Wake-up Call
 

On the topic of preparedness, but slightly different, consider this.

After you prepare for a fire, tornado, etc., and have your drills down, think about what you need to do in the event of an intruder (or multiples) in your home.

What is your drill?

Who else is in the home and what are their responsibilities?

How do you protect them?

Can your spouse use a firearm to hold a door or hallway/defend herself?

How will you notify your family that there is an intruder and to initiate the reaction plan?

Do you have near and far rally points?

Do you have a signal for the family to flee the house for the rally point?

Do you have a trusted neighbor who will quickly let you/your family in in the middle of the night and protect them?

What gear would you need to protect yourself, defend your home, and ensure a positive outcome for you and yours?

Where is it now?

How will you carry it?

How long does it take you to gather and don it?

How long does it take you to identify that there is an intruder, initiate your drill, and be ready to engage?

Just a few random thoughts since I was recently asked if I had a plan. Admittedly, this is likely a low-probability event, but the consequences of being unprepared are huge.

Anyone want to join in?

TR

Although I live in a 'safe' suburban area, the boys are grown and gone, and it is just my wife and I -

• House has high-security windows/doors
• High-pitched beep sounds if door/window is opened (anytime day or night)
• Shotgun (loaded + box of extra shells) is next to my side of the bed behind wing-back chair at the far end of the house from main entrance down long hallway
• Telephone (portable) is on the nightstand next to my side of the bed with 911 set on #1 on speed-dial and speaker phone
• Master bathroom off of master bedroom is furthest room at end of house and easily secured
• Master bedroom has French Doors (with secured exterior security gate) which exit to interior patio and back yard

;)

Richard

I believe the small size (1500-2000sq ft. on average) and configuration of the dwellings in my area limit the options. In my case it's 3 bedroom ranch, front and back entrances are at one end of the house and across from each other.

One positive is that you could cover both entrances easily and remain concealed. And it might while the kids jump out the window to the front lawn.

At present, crime in the area is very low and most burglaries/intrusions happen in the day while folks are away and the perps are tend to be workers for contractors, lawn care, maid services, etc.


I'll ponder it.

I recently attended a seminar sponsored by the FAA on survival. It seems that us private pilots sometimes land away from the airport and survive the crash. It's then that we do dumb things that end up in the death of the pilot and passengers.

The most significant perspective I gained is a consciousness, if not obsessiveness, for the weight of my survival gear. IIRC, I spoke of this in a thread regarding some rain gear that was recommended. I think weight is a useful focus for survival gear whether it is for your flight (pilot) or your flight (escape).

Because I am a CCP instructor, I am also concerned with first responder gear. I currently have much of the gear SWATSURGEON recommended in other threads with me at all times. This gear used to be just tossed in my range bag, however I sometimes make an unplanned stop at the range and may not have my range bag with me. I have been experimenting with a messenger bag which is on me quite a lot of the time and with me always. Please don't laugh too loudly, but part of my inspiration came from watching new episodes of 24 after a 2-3 year hiatus. Some call it my "Jack Bag." :D

As a challenge to myself, I am trying to integrate what I learned from First Medical Responder School, SWATSURGEON and the FAA survival school. Weight and size are two important criteria. I look forward to this thread providing insights for my journey.

Good physical security preparations.

I take it that you plan to hole up in your bedroom, if possible, and defend from there while awaiting LE response?

How will you identify intruders and acquire targets in the darkness?

Do you own less than lethal weapons?

Is your cell phone in the bedroom, in case your landline is cut?

How will you restrain/detain apprehended or wounded intruders while waiting for law enforcement? What if they decline to wait?

Do you have a trauma kit handy for yourself, your family members, or wounded intruder(s)?

Do you have trousers and shoes handy, or plan to don them before clearing the house?

TR

Now that we live 5 miles from Trenton, and must lock our doors for the first time in 10 years, we have a basic plan in place:
1. 12 gauge Remington my side, loaded, safety on, wife need training, but has shot guns prior.

