What is Situational Awareness?

Situational Awareness (SA) is the perception of elements in the environment within a volume of time and space, the comprehension of their meaning, and the projection of their status in the near future.

In simpler terms, SA means knowing what is happening around you, understanding what it means, and anticipating what will happen next.

Good SA means:

• You know where you are, where you are going, and what is happening
• You understand the implications of current events
• You can anticipate future developments

Poor SA means:

• You are surprised by events
• You have missed important information
• You have an incomplete or incorrect mental picture