert level recognition and adoption is the age old difference between the veteran and the “new guy”. Boredom is equally debilitating and long periods of inactivity will have an equally negative effect on the need for a competent and timely reaction to incidents. The true protection professional needs to be able understand when to “up their game” and equally “when to safely relax” To arrive at this ultimate and enviable mental state is the aim of being “Situation Awareness”

All of the skills required to properly protect those at risk be they driving, shooting, first aid or intelligence gathering are secondary to the need to understand how to become, and stay, “Situation Aware”. All of the physical skills are of course important in the reactive phase of any protective assignment. However the best kind of protective skill will allow the protective practitioner to avoid discovering whether their shooting/medical skills are up to the mark by being “Situation Aware” and thus avoiding danger. Truly understanding where the risks are highest, what type of attack are likely , what tactics they prefer and how to detect and/or deter attacks will dramatically reduce need for using driving, shooting or fighting skills. The learning involved in this proactive approach is simple to understand and therefore easy to retain over lengthy periods of time. It can be constantly practiced, tested and modified in any operational environment. This is the approach that is truly sustainable. And this approach represents the one key element in surviving in the realities of day-to-day operations and/or daily duties. Being truly “Situation Aware” can be the protective equivalent of Zen the question is how to achieve it?

The International Executive Protection Conference sponsored by the ESI Alumni Association will be held in Las Vegas Aug 6th to the 8th at the Caesar’s Place.

The conference is a networking event opened to all Protection Professionals. The conference presents a unique opportunity to network with others in the business. Studies indicate that 75% of all positions are filled by networking, my guess would be in the protection business that number is higher.

There are discussions by industry leaders such as – Directors of Security of major corporations – Detail Leaders from high end security companies – Personal Protection Agents working in the industry, all of them willing to share their experience with you.

For three days the conference delivers seminars that are relevant to the success of your business or career. Subjects that you won’t find in most other Protection Conferences – like financing and budgeting – International travel for the EP agent – Resume writing – you can have your resume reviewed by people who have worked in the industry for decades and have looked at hundreds of resumes.

And in my opinion one of the most important seminars of the convention is the “Building a Business including Branding and Marketing”. The talk is given by a graduate of the prestigious Wharton School of Business, who also happens to be the CEO of a Security Company with 18 years of experience supplying personal protection agents.

There are other great subjects covering the use of K9’s and Close Protection

Oh I forgot to mention that I will be the Keynote Speaker

For more information

Jerry Glazebrook and Dr. Nick Nicholson, the Authors’ of the industry standard book “The Executive Protection Specialist Handbook”, have developed a task analysis for Executive Protection. The document is titled EP Core Competencies. I have known Jerry and Nick for longer than the three of us would want to admit. It would take a couple of pages to go over all their accomplishments. So I would suggest you read their bios.

Jerry’s Bio  Web Site   Email glazerjh@aol.com   Nicks Bio   Web Site    Email nnicholson@alallc.us

If you have any comments they would like to hear them, or if you have any questions I’m sure they would be happy to answer them.

EP Core Competencies

By Jerry Glazebrook and Dr. Nick Nicholson

Research
Knowledge of Sources of Information
Understand and Apply Basics Research Principles
Ability to Conduct Research on Travel, New Technology, and Individuals
Knowledge and Ability to Operate Computers
Ability to Gather Operational Intelligence
Ability to Develop Threat Profiles
Ability in Preparing a Personal Profile

Interpersonal Communications
Ability to Network with Others
Skilled in Effective Communication
Develop Independent Thinking Skills
Develop Team Skills
Ability to Conduct Interviews
Knowledge in Dress, Protocol, Personal
Appearance, Manners, Conduct, and Dining Etiquette
Ability to Liaison with Other Organizations
Ability to Effectively Communicate over the Phone and Radio
Knowledge of Verbal Persuasion Techniques
Recruiting and Selecting Personnel

Mechanical Ability
Basic Protection Equipment Operation
Understand Fire Prevention and Extinguish Techniques
Understand basic auto repair – changing flat tires-etc.