2. .45 Glock my side, 5 clips @ 13 round

3. All Cell Phones now on speed dial - Tx Richard

4. Stay in the room, catty corner from the door, protect our corner- Tx TS

5. If no LEO arrive within 10 minutes (Station is 3 away) exit back roof and exit the area.

6. If the SHTF we exit the whole AO for my brothers place in the upper Bucks Co, PA

Kiss prinicple

My plan needs a lot of work. I live on the main hwy in a rural (damned little) town about 2hrs from DC, so the risks of a home invasion is real.

I have a 60 pound shepherd/lab mix who is especially territorial. Someone barging in will have to deal with her. That gives me some time to get out the 16ga, 870 loaded with slugs. I have a .38 Special at the nightstand. No NV/IR system, and if it comes to fight or flight, then it's fight like the Alamo.

As for dealing with injuries, I'm doomed. So's the intruder, though.

Great points to consider, sir. I will take action.

Damnit, I had been comfortably numb until this thread(which is remarkably stupid on my part).

Richard---what is/are the criteria for a "high-security" window, and do most modern energy-efficient windows qualify?

Next question---Living in a very remote area, what would be a good STANO-esque device for the ground outside the house(nearest neighbor 1/2 mile away, I own 230 acre farm)? When I was a kid, farmers who didn't want people sneaking into their fishing ponds would buy a couple of jackasses and turn them loose in the pasture. The jackasses would bray like crazy if anybody came around, day or night. I'm wondering if this would be both more effective and cheaper than electronics.

Next question---If I were going to try to kill me, I wouldn't break into the house(My FPF would be quite formidable)(My personal worries are much more along the assassination thought instead of the random burglar idea). Instead, I would set fire to the house, wait for me to run outside in the middle of the night, then open fire. Anybody have any good anti-arson ideas?(Yes, I'm probably being paranoid, but that doesn't mean the bastards aren't out to get me).

This thread is distressingly thought-provoking. More questions to follow.

VOCO challenge

There is a 'panic' button next to the light switch on my wife's side of the bed which turns on exterior lights as well as lights in living/dining areas at front of house - hallway and bedrooms at rear of the house not affected.

Baseball bat behind front door.

Wife keeps her cell next to bed.

Treat as POW - hold at gun-point face down on front yard - hold wounded at gun-point in place.

If they decline to wait - let them go, monitor direction, and give detailed ID to police.

Kitchen, master bathroom, garage, each vehicle.

I now sleep in Eddie Bauer flannel pants/boxers and cotton t-shirt, we keep Uggs slippers next to the bed.

!?!

Richard:

Good plan, far better than most. Get a good tactical flashlight, if not a weapons light. Small powerful flashlights, especially weapons mounted lights, are much more economical than night vision devices, and both have pros/cons.

Baseball bats are not necessarily non-lethal weapons. I prefer OC spray, kept in the bedroom, vehicle, etc., just like trauma kits. Handcuffs or flex-cuffs might not be a bad idea, if you can cuff while still covering. Practice first.

I put my trousers (with all of my EDC junk in them), shirt, and footwear by the bed every night before retiring, just in case. Broken glass on the floor and no shoes is not going to be fun.

Most dogs are great early warning and some are also defensive assets.

While I like cameras and alarms, complementary, with layers, I have heard that geese are also territorial and hostile to strangers.

Deter, deny, delay, detect, and defeat.

Anti-arson? Damn, Judge! You must have some bad ones.

Masonry structure with relatively few windows or doors, no flammables like woodpiles or aboveground fuel tanks nearby, brush cleared away from the house, fire extinguishers and fire blankets handy inside for fire suppression.

Frankly, just as easy to shoot you when you are headed out to work or coming home as it is to start a fire and attract responders.

Honestly, how do they know if it is locked and unloaded, if you do not tell them?

Do they come by and inspect it at random intervals?

