The Weekly Briefing – Edition 1
Coming to your inbox, every Monday morning!
Welcome to Connecticut Security Training Center’s official newsletter – The Weekly Briefing. We will never spam your inbox – you’ll receive just one weekly newsletter from us every Monday morning. Here, we’ll discuss security and first aid topics to help better prepare you for the challenges security professionals (and ordinary people) experience on a daily basis. Additionally, as we continue our rapid expansion, we’ll keep you updated on new class offerings and other training opportunities to further enhance your skills.
As we say during all of our classes – we are not just a security training organization – we train everyone.
Bystander Apathy
Bystander apathy is a serious issue in today’s society. We will be deep diving into this topic for the next few newsletters.
Too often, when emergencies unfold, people hesitate to act because they assume someone else will step in or they fear making
the wrong move. This hesitation can cost valuable seconds – and sometimes, lives. Studies have shown that the larger the crowd,
the less likely individuals are to help, a phenomenon known as the “bystander effect” or, bystander apathy. The good news is that
awareness is the first step toward change. By understanding why this happens, we can train ourselves to break the cycle, take
responsibility, and act decisively when it matters most.
In late August of this year, we saw a tragic example of bystander apathy with the murder of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, aboard Charlotte’s Lynx Blue Line light rail. On the night of August 22, she was attacked without provocation, stabbed by a man who then walked down the train car leaving a trail of blood. Despite multiple passengers being in very close proximity – some sitting just steps away, others walking past – no one intervened or called for help until it was too late. Surveillance footage shows that even as the murderer left the car, passengers acted as if the scene were “normal,” not recognizing the urgency of what was unfolding around them.
About three minutes after the attack, a passenger finally stopped to render aid and appeared to call for help – seconds later, additional passengers came to Iryna’s aid. By that point, the opportunity for any potential lifesaving interventions had passed. As we know in severe bleeding emergencies, a person can bleed out and die in less than a minute. Every second matters, and the delay in response turned what might have been a survivable injury into a fatal one. She may not have been savable without immediate surgical intervention, but that does not change the fact that we must at least try to help. This tragic case underscores the importance of immediate action. Even basic first aid skills and a willingness to step forward can make the difference between life and death.
Iryna Zarutska – image courtesy of NYPost.com
Security Tip of the Week
Always scan your environment to determine where the nearest emergency equipment is. Whether you’re at your favorite shopping center, school, work – look around and know where that equipment is in case you need it.
Can you instruct someone as to where the equipment is, no matter where you are in relation to that equipment?
Upcoming Product Launches
Very soon, we will be launching our online store where we’ll be showcasing all the gear we talk about in our security and first aid training classes! This is an exciting time as we continue our growth and expansion. New gear and product updates will be mentioned in upcoming newsletters.
Additionally – stay tuned for a very exciting announcement by the second week of October!
Class Calendar
CT Guard Card Classes (all 9am – 5pm):
- Thurs, Sep 25
- Wed, Oct 1
- Sat, Oct 4
- Sat, Oct 11
- Wed, Oct 15
- Sat, Oct 18
- Sat, Oct 25
We are pushing back the launch date of our A.T.I.E. Leadership Development series toward the later end of this year. This adjustment will allow us to refine the program content, add more interactive elements, and ensure that every session delivers maximum value to participants. We are committed to making this series a cornerstone of professional growth for both security professionals and everyday leaders. Stay tuned for official dates and early registration details in the months ahead!
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