Presentation Skills
Conduct Training and Briefings for Principals Agents
Understand the Basic Instructional System Design Principles
Creating Effective Presentations

Inspections Advance Work
Conducting a Physical Security Surveys
Office
Residence
Routes
Choke Points & Danger Zones
Conducting Risk Assessments
Understanding the Specialized Interests of Children, Family Members, Visitors, Household
Staffs, and Recreational Activities

Emergency Medical Care
CPR
Trauma (Combat) Casualty Care
First Aid
Health and Safety Issues
Water Rescue

Specialized Security Concerns
Crowd Control
Identifying Mental Illness
Understanding Seaport Security
Maritime Tactical Boarding and Yacht
Understanding Aircraft Security
Special Function Planning – Parties, Concerts, Theater. etc.
Violence in the Workplace Issues
Terrorism Issues

Use of Force Issues
Defensive Tactics – Countermeasures
Intermediate Use of Force Weapons; Kubaton, Sprays. etc.

Technical Security Issues
Understanding Basic Explosive Devices
Detecting/Recognition Explosive Devices
Understanding “bugs” and Listening Devices
Detection of Listening Devices and Bugs
Conduct Preliminary Searches for Listening Devices
Understanding Sensor (Alarm) Technology and Operations

Writing Skills
Knowledge of Terminology
Report Writing
Developing Operation Orders/Policies & Procedures
Preparing Travel Reports

Driving Skills
Perform Safe Driving Techniques
Develop Evasive Driving Skills
Understand and Perform Motorcade Procedures

Physical Fitness
Physical Exercise & Weight Lifting
Endurance
Diet
Survival as a hostage
Stress Management Techniques

Firearms Training
Knowledge of Basic Firearms Skills
Ability to Effectively Shoot Required Weapons
Knowledge of Ballistic Hardware
Ability to Shoot on the Move
Ability to Perform Close Quarter Encounters (Combat)

Legal Issues
Knowledge of Protective Law
Preparing Case Information for Legal Authorities
Understanding Stalkers and the Law

Crisis Management
Planning
Command Post Operations
Managing a Command Post

Moving the Principal
Understand the Basic Principal Movement Techniques
Orienteering, Map Reading, and Movements in Emergency Situations
Ability to Perform Movements, Signals, Positioning, Arrivals and Departures

Surveillance Detection Skills
Ability to Observe/Describe/Identify People and Vehicles for Later Recall
Understand the Surveillance Process
Equipment & Cameras
Basic Surveillance Techniques

The problem with Unintended Acceleration has brought about discussions on brakes and braking. The following is some quick hits on braking. Some of this is repetitive from a previous post, but it is worth repeating.

The most powerful control on the vehicle is the brakes. Basically the brakes produce larger changes in speed than the gas pedal.

Our school cars – police packaged Ford Crown Victoria’s – can accelerate from 0 to 60 in about 9 to 10 seconds. With a trained driver – the vehicle can stop from 60 to 0 in an average of 3.5 seconds. The Crown Vic can stop from 60 MPH in about one third of the time it takes to accelerate to 60 MPH.

Because the brakes have an enormous potential, they can be the producer of both good and evil. According to the Society of Automotive Engineers most accidents start out with improper braking techniques.

 A small increase in speed will produce a large increase in stopping distance.

The fact is that if you double your speed you increase your stopping distance by a factor of four.

 If you increase your speed from 40 to 50 mph, speed has increased by 25 % but stopping distance has increased by 50 %.

The above is true even if you have ABS brakes. ABS cannot repeal the laws of physics, make you immune to road conditions, and most important, cannot overcome stupidity.

It makes no difference if a driver brakes with their left foot – threshold brakes – or uses a parachute to stop. If the speed is doubled the stopping distance increases by a factor of four.

 A major component of braking to avoid an emergency has nothing to do with braking, its all about where you look while the emergency is unfolding. Simply stated – your hands go where your eyes look.

 As soon as the emergency presents itself look for a place to put the vehicle. Look where you want the vehicle go and your hands will follow your eyes.

 Many times the driver’s eyes fixate on the object they are trying to avoid, and the result is they drive into it.

 SUMMARY

 Be careful about increasing speeds – for every 10% increase in speed it is a 20% increase in stopping distance.

 When confronted with an emergency press the brake pedal as hard as possible.

 Look where you want to put the vehicle.

 Bottom line you cannot arbitrarily increase your speed, it’s literally deadly.