Once again, the “5 Levels of Alertness†as written by Boston T. Party in his book Boston’s Gun Bible
Part 4
Red – It is no longer a potential problem, it is about to happen.
You have a willingness to fight if required, and are holding at your “mental triggerâ€. You may have drawn your gun, you may have discreetly placed your hand on it, or you may be ready to affect a full drawstroke. You may or may not have warned them of your imminent fire. Whichever (every situation is unique, and thus demands its own unique tactics), you are willing/able to deliver effective fire within 3 seconds.
The nature of self-defense is that it is necessarily reactive rather than proactive. Under law, you must wait until you are attacked or until he/she begins to attack.
Remember to take some deep breaths, because your life may suck in just a few seconds. Be scanning for other Bad Guys, be looking for cover, and be thinking about your background. Move to the best tactical location. Mentally rehearse your drawstroke and movements. Tell yourself “Front sight. Press. Front sight. Press.â€