If not, I seriously suggest that you put all of your items away and set your alarm clock for a random time during the night. When it goes off, have your significant other start a stopwatch (or note the time) while you execute your plan, in the dark (power cut or avoiding attention from the intruder. I really doubt that you will be able to unlock/load/make ready in less than a minute or two.

Break.

Okay, a sudden sound of breaking glass awakens you tonight, what do you do? First, and then in sequence.

TR

My front windows are reinforced energy efficient windows with added non-opening exterior storm windows and motion sensors in the front room/entry hall areas.

My side and rear windows are energy efficient with reinforced steel 'burglar bars' which are hinged and can be opened from the outside with a master key (we keep it in the master bedroom near the patio exit doors) or from the inside without a key for emergencies.

My vision is that a burglar will look at my house and say, "We'll go somewhere else."

Richard

Anyone else have a SO that lives in denial and forbids weapons in the house, let alone in the bedroom? I married her 40+ years ago before I understood life, so a new SO is not an option. ;) I'd tell you what I do, but this forum is open to and scanned by search engines and I'm not prepared to show my hand to my SO.

That would have been a deal breaker.

TR

My wife does not like weapons much but can entertain the thought of how good it would feel to rid the world of someone who has most likely harmed someone else and was now trying to harm her, her loved ones, or her property.

We considered pistols - she knows how to shoot - but settled for the shotgun mainly for the psychological effect and the lessened need to aim when confronting somebody in a hallway, room, etc.

FWIW - the physical and mental response to the action and sound of a round being jacked into the chamber of the pump shotgun seems to help her prepare herself mentally and physically for such an encounter. Works for us.

Richard

!?!

That was then, this is now.

It is what it is. :(

There you go.

And to add, hard pointing on the stairs provides the most location-dependant safe backstop for expended non-meat-bullettrapped rounds. It's shooting down at a 45 degree angle or so at a completely open area with an individual standing on the second landing for our 3 turn stairs coming up to the 2nd story.

The front door opens in such a manner that it actually provides an immediate barrier to anyone that wanted to directly head upstairs, slowing them down.

I guess I can toss in that illegal entry of an occupied building in this state is 2nd degree burglary and under the criminal law use of force statutes, a burglary is cause for stopping with all means of force available. There is no duty to retreat inside of a building.

We also have medical supplies, and a plethora of flexcuffs for restraint/care if necessary. If they run they'll just end up meeting the en-route troopers and their handheld thermals in their cars when they start the manhunt. Most likely N911AA will also get dispatched from anchorage, and I know the pilot will be making sure the manhunt is successful with his FLIR as well. Semi-advantage of a pseudo-rural area.

This is of great concern to me as a wife of a soldier who is gone a lot. I've gotten good suggestions from you all before, and I've implemented a lot of them -

• cell phone by bed
• monitored alarm system
• loud beeping whenever doors are opened
• non-lethal weapons in my room... sort of

I'm not comfortable with my ability to shoot a gun, though this is high on our priority list to rectify. For now, I have Surefire flashlights in my car, bedside table and kitchen. I've also got two Hideaway knives that are with me or near me always.

This past summer I decided it was time to get a dog for a number of reasons, not the least of which being home security. Our Great Dane isn't a guard dog, but she looks and sounds quite imposing. She also can hear when the back gate is opened and has a nice loud bark.

One of my biggest concerns is my kids. We aren't in the biggest house ever, but I very frequently play through how, if an intruder were to get in the house, I could get my kids all in one room. We are in three separate rooms that are separated by a hall/landing area. One of my kids might wake-up if I called for them, but two of them can sleep through earthquakes. I'm not sure how I could logistically work getting us all together and out of the house without running headlong in to the intruder.

Ideas?

Geese are unbelievably territorial. They use them for security on English farms.
Every been chased or pecked by a goose? Nasty critters. Disturbed at night, they are both vocal and mean. Not to mention they make a great dinner.:D

How glad I am to live in Arizona!

