| Pepper spray, or oleoresin capsicum (OC) can be very | | | | scenarios or to shoot at targets. |
| effective in helping someone out of a potentially | | | | COMMON SENSE TRAINING TIPS |
| dangerous situation, however possessing a canister of | | | | 1. Avoid holding your arm straight out in front of you. |
| OC and using it improperly could cause more problems | | | | While at first this might seem the obvious way to |
| than solutions. | | | | frighten an attacker, "I've got pepper spray, don't come |
| MOST IMPORTANT: No matter what type of OC | | | | any closer". It also allows the attacker the opportunity |
| spray you own, you must always first be aware of | | | | to knock your arm away, or grab the canister and |
| your surroundings. Always have your pepper spray | | | | "turn the tables'. It is much smarter to take a step |
| accessible to you in case you need it in an instant. A | | | | backwards, away from your assailant, giving you time |
| defense spray is useless if it is in the bottom of a | | | | to gather your wits, grab the spray and aim for their |
| purse, or left in your vehicle. | | | | face. |
| PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: The thought that crime | | | | 2. Yell "STOP", "HELP" or "POLICE"! Doing this will |
| only happens at night or in a dark alley is a myth. In | | | | momentarily confuse your assailant and give you that |
| fact, someone very close to me was Christmas | | | | much-needed 1 to 2 advantage. While shouting may or |
| shopping a few years ago in an upscale end of town | | | | may not actually bring help, it's that small advantage |
| at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. She was pregnant and | | | | needed to raise your arm, take aim and spray the |
| had an arm full of shopping bags. | | | | assailant in the face. |
| Just having left a huge craft store, and headed to her | | | | 3. Keep your eye on your target at all times. While this |
| vehicle, a man pulled up and was asking directions to | | | | will very likely be a fearful moment, keeping your eyes |
| the mall. Before she could utter a word, he grabbed | | | | on your assailant allows proper aiming of the defense |
| her purse (which was still on her arm) and started | | | | spray. Once the spray is dispersed move quickly |
| driving away. He got away with the purse and she fell | | | | away from the situation and seek law enforcement |
| to the ground, but was otherwise alright. | | | | help. |
| The point is, that with an arm full of bags, and by | | | | 4. Get away if at all possible; pepper spray is a |
| yourself, it is not possible to practice smart | | | | deterrent, not a solution. As you back away from your |
| self-defense. There is no way to carry a pepper | | | | assailant, deliver the pepper agent in the direction of |
| spray or other self defense weapon in this scenario. | | | | their face, using an approximate two to three second |
| So, in addition to learning how to use pepper mace | | | | burst. If the stream of chemical strikes your attacker, |
| spray correctly, we must always be aware of what | | | | you will know immediately that you have the desired |
| we are doing and what is going on around us, even in | | | | effect. Use these valuable moments to vacate the |
| broad daylight. | | | | premises and seek help. |
| FINDING THE RIGHT PEPPER SPRAY: There are | | | | Training Note: It is easy to practice these simple tips by |
| many useful tips you can find online about the use of | | | | buying a canister of inert training spray and setting up |
| oc sprays. But, when purchasing online, find a website | | | | your own target. But even better, with the training |
| that specializes in defense sprays and nothing else. | | | | sprays you can practice on a real-life person posing as |
| Also, look for a phone number that you can call to ask | | | | an attacker. This way you will be able to gain more |
| questions about the products. A knowledgeable retailer | | | | confidence if ever you need to dispense the real oc |
| will be able to help you decide which spray is best for | | | | canister in a dire situation. |
| you. | | | | TYPES OF PEPPER SPRAY CANISTERS: |
| TRAINING CLASSES: Some local law enforcement | | | | Fogger: This type of spray canister is used for crowd |
| agencies and self defense courses offer a self | | | | control, multiple attackers, wild animals (such as bears) |
| defense spray training class. These classes can | | | | and situations where careful aim of the spray may be |
| normally be taken in one day or less and can give you | | | | inhibited. Caution should be utilized since blowback |
| much more confidence in the use of the product you | | | | (contaminating the user) is very possible. |
| buy. | | | | Foam: Imagine pepper mace spray with the |
| While it's recommended that anyone serious about self | | | | consistency of shaving cream and you'll have a clear |
| defense, whether it's utilizing pepperspray or learning to | | | | image of this type of disbursement. Dispersed via |
| disable an assailant physically, consider a professional | | | | foam will virtually eliminate the possibility of blowback, |
| self-defense course, here are a few tips and facts in | | | | and easily disable your attacker, assuming the foam |
| the proper use of defense spray. | | | | comes in contact with their face. Foam agent works |
| SELF DEFENSE SPRAY PRACTICE: Most oc sprays | | | | exactly the same causing the eyes to tear, breathing |
| have a shelf life of 2-4 years. But as a conservative | | | | to become labored, and relief to be immediately |
| measure, it is wise to replace your canister once a | | | | sought. |
| year. Then you can use your old canister of spray as | | | | Broken-Stream: The broken-stream canister allows |
| a training device. Find a picture online and print it as a | | | | you to disperse the spray-chemical even when your |
| full page. Tack the picture up on a tree or a fence | | | | aim is not perfect, or there is more than one assailant. |
| about head high. Make sure to stand upwind of the | | | | While very effective you will use the contents of the |
| target. Then aim for the eyes and fire away. Try | | | | canister more quickly. |
| about a 1-2 second burst at a time. | | | | Forced cone: This is the most widely used oc spray |
| INERT TRAINING SPRAYS: There are inert training | | | | canister, it disperses a fine mist in an approximate 2 |
| sprays available that you can shoot at targets or | | | | foot wide, by 8 to 12 foot pattern. |
| people for practice. The water training sprays are just | | | | While few imagine being attacked in a dark alley or |
| water in pressurized spray cans. | | | | walking down the street, or even broad daylight, it's far |
| If you want a chemical-based spray, they are available | | | | better to be prepared, than victimized. Having a |
| as well. The chemical-base is exactly like the pepper | | | | canister of pepper spray is simply self defense |
| spray formula without the pepper resin. Either of these | | | | insurance we hope you will never have to use. |
| can be used in real person pepper spray training | | | | |