I’m Confused. What’s the Difference Between Concealment and Cover?

Both cover and concealment can shield you from harm if you know what to do. Both will hide you from sight. Only cover can stop a bullet!

At night, a dark shadow can hide you and conceal your presence. It cannot stop an attack. Most interior building materials are the same. They offer a place to hide and reload, but the attack can move through them.

The basic rule during an attack is to move to cover. Moving from concealment area to concealment area can ensure that you can get to cover.

Consider this scenario:

    You are in your car and suspect an attack

    You initially duck down below the door (concealment)

    You turn off the interior lights and open the door (concealment)

    You move behind the fender by the engine block (cover)

    You move to the hedge by the parking area (concealment)

    You exit the area calling 911

Each action above has a purpose and a well defined use of both concealment and cover.

Let’s try another scenario:

    It’s 2AM and a flower pot hits the tile floor in the kitchen (your cat is curled up with you)

    You get up and move to the door (concealment)

    You move through the bathroom to the safe room (concealment to cover)

    You  call 911 and locate your firearm, Taser, and flashlight (cover)

If you plan ahead and think through these actions, they seem logical. In the frightened, sleepy darkness, you can turn awareness into an edge. You know your home. Bad guys don’t.

Remember: Effective use of concealment and cover can give you a fighting chance to escape.