I have a Mossberg 500 bedside. (I couldn't afford an 870 back in the day.) I sleep upstairs, with a bend in the stairs. There is a deadbolt on the front door, and back door...only entry other than windows. Other things, as mentioned, have been instituted. One thing has not - my SO is not a "weapons" person. However, she is bright (or I would not be with her) and educable. She has accepted the shotgun, and from her rural uprbringing, even brought forth a .32 revolver!

Delay, deny! Count on 911 for nothing more than the "tagging of your toe"! It is up to you. Period.

I lived, about ten yrs ago, in a group of Townhomes. Of the 25 homes, only three were not buguralized during a 3 month period. ALL of the townhouses not broken into had dogs. Intruders have no idea whether a dog will bite or not. :D


One of my biggest concerns is my kids. Ideas?[/QUOTE]

You have them trained how to call 911? Rather than trying to get them to your room, look where they can hide in thier room, back of a closet, under the bed, that sort of thing.

There are so many things wrong with this plan.

Giving away your position by voice. You had the upper hand until you said something. Approaching the intruder so that he can hear you. Probability for being shot increases. You are now walking slower and probably trying to see him, so that you may speak. Telling him your armed just gave him a reason too shoot you.
Firearms are not to scare anybody, they are a tool for a specific use. i.e. don't draw unless you're going to shoot. Why?
If you view guns as intimidators, you won't have the drive to pull the trigger in the seconds it takes to react before you're shot at.
Your mind will be racing about the consequences and everything else and fail to act. Then it will be too late.


You just wasted ammo with that warning shot, giving him time to get cover and think about how he will assault the stairs and murder you.

A better idea is to keep a loaded shotgun in your room.
Know how to find it in the dark. It would be better to have it already chambered so that the intruder dosen't hear the loud chambering "cocking".
Use the element of suprise and you being on the second floor to get the jump on him. A weapon light is gold in situation like this. Don't storm around though with your hand on the pressure switch. A shotgun light is a lighthouse and represents a huge target until you get him in the eyes.

Longstreet, I'm proud that you decided to do the right thing and protect your life and your girlfriend's life by buying a gun. I know in Canada guns are taboo.
I guess it's because of the French influence.:p

It would be interesting to know if the QPs here have a gun in each room hidden in the event of an emergency.;)

Some may think I am a bit cautious, but in college I carried around a 3day assualt pack as a backpack with an extra change of clothes, knives, and water bottles just in case a natural disaster/SHTF struck. It didn't hurt and I learned to be prepared.

TR and Richard have great ideas. Having a Medkit is amazing advise. TF Kilo like yours also. I love this thread.

An acquaintance had a home invasion in an affluent suburb here about three weeks ago. He keeps a Sig handy, and was able to repel all boarders (four of them).
Now he keeps an AR close by.
Great topic.

Until I was 9 my parents lived in the farmhouse with his my Dad's parents and one of his brothers. One year my Uncle decided to add geese to the stock of animals we raised for food and sale. That 100 or so geese we started with were never replaced.

Noisy, territorial and mean does not even come close to my memory of these critters. Years later, when my Grandparents lived there alone they were subject to constant middle-of-the-night robberies of the above-ground fuel tank. It never occurred to me until your post that geese might have been a welcome layer of protection.

My plan is still in evolution.

Since I have re-enlisted in the NG, my wife is now at home alone for longer and more frequent periods. Last year I bought a new M-4gery (RRA, and thanks to the members of the board for advice given). I had already taught her to shoot an AR-15 with good accuracy (she can shoot better than most privates, for sure), but it had been awhile since she had practiced. I took her to the range with my H&K USP.40, a S&W .357 4" (loaded with .38 special), my Mossberg 590, and the new M4. I let her shoot all four, and pick which one she felt most comfortable with. In the end, the M4 was the weapon of choice for lack of perceived recoil, ease of target engagement at short range, and high capacity (unlikely to need reloading).

