5 ways to keep yourself safe in dangerous situations

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How do you keep yourself safe in a dangerous situation? Recent high-profile events of violence have occurred across the country already in 2025, including incidents in New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Queens, New York.  

NCTV17 sat down with Ray McGury, former Bolingbrook Police Chief and founder of RJM Strategy Group, an organization dedicated to security strategy and training, to discuss what individuals can do if caught in a similar situation.

McGury offered five tips to help keep yourself safe. 

Be present in your surroundings 

Practice mindfulness by observing where you are, what’s going on around you, and focusing only on the task at hand. As a result, you’ll have a clearer mind and be able to react more quickly to a situation.

“It’s difficult for you, me, everybody in the world today. But what’s interesting is that as you walk down the street being present, look around you and look at all the people who are not being present – just occupied with everything other than what they should be occupied with,” said McGury. “But being present and knowing your surroundings, your environment…that’s huge.”   

Put down your phone

While cell phones are essential, you could become a target while distracted. 

“I love my cell phone. You will never take it away from me. However, a lot of the carjackings, I use carjacking just as an example, and speaking with people that have been arrested for carjacking, they look for a distraction. So the minute you pull up to a stoplight and what do you do? You look down at your phone. Boom. They’re on you,” McGury said.  

Know your exits

McGury says people should never go anywhere without knowing how to get out. 

“People survive tragic incidents by not being there. Be gone before it happens,” said McGury, “If you didn’t recognize it right away, that’s understandable for humans. But you’ve now recognized it. Now what? Find your exit. Know your exit. So you go to a restaurant. You go to a play. You go to the movie theater. You go to church wherever you go. Know how to get out.” 

He added that the way out might not be the way you came in. 

Get or stay fit

McGury says this recommendation is more about staying agile and physically healthy enough to react to a threat. Are you physically strong enough to run a short distance to safety, or pick up a heavy item to throw as an improvised weapon? 

A certain degree of physical ability and strength can be a life-saving asset.

“I just don’t want people going, ‘Well, I’m screwed because I’m like 20 pounds overweight, and/or I’m 70 years old, so I’m D.O.A.’ Forget it. That’s not true. There are things you can do to help yourself,” said McGury. “I can be 6-foot-4, 240 pounds strong as heck. And the minute you  poke me in the eye, what do I do immediately? (He covers his eyes) And now what should you do? Go!”

Use what is around you

If you find yourself in a situation, and you cannot get away, McGury says to use whatever you can. 

“We call them weapons of convenience, which basically is what you have around you. You are trapped, okay? You can’t get out. There’s the exit. You can’t get to the exit. That bad person is between you and the exit. So what do you have around you that you can use against that person?” said McGury. 

Something you might have on hand already? Your cell phone. 

“Oh my God. You can do damage to somebody with a cell phone,” said McGury, “You know, just a motion of the nose anywhere here that startles that person so that you can do what? Get to that exit.” 

Another commonly available item is a fire extinguisher.

“Pulling the pin and just spraying the person,” added McGury.

McGury noted that while people shouldn’t live in fear, following these five simple things could save your life. 

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