Keep in mind what I am speaking about, so everyone should be preparing for today, or every day. This means that we need to make our homes as secure as possible against the things that could happen at any time.
Here are some of those concerns:
Fire:
Yes, home defense includes your ability to protect your primary residence against fire. Some of the issues we see regularly in home fires could be prevented. At the very least, you need a good system to alert you when a fire breaks out
Here is a list some of the things you should employ in your preparedness against fire.
Smoke Alarms: These are inexpensive, and effective. The sooner you can be notified of an issue, the better.
Fire Extinguisher: A small fire extinguishers are not expensive and if you have a few scattered around the house, and you can get to it quick enough, often you can take care of an issue long before the fire department can arrive on seen. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen where the fire department arrives just in time to put out the dirt.
A Monitored Alarm: This may be a little more expensive but may be well worth the price if you are away from home and a fire breaks out.
Intrusion: Unfortunately, today a real possibility is that you may have a break in. The best-case scenario is that you are away they just steel you blind. The worst case is what seems to be a growing trend and that is a “Home Invasion.” In any case, the best defense is fortification of your home. Let us look at a few things you can do help keep the bad people out or your castle.
Your doors: Yes, this is the main point of entry by both the run of the mill theft and the home invader. Statistics indicate that the foot is mightier than the door jam. Yep, a kick is the primary way unwanted folks get into your home. All most all homes built today are 2x4-frame construction, with a pre-hung door dropped into place. They shim it; square it, trim it and they are done. Therefore, what you end up with is a ¼” to 1 ½” gap between the door facing and the frame. The typical consumer grade door hardware is just not up to the task of protecting your home either. Most striker plate screws are only about ½” long and only are screwed into the face. The sad part is this also includes the dead bolt. Another issue is if the dead bolt cannot “throw” fully it will not lock. I could walk up to most new construction homes and show how most dead bolts do not even lock fully.
The best thing you can do is add a bit of armor to the door jam and use 3” or better screws to hold the armor in place. Even if you do not want to add armor, you should at least replace the screws on the hardware you have and make sure the dead bolt can throw fully.
Alarms (monitored or standalone): Being an ex-convict, and speaking with most professional and not so professional burglars, I highly recommend a good monitored alarm system for when you are away. Unfortunately, in the case of simple robbery crime statistics tell us, the bad people will be in your home and gone long before the police arrive.
If you do not want to add a fully monitored alarm, all you need an inexpensive stand-a-lone alarm for your main doors. Why… time. That is right, time. What I am talking about is the time it takes you to wake up, become cognizant of your surroundings and arm yourself against a midnight home invasion. There have been times when a poorly hardened door allowed for in intruder to kick in the door, get to the bedroom and literally knock the homeowner unconscious while they were still asleep. That sounds odd but keep in mind that sleeping is not the same as being knocked-out.
So alarms even small local alarms give you time to react to whatever comes you way. In addition, if your door has been hardened and they have to kick it three, 4 or more times… the more time you have to prepare.
Fire Arms: After you have made your home as safe as possible, the next thing to consider is how to protect yourself in your home. By far a Fire Arm is the best way to do that. Like everything else, each “expert” in the world will tell that this gun is best, or that caliber is best. Often I hear Shotguns are better than Handguns, Handguns are better than rifles etc.. And etc..
For home defense, you need to take the same stance as personal defense. The best gun is the one you have. Here is another thought. If you have several guns, which one do, you are the most comfortable with using in a high stress situation
So what would you rather use? A small caliber handgun you can manipulate in the dark. Or the shot gun under the bed. You know the one. The shotgun you stub you big toe on every week or so. When was the last time you took that thing out to the range?
The bottom line is… get a gun, carry it, and use it for you home defense.
- Bird
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