That said, my wife and I live in a small, relatively quiet suburb with close neighbors. The police force is a good, and probably underused department, and I would expect reaction times in well under five minutes, realistically probably 2-3 minutes. We have a centrally monitored alarm, although it is not on that much, and there is no possibility that gunfire would go unnoticed or unreported to the police. All doors have deadbolts, and the doors are kept locked 99% of the time, even when we are home. Almost all windows are double pane glass. There are outdoor floodlights covering the parts of the house that do not face the street.

Her prep is this:

• wireless land line by bedside
• cell phone by bedside
• M4 under bed, 30 rd. magazine with 55 gr. ammo
• Flashlight in bedside table

Our bedroom is only accessible by a staircase that leads to the first floor back of the house, and a door that leads to the front of the house. Conveniently, there is a french door at the top of the stairwell, and from the french doors to the door leading to the front of the house is appx. 40'. If awoken by an intruder, she is to grab the phones, grab the M4, and move to the corner of the room overlooking the stairwell, then call 911. There is a spare 30 rd. magazine on a table in that corner of the room. From that position, the only way to get at her is by either opening the door to the bedroom, or coming up the back stairs. If an intruder opens the door, she has an unobstructed 40' line of sight, and therefore engagement range. Any rounds fired from that position to the door would have to penetrate two layers of plaster, then another layer of plaster and a concrete block wall to exit the house. If an intruder comes up the back stair, they will have to fight their way up a stairwell against a scared and angry woman with an M4. Any rounds fired down the stairwell can only overpenetrate into the ground outside.

For me, I wear (PJ) pants to bed, and would prefer to move around the house in bare feet for stealth, if necessary. As a habit picked up as a young 11B training for night ops, I tend to move around the house during darkness without using lights anyway. I'm pretty confident that between my familiarity with the layout of the house, ability to move quietly and operate in the dark, and marksmanship, I have the upper hand against 99% of anyone that would be breaking into my house. There will be no verbal or audible warning against an armed intruder other than the report of a discharged weapon. If it was glaringly obvious that the intruder was unarmed, they will be dealt with EPW style until the police come. That said, I think I need to come up with some more detailed plans for if both my wife and I are home.

Thanks to TR for bringing up this subject and for everyone who has contributed. I am already getting some good ideas to improve my plan.

Intruder Reaction Plan
 

I have been thinking about this since I enlisted, especially in regards to how my wife will be able to react to an incident while I'm away. Any suggestions for improvement would be greatly appreciated.

Perimeter Security:

-All doors and windows have magnetic alarms, loud enough to wake the dead (we are light sleepers anyway.)

-Front and rear entry have lights on 24/7 (Energy saving bulbs)

-Motion-activated floodlights cover entire back yard, which is fenced.

-Arsenal, my 150lb Great Dane serves as notice of anyone within 20ft of the house. His bark shakes the walls. It has been enough to turn away a few salespeople and Jehovah's Witnesses...

Interior Security:

-Again, the dog will certainly slow someone down. They will have to kill him or drag him along as he chews off their legs.

-All interior doors remain closed. No interior lights at night.

-Glock 21 in the nightstand, my side. Equipped with TLR-1 light and fiber optic/tritium sights.

-Mossberg 500 20ga under the bed, her side. Flashlight in her nightstand.

-Cell Phones on each nightstand.

-Backup weapons throughout the house (.357 in kitchen, .380 in bathroom, etc.) AR and other rifles are in secure storage, not part of intrusion plan.

-Baseball bat beside door is for obnoxious vandals who mess with the mailbox/vehicles. (No issues so far at this place)

Reaction Plan (I'm Home):

1. G21 in hand, assess situation, ensure wife has shotgun ready and is in secure location in corner behind bed. Her flashlight goes on the bed at an off angle to her position, pointed at the door, lights off until needed.

2. Wife calls 911 from corner, based on noise and dog reaction I either stay in room with her or proceed to clear house. If the bedroom door opens it's the last move they make.

Reaction Plan (I'm away):

1. Wife has G21, goes to her corner and assesses situation.

2. Wife calls 911, holds steady until police arrive. Feel sorry for anyone who opens the door before that, as she is very proficient with the .45 (Trips to the range have been a regular part of my pre-training preparation.)

