Across Laguna Beach, Sunday Marked Situational Awareness Day

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — Do you walk down the street with your eyes on your phone? Do you sit on the bus with your headphones blaring tunes during your morning commute? Well, the Orange County Sheriff's Department urges you to pocket the phone and skip the earbuds. Sunday was National Situational Awareness Day, and OCSD released a short video with tips on how Orange County residents can be more aware of their surroundings and avoid sticky situations.

National Situational Awareness Day was declared by the registrar at National Day Calendar in 2015, and is observed annually Sept. 27. The day is meant to bring awareness to personal safety and emphasize the importance of staying involved with one's surroundings, according to National Day Calendar's website.

Here are some of the tips offered by OCSD Public Information Officer Ryan Anderson:

• Watch out for "Skimmers." Skimmers are illegal card readers that are found on ATM machines, gas pumps and other frequented public pay booths. Using a skimmer may compromise your debit or credit card information. These devices are usually attached to card readers, and are typically well-hidden. Since they are difficult to see, Anderson suggested looking out for card readers that appear loose or different from other card readers near the device.
• Park in a safe area. This is especially true at night. Make sure that when you're parking your car for the night, that you are in a well-lit area that is unconcealed by hedges or large vehicles. Anderson said that parking in between two large vehicles at night is something to avoid, considering that the large vehicles could provide cover for an assailant and make it difficult to be seen by anyone nearby.
• Always be vigilant, especially when you're in a public place. Anderson suggested limiting your screen time when you're walking in a public area. Focusing entirely on your phone screen while commuting or simply going out for a stroll can limit your ability to observe the world around you.
• Know your exits, whether you are at work, at school or at your home. Knowing where to go if something seems "off" will help you to quickly move yourself, your family members and your friends out of harms way.

For the full video, check out OCSD's Facebook page linked below.