THE TACTICAL FAMILY: A MATTER OF LIGHT PART TWO

How Do You Use the Tactical Flashlight in A Personal Defense Situation? 

First, for most weapons to be effective, efficiency is key and so having the flashlight in your hand is paramount to any action that needs to be executed whether active avoidance or physical defense.

Mobility with your flashlight in a low light personal defense situation requires a little practice. Keep in mind that while temporary blindness is a possibility, pressing the light on and keeping it on in many situations will not only give away your position, but in the case of an impending distance threat, offers a homing beacon leading them directly to your position.
Of course, if you are using the flashlight for purposes of illuminating an area and it is unrelated to any threat, then by all means leave it on. However, if you believe there is an impending threat, you will want to have a concrete method with which you can employ that light as you move through the darkness and identify threats.

Here is how you do that:
When you are on the move in a low light or no light situation and either have positively identified a threat or believe there is a threat in close range, do not leave the flashlight on as it makes you an easy target.

Instead do the following:
1. Lower your center of gravity-or not depending on the circumstances and Hit the flashlight “on” button or switch
2. Rapidly scan the environment to identify the threats and positions
3. Turn off the light
4. Move to cover or concealment or when possible escape the area
5. Repeat the process as many times as needed until you have created distance from the threat to escape or gained an advantage
Next, since we would rather avoid, prevent or deter an attack as opposed to engaging them with physical contact, you can elect to employ the flashlight to emit a burst of powerful light that blinds them temporarily with the intent of creating distance to escape the area.

If for whatever reason, you feel you will not be able to run and defending is clearly the only option, then there are tactics for that as well.

Remember I said that most tactical flashlights are small? They fit in the palm of your hand. And remember we said it could make for an excellent impact weapon?

Well it does, just be sure you have it in your hand as you normally move about or you may not have time to get to it when you need it most. That means that even if you are out walking the dog or taking an evening stroll, do it with the flashlight in your hand so you are ready for anything!

That said, please note that there are a great deal of tactics and techniques that are possible with a flashlight for when you are unarmed and armed and it is not possible for me to cover them in an article, but I will mention a few here for situations in which the attacker is not armed and there is a disparity of force.

Since you already caused them to either lose focus or orientation for a moment by flashing them, use that time wisely to launch an attack with either your body weapons or the flashlight as an impact tool.

You can call them “flash bang” tactics because you are going to flash them with a bright light and then bang them with either your body weapons or the flashlight.

Here are 4 simple “Flash Bang” Tactics for personal defense with the tactical flashlight when you have to engage:
1. Shine the light directly in their eyes so you dominate their head region. For most people, this will immediately cause them to bring their hands up in a protective fashion to their face, this can distract them long enough for you to deliver blows to their low line such as hard kicks to the shin, knee or groin.

2. Put the light in your non-dominant hand with that hand away from your head and shine the light directly into their eyes and attack them with your dominant hand in a backhand chop, hammer fist or forearm to the side of the neck.

3. Put the light in your dominant hand, give them a good burst of light directly in their eyes, use your support arm (non-dominant hand) and slap their hand closest to you down and into their body as you strike them hard in an overhand blow with the bezel to that same side of the head or face. Make sure you continue to strike until they are incapacitated or stop.

4. Hold the flashlight in either hand, shine the light directly into the attacker’s eyes while holding the light far enough away from your body to give the impression you are standing to the side while you attack from the other side. This is also a great technique for those of you who carry a tactical pen, which should be all of you! The only difference here would be that the tactical pen is in your free hand ready to strike upon your assessment of the situation.

Are there any cons to using a tactical flashlight?
Employing a flashlight properly for personal defense requires practice. Consistent training is the key as with any defensive or tactical training.

Some of the things I have learned over the years with flashlights are:
· Having more lumens is not always better—it really is situational dependent. For example, when you have a very bright light concentrated in a somewhat small area, it produces a stronger and deeper shadow, which can spell trouble for you.
· Pick the right flashlight for the application and skill sets that you have.
· Confined spaces leave less room for one to move around and position themselves and therefore can have a larger impact on the footprint of your shadow.
· Bad guys and gals can also purchase these flashlights and use them in a similar manner to gain a tactical advantage on you.
· Stay away from any surfaces that are reflective with your light, especially with flashlights that have a very high intensity output—this could cause you great problems by shining that light right back into your own eyes, blinding you temporarily!

As with all tools, the tactical flashlight is only as good as your ability to use it. Getting proper instruction is the key. Spend some time researching the right flashlight for you and always think about back-ups.

The flashlight may not be your first tool of choice for personal defense, but I hope after reading this Top ESSE article, it will be one that you add to your everyday carry (EDC) kit as it is a serious tool in your arsenal for personal protection.
Until next time, stay alert, check your six, put your back against the wall stay safe and watch those shadows!

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