If we're not in the bedroom when an invasion occurs, she is to retreat to the bedroom, lights out, and carry out the plan as normal. I am to secure the nearest weapon and handle the threat while making my way there. Both plans depend on the exterior and canine alarms to alert us/her to a possible intruder. Both also rely heavily on blackout conditions inside the house to conceal our positions and offer the advantage of instant blinding from the weapon light and/or flashlight. Both plans will change with children.

After-Action Plan:

1. (I'm home) Any wounded / surrendered intruders will be restrained with duct-tape and held at gun-point until the police arrive. Seriously wounded intruders will be attended to if possible using the medical kit in the kitchen.

2. (I'm away) Wife holds intruders at gun-point until police arrive. Wounded intruders are out of luck.

3. Intruders who flee will have their direction of travel noted and the police will have to handle it from there.

Is there anything I'm missing, especially for when she's by herself?

I am still finding this thread disconcerting. And I think Richard has a good idea.

Having thought about the issue, it seems that I need to "fort-ify" my home. As I do not live with a team/squad, my level of security is never 100%, and is often 0%. Further, my cyclic rate of fire is much, much lower than when I had access to an M-4, M-249, or M-240. Moreover, I have no access to claymores, and my birddogs and other critters would blow every trip wire I could emplace.

Accordingly, out of necessity, using a firearm at an attacker who is inside my house would signify a failure of my defense plan.

My worry is, personally, not two dudes breaking in looking for $ to buy meth. My fear is one professional whose target is me.

My old senior Echo is a US Marshall, and has done a lot of personal security for big-named people. He made a comment that has stuck with me to this day: "If a guy who is good wants to get a shot at you, he is going to get a shot at you."

More random thoughts to follow

Wow. I can't imagine the life choices that would make you as a particular person a target. If you have and that's your fear, change your life.

All 3 do know how to call 911, but none of them have phones in their rooms and I'd highly doubt they would know there was a problem unless someone woke them up. It's the "alerting them to danger" when it's just me in the house that I can't figure out. I'm curious to see what happens if the house alarm goes off and they are asleep. It hasn't happened before, but I might make a drill out of it. We've tried it with the fire alarm and they don't budge. Studies have shown that kids need the voice fire alarms that basically shout at you. It is on the list of things to get, but I do have a plan for getting them out should a fire happen and they aren't ever home alone at night without an adult.

Me vs. the intruder leaves no one to deal with the kids. And if I can't defeat the intruder, that leaves the intruder vs. the kids and that isn't acceptable.

I do have a particularly vigilant neighbor across the street and we keep the exterior of the house lit well. As others have noted, I would hope I've done enough at this point to deter someone from thinking my house is a good target but I'd like to and plan on doing more.

If you check craigepo's profile, you'll see he is a judge.

Stepped on it twice in one day. I should have checked the profile first.

I can understand his worry and thank God for his service as a judge.

REAPER, awesome topic and it gets a man to thinking… I really need to get a better plan laid out for the kids. I have an added hurdle as one of them has special needs. She is 21 years old, but moves pretty slow.

I keep the following on the nightstand; wireless landline and cell phones, XD-45 with spare mag, Sure-Fire light, vehicle keys with the keyless fob so I can hit the panic button to set off the alarm. I keep my SR556 under the bed with 1, 20 round mag loaded with TAP ammo and extra 30 round mag of M193. Shoes an old flight suit and go-bag between the nightstand and bed.

I mounted a green laser on the SR556 for shock value, but I’m not really sure if I’ll keep it on there or not. My wife has quick access to the 870 and can handle it fairly well.

We have 2 small ankle grabbers that raise hell anytime someone they don’t know is in the house. We have a 2 story Charleston style house with a large front porch top and bottom, but no real exit plan for the 2nd floor. Any ideas on that?

I'm inclined to disagree with this disagreement. :)

I lean in Longstreet's direction here.

