Hey Civilian,

Here's what I promised you.

Last week I sent you a letter about what happened at the Islamic Center of San Diego. About Amin Abdullah, Mansour Kaziha, and Nadir Awad. About what it felt like to be training for the exact thing that was happening in our city.

Thank you for the responses. Seriously. Some of you wrote back things I'll carry with me for a long time.

I also promised I'd share the most practical things I know about keeping yourself and your family safer. This is that email.

"Run" doesn't mean sprint blindly. It means orient first, then move with purpose. And you should already know where the exits are before anything happens. Two exits. Always.

"Hide" means cover, not concealment. Drywall won't stop bullets. And don't lie flat on hard floors. Rounds skip off tile and concrete. Stay low, but not flat.

"Fight" means committed, overwhelming violence as a last resort. Anything in your hands is a weapon. Numbers win. Action beats reaction.

Every time you enter a space, notice three things:

Where are the exits?

Who's already here? (Establish a baseline.)

Where would I go if something happened right now?

Do this for two weeks. You'll never walk into a room the same way again.

This is what professionals call "Condition Yellow." Relaxed but alert. Present. Not paranoid, not hypervigilant. Just aware. The gap between totally unaware and active threat is where people freeze. Living in Yellow closes that gap.

Amin Abdullah's awareness and training allowed him to respond in seconds when the attackers arrived. Those seconds are the reason 140 children went home. You may never face what he faced. But the awareness that enabled his response? You can start building that today.

Where do we meet if something happens?

Who is our out-of-town contact?

What do we grab if we have 60 seconds to leave?

What are two ways out of every room?

What's our code word?

Ten minutes. Over dinner. No fear required. Just a family that's on the same page

Not fear. Not tactical fantasy. Just real knowledge, made accessible, for everyday people who have someone worth protecting.

If this week's content helped you, I have one ask. Forward this email to one person who needs it. A friend, a coworker, a family member. That's how this grows. One person at a time deciding to be more prepared.

Haven't grabbed the free guide yet? 5 Things Every Civilian Should Know About Self-Defense: Download Free

One ask: Do the 3-second scan today. Every room you walk into — exits, baseline, escape route. Then hit reply and tell me what you noticed. I want to hear what it felt like the first time you actually did it.

I read every reply. That's not a formality. Your experience is what makes this better.

Share the Brief: Someone in your life needs this more than they know. Forward this to them. No pitch, no pressure — just one person who has someone worth protecting. That's how Model Civilian grows. One capable civilian at a time. 🛡️

Stay capable. Stay kind. Stand with your neighbors.
Colin Lepiscopo
Founder, Model Civilian
10% of all Model Civilian proceeds go to We Get Water 💧