A free Situational Awareness Training Class will be available to residents on July 27, and St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Rodney Madere said topics covered will help attendees to reduce their risk of becoming a victim.
“We want people to be able to identify a threat, know their options and be aware of their surroundings,” Madere said. “I developed the class years and years ago. I’m a firearms instructor, and a concealed carry instructor, and as part of that we were teaching about gun safety and awareness. People kept telling me they thought the awareness, safety and home safety part was very interesting, and people started asking me if I could teach a class to expand on that. Just things like weapon safety, kids and weapons, ways to be aware … I just expanded on that with the situational awareness class.”
Madere taught the class several times a year before the pandemic, and said he is excited to be able to bring back in-person learning opportunities for residents.
The class be held from 6 – 9 p.m. at the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office Training Building, which is located at 220 Judge Edward Dufresne Parkway in Luling. This class is open to those 13 years of age and older. Pre-registration is encouraged.
“I just think it’s such important topics,” Madere said. “How to be aware in your vehicle, walking in public gatherings, home safety … I also started teaching a little on how your brain works and how it reacts to a traumatic stressful event. That part has grown to be about a third of the class, just teaching people what’s going to happen to their body if they get in a stressful event like a carjacking.”
Madere said he has traveled to scenes of mass shootings – such as Columbine and Virginia Tech – and met with officers, teachers and students there to better understand shootings and similar tragedies.
“I met with these people and learned from them,” he said. “You learn a lot … there were people who just about froze and saw their exit and knew what they needed to do, but their body wouldn’t let them.”
Madere said one of his goals for the class is to help people have a much better understand of how their brain works and how their body will respond to a traumatic event.
“You may not know all the options you have,” he said. “I want (attendees) to walk away knowing their options, understand what their body may go through, your options when you’re driving, walking or inside a business at a large gathering. There are options you can take and if your brain has gone through your options before hand, you may have a better chance or escaping and surviving.”
To register for the class, email Amber Walsh at awalsh@stcharlessheriff.org. Madere said an August class may be added, and that a Sept. 20th class from 6 – 9 p.m. at the same location will also take place.
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