Seems that most people have a cell phone. A burglar who hears "the police are on the way" would have every reason to believe it. "I have a shotgun and I'll use it" should deter the "casual" burglar, usually some teenager from the neighborhood (ex-LEO here). And, in those states without a "castle" law, that phrase on the 911 tape may bear a LOT of weight.

Besides, I've had one father-in-law and two sons "sneak" into the house late at night (using keys) when they couldn't go to their own homes for various reasons. I'm not sure I would have recognized them, but "Hey, it's me", in answer to a loud challenge, prevented tragedy.

Any intimidator beats an exchange of gunfire IMHO, especially with my family on the other side of various thin pieces of drywall. And I am inclined to believe that an alert adult voice with an aggressive tone sends a signal that a far easier "victim" might be found elsewhere.

On the "defense of home" side, I am prepared to defend the part of my home that is occupied. My electronic equipment and camera are insured. Venturing forth from my bedroom to do combat in unoccupied areas isn't worth the risk. I am the major source of income here, and my loss would have a far more drastic effect than the absence of my TV. That potential $10,000 or more for a lawyer to defend my actions is a bit of a bite as well.

And, bottom line, I don't WANT to shoot some teen-dufus who wants to steal enough of my stuff to get a new IPOD.

On the barrier side of things, my ranch is divided into three areas by pocket doors, and they aren't the thin internal doors that some use. These are strong and well-seated. Confuses the hell out of people who don't know the layout well. You hit a door, you fumble for the knob, and there is no knob. :)

Additionally, there are some excellent, cheap home security cameras. I have one that shoots down the hallway that connects all rooms. It connects (by radio signal) to a cheap monitor by my bed. My hall light (or if I wish, every light in the house) comes on when motion is sensed. That causes a loud beep and the cheap b/w monitor screen comes to life. Beats hell out of sticking my head around the corner.

In order to attract attention and make any intruder feel uncomfortable, I also have a wireless perimeter system that broadcasts to a console in my BR closet. That console is wired to one deafening siren under a metal roof vent and one each red, one each blue, strobe light that flash onto my yard. Not only does it alert self and neighbors, but it attracts the curious. And, there's something about flashing blue and red lights that disconcerts intruders. :)

My little camera also records on a hidden backup computer drive, but that's for after-action. Still, a good clear picture of a burglar is an excellent aid to recovering property.

Question.

Is it true that a large percentages of home invasions or home burglaries are perpetrated by people that know you and the surroundings in some manner?

The reason I ask that is that it would appear to me that the perp would have much better chance of success if they had prior knowledge of what you have and where it located. Whereas if it is random, they are going in blind and might come up empty handed.

Edited.

Good questions about defense in depth and rally points above, all things I'll need to consider as my household grows. I also like the idea of keeping all members of the family on the 2nd floor with my room near the chokepoint.

HC, you need to slow down and read before commenting for a while. Ready, aim, fire.

His Disciple, while I agree that firing a warning shot is a bad idea, I have quite a few issues with the rest of your commentary. Unless you have some special military or LE training that is missing from your profile, you should probably save your advice for areas where you do have some expertise.

Plato, I like the way you are thinking.

LRSU, b22b, inceptor, good prep. All I can say about higher floors with limited exit options is to make sure that the window can be opened and consider planting something soft below.

Shar, how old is your oldest child? Could he/she be put in charge of collecting the others and hiding or slipping out of the house to the neighbors? We live in a house with a split plan, and our kids are in the opposite end of the house. Our oldest is responsible for gathering the youngest and getting to safety. You could keep an air horn in the bedroom for fires and intruders, just make sure everyone knows what they are supposed to do and has rehearsed it.

Again, dogs are great, especially if at least one is kept indoors.

