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  • Workplace Safety

    Workplace Safety

    Weapon Wisdom • Workplace Safety

    When Safety Gets Real: How One County Is Leading the Way in Employee Protection

    Jun 24  ·  Written by Jamie Anderson

    What if one phone call could change the way you think about safety—at work and at home?

    That’s exactly what happened to Brian Anderson-Needham, co-founder of Weapon Brand. He was hours away on a work trip when he received a chilling whisper from his wife at the time: “I think someone’s in the house.”

    She hadn’t called 911. She called Brian. She was frozen.

    Later, they learned their home had once belonged to a drug dealer—and no one had ever changed the locks. Someone still had a key. It could’ve ended in tragedy. Instead, it became the reason Brian dedicated his life to making sure no one else feels that helpless again.

    That mission is now at the core of Weapon Brand’s work—and the guiding force behind an 8-part personal safety series for Pinellas County employees. These trainings are anything but theoretical. They’re interactive, deeply personal, and built on lived experience. We aren’t teaching fear—we’re building preparedness.

    What Makes This Training Different

    Let’s be honest: most Zoom trainings feel forgettable, compliance-driven, and disconnected from real life. Weapon Brand’s approach is the opposite. We teach people how safety works in the real world—with tangible, applicable skills that apply beyond the office.

    Here are the five core competencies we covered:

    1. Situational Awareness
      Small habits like walking with purpose, making eye contact, and ditching the phone near parking lots can prevent escalation before it even begins.
    2. Smart Home Security
      From reinforcing strike plates with 3-inch screws to removing pick-me-up items outside, these cost-effective changes drastically reduce the risk of unauthorized entry.
    3. Mental Rehearsal
      By visualizing threat scenarios and rehearsing responses, employees build confidence and reduce panic—even before action is required.
    4. Legal Use of Force
      Understanding when and how much force is justified keeps employees safe and legally protected. We teach the balance between de-escalation and necessary defense.
    5. Home Defense Planning
      Getting caught off guard is not a plan. We guide employees through simple, actionable steps— assigning roles, setting up safe rooms, and establishing emergency code words.

    Why It Matters for Employers, HR, and Risk Teams

    Training like this isn’t an optional extra—it’s a strategic investment in:

    • Employee wellness and confidence
    • Workplace violence prevention
    • Legal duty-of-care and liability reduction
    • OSHA, insurance, and risk management compliance
    • Team trust, retention, and culture

    When people know their safety matters, engagement transforms. Pinellas County experienced it first-hand—and so can your organization.

    What’s Next?

    We’re wrapping up the series with Virtual Self-Defense Training—real-world tactics delivered virtually, accessible to all ages and abilities.

    These aren’t quick fixes. They’re skills that last.

    Ready to bring real-world safety training to your employees or agency?
    Let’s make it happen → WeaponBrand.com

    — Jamie Anderson

  • Home Security

    Home Security

    Weapon Wisdom • Home Security

    Holiday Home Security: The Complete Weapon Brand Guide

    By Jamie Anderson • Nov 22

    The holidays should feel like a time to relax, not worry about who’s watching your home. Whether you’re traveling or just out more than usual, a few simple upgrades can make your house a much harder target.

    Below are fourteen practical ways to reduce your risk of a break-in, protect the people you love, and create real peace of mind this season.

    1. Use a security system or at least visible signage.
      A monitored alarm is ideal, but even a yard sign or window sticker tells a potential intruder your home won’t be an easy in-and-out.
    2. Leverage the “dog effect.”
      A barking dog—real or clearly suggested—can be enough to push someone toward an easier, quieter target.
    3. Keep your place looking lived-in.
      Don’t let mail, packages, or newspapers pile up. Ask a neighbor or friend to bring things in and park in your driveway while you’re away.
    4. Trim back hiding spots.
      Overgrown shrubs, trees, and dense landscaping around doors and windows give cover to anyone trying to work on a lock or pry a window.
    5. Reinforce doors and windows.
      Upgrade weak locks, consider door reinforcement plates, and use window locks or security film so glass is harder to breach quickly.
    6. Add smart lighting outside.
      Motion-activated or scheduled lights at entry points and dark corners make it harder for someone to move around without being seen.
    7. Use cameras for awareness and deterrence.
      Visible cameras—or camera doorbells—extend your eyes and ears. You gain alerts, recordings, and a reason for intruders to think twice.
    8. Consider location-based risk.
      Homes that are more isolated or sit on corners, alleys, or busy cut-throughs may need extra layers: lighting, cameras, and stronger physical security.
    9. Create the illusion that someone’s home.
      Timers for lamps, visible TVs, music, and open/closed blinds patterns can all help sell the idea that people are inside—even when you’re not.
    10. Know your escape routes.
      Walk your home and identify every way out: doors, windows, secondary exits. Talk through where you’d go and how you’d get there in an emergency.
    11. Train close-quarters self-defense.
      If someone does make it inside, skills from programs like our close-quarters and home-defense training can help you respond under pressure.
    12. Get proper firearm instruction if you own a gun.
      A firearm in the home is a serious responsibility. Seek professional training so you understand safe storage, handling, and when not to use it.
    13. Build a tactical mindset, not just a gear collection.
      Learn to quickly assess situations, prioritize threats, and use positioning and distance to reduce an attacker’s advantage.
    14. Review your security regularly.
      Set a reminder a few times a year to test alarms, replace batteries, walk the perimeter, and update any weak points you notice.

    None of these steps require fear or paranoia—they’re simply proactive habits. The more layers you stack, the less attractive your home becomes to someone looking for an easy score.

    This holiday season, combine practical upgrades with a prepared mindset. Pay attention to patterns around your home, talk through plans with the people you live with, and keep learning. Your safety starts long before a threat appears at the door.

    — Jamie Anderson