Top 5 Self Defence Tips

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The self defence techniques described below are intended to be used in a self defence situation only. However, although you are advised to comply with the relevant national and local laws regarding the use of force, sometimes you have no option, but to use your bare hands. Becoming a seasoned and experienced street fighter takes one on one instruction and hours of practice. So these techniques involve gross motor moves and will help you when in a prison cell, backstreet, African “shabeen” or any other hostile environment where other people could kill or cripple you. Read more

False Bay Shooting Club

Instinctive Combat Shooting Techniques

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Whilst our H.E.AT courses teach a range of skills including using weapons, we do not recommend traveling across borders with a gun. Therefore, we suggest that you practice certain drills and become familiar with a sidearm in the event that you find one to use. Remember, one characteristic of hostile environments, there is no rule or law and you need to take your protection into your own hands.

Whilst ex Special Forces (SS) instructors on H.E.A.T courses will recommend a 9mm semi auto pistol such as Browning, Sig-sauer or Glock. These weapons can be large and fairly bulky depending on your build and hand size. A semi-automatic has advantages over a six-revolver as you can double fire power and have faster reload times. Unfortunately, semi-automatic pistols are also prone to stoppages the causes of such stoppages are dirty working parts, a weak magazine spring or damaged rounds, so clean and oil your weapon daily, check your ammo and do not leave your magazine full for long periods of time however , stoppages are not very common with a revolver.

This article is about the instinctive shooting techniques of combat pistol shooting known as instinctive combat shooting in other words, you do not aim, because you usually do not have the time. Read more

Emercency medical staff symbol

Emergency Medical Kit

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When in a hostile environment, the threat of the loss of life, limb or liberty is heightened. Often, in hostile environments, there is minimal or a lack of medical facilities. Depending on the area you are traveling to or operating in, cultural sensitivities may hinder your access to medical attention. In some African countries, male doctors might not want to treat females and removing clothing is sometimes taboo. When there is no hospital, doctor or other emergency services, it is vital that you have an emergency medical kit. Your emergency medical kit will not only help you save the lives of others, but could also save your own.

During our H.E.A.T courses, we provide detailed information on how to give medical assistance, when no medical personnel are available.

To help you prepare your own emergency medical kit, and combine the equipment with the knowledge you will learn from our H.E.A.T course, the contents of an emergency medical kit are listed below Read more

Riot in Kenya

An African Emergency Response Plan

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Medical epidemics, riots and escape and evasion are just a few of the topics a good Emergency Response Plan should cover, particularly when it comes to individuals travelling or staying in Africa.

Riots are unpredictable and chaotic, often occurring suddenly and without warning.

On December 2007  riots erupted all over Kenya, after Mwai Kibaki narrowly defeated his rival Raili Odinga, in one of the most fiercely fought elections in Kenyan history.

Conflict has existed between the two majority Kenyan ethnic groups inhabiting the region, namely the Luo and the Kikuyu.   Mwai Kibaki is Kikuyu and Raili Odinga a Luo, meaning the election took on a tribal dimension. Read more

The Importance of Duty of Care

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Although the phrase “Duty of Care” is understood by many in the corporate world, it is a phrase that lacks an explicit definition.

The duty of care responsibility held by companies is meant to provide protection for the company as well as its employees.  In this way, a relationship exists between the claimant in a matter and the defendant.

For a duty of care responsibility to be determined, it needs to pass a three part test: Read more

Raft Survival: Making Your Lifeboat a ‘Survival Raft’

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As many blue water and recreational sailors have learned with sufficient food, fuel, water and fishing equipment you can survive for months at sea. Depending on your food supplies (either dehydrated or boil-in-the-bag), you might need to set up a rain water collection system. If you do not have a solar still or de-salination unit simply rig up a tarpaulin, raincoat or plastic sheet that will direct the rain water into a container.  You could also erect a line of containers around your vessel to collect rain water when the inevitable storm blows over you.

Read more

Adrift in the sea

Surviving in Rough Seas

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When the dive master of African Dive Adventures was swept offshore into the Atlantic Ocean off Shelly beach, Jean-Pierre Els first thought of God. After drifting over 30kms from where he originally went missing, it is clear the Els decided to take his own survival more personally and use the techniques that we teach during our H.E.A.T courses.

Over the past few months several instances of divers going missing have occurred in South Africa. Whether the cause is rough seas, high swells or powerful winds the net result is that divers drift for many kilometers.

What do you do if you find yourself in the water without a boat or a raft? Read more

KONY: The man who put the infant into Infantry

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The man who put the infant into Infantry, and was once possibly the world’s most notorious celebrity.  But how did Joseph Kony become so infamous, sparking not only the Invisible Children movement, but the associated movie and the Kony 2012 awareness campaign almost exactly a year ago? Read more

Survival at Sea

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Imagine going to sea with two heavy drinkers, a bikini-clad female and a teetotal sailor.  You are an experienced sailor yourself, who has competed in several professional races.  You, and the rest of the crew, sail into a hurricane and your vessel capsizes.

Owing to the hurricane winds, your survival raft is blown away and as the rest of the ship and cargo sank, you find that the only flotsam afloat is a small Zodiac inflatable.

You and the rest of the crew climb aboard in heavy seas and manage to ride out the storm a few hours later.  With the calm comes the sharks, and ultimately madness. Read more

Abandoning the Ship

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Sometimes, evacuation from Hostile Environments is carried out by sea.  In Africa, and especially West Africa, many countries with coastlines have a divided nation – a Muslim-controlled Northern region run by the military; and a Christian-controlled Southern region run by the police.  Consequently, history teaches us that the need for northern inhabitants to reach the coast often results in conflicts with their southern neighbors.  Given climate change and increased desertification in the Sahel region, the likelihood of such conflicts occurring in places such as Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Togo and Benin is relatively high. Read more