911 calls can be as short as necessary. The lines are all recorded now, and in most areas, the location shows up when the call is received. You couldf literally dial the number and drop the phone while yelling at the intruder. I do not need the moral support of the dispatcher (who seem to vary widely in quality these days), and the recording may be used in your hearing/trial, so all I have to say is "This is Mr. X., at YZ Maple Street. There is an intruder in my home, I am afraid that he might be armed. I have a gun and am prepared to defend my family. I am afraid for their safety. Please hurry." It does not matter if the intruder hears this or not, though your legal position is better iof he does. Then drop the phone or hand it to the spouse. I do not plan to get into a gunfight while yakking on a phone.

Great point about the legal aftermath. If you do not currently get American Handgunner, get a copy and read Massad Ayoob's column. He is usually testifying in some citizen's trial as an expert and you would not believe how often people are charged or sued. $10,000 in legal fees for a righteous shooting is probably a starting point.

You might be surprised at how effective properly placed nightlights can be for tactical illum. You know the layout and their location. The intruder probably does not. That is enough to manuever, should you need to, until you have the need to engage. Then once you have determined the number and location of intruders, and are ready to engage, a powerful hand held or weapons light can be applied for final ID prior to one final voice command and engaging. If the intruder is armed and failes to respond to the voice command, or appears to be unarmed but acts aggressively, then it is time to engage.

Do not forget that a car of excited cops are about to show up at a crime scene where they know at least one person is armed. Never point the weapon at the responding officers, try to put it in a safe place as they arrive, and obey all instructions they issue to the letter. Hopefully, you have ID handy and can quickly establish that you are the homeowner.

You do as you see fit, but I would probably see to the security and status of my family ASAP, tell the cops that you were afraid for your life and the lives of your family, and tell them that you are too shaken to make a coherent statement right away. As soon as possible, get a lawyer and let him do your talking. I know lawyering up looks bad, but it beats the alternative of delivering a full statement still coming down off the adrenaline rush, and then having some shyster pick the police version of your statement concerning life or death decisions apart over a month long trial that could incarcerate or bankrupt you.

I agree that most burglaries happen during daylight hours while the homeowners are at work. Home invaders probably prefer the night, since they may be after you, as well as your stuff.

As a warning, unless you are trained, DO NOT attempt to go on the offense after the intruder. Barricade yourself in a covered or at least concealed position, and prepare to defend yourself.

If you ever come home, and find your door ajar, DO NOT CLEAR THE HOUSE YOURSELF! Call the cops and consider parking a short distance away, where you can observe your home till they arrive. Once they do, tell them what is going on and wait for them to clear it and give you the opportunity to enter and inventory. Frankly, after they have cleared it, you may want to have them follow you while you do your own inspection. If anything has been tampered with, be very cautious, they may have missed the intruder and he may still be in the house.

I hope this thread helps people prepare and do at least a little planning. Most of us will never have to execute the plan. I hope that anyone who does comes out of it on top. Best of luck.

TR

Your house, your rules. I shall endeavor to obey.

I hope those who have PMed me with both support and concern continue to do so.

Jayson it's good you're thinking about this, but let me offer a few thoughts; first yes a loaded gun is a hazard of sorts to some people, children being my primary concern. If there are no children living in the house then there is not a huge threat, and it is mitigated by having all adults in the house being shown how to fire and clear the weapon. If you are uncomfortable keeping the weapon fully loaded I would recommend having a snap cap (dummy round) in the chamber and keeping the weapon on safe. That way it is no more dangerous than a bullet laying on the dresser, however it can be made ready very quickly, rack the slide, snap cap is ejected and you're hot and ready to go. This also serves as your warning, yelling IMO is unnecessary, if the person in the house has ill intent they are going to do one of two things, retreat or keep coming, either way you yelling will have no more effect on their decision making process than the racking of a slide, however as others have said they may be able to better determine your location or they hear nervousness in your voice, neither of which is good for you tactically, but this is also situational, in my house there would be no reason for any other human to be inside other than my wife after I've locked up, I have a nieghbor with a key but they know I am armed and well trained and know better than to enter without my permission. If you have family or are concerned that the threat may be the police then a ghost call out may be in order, but IMO that would be best reserved for someone with a little more training and a command voice, but it is a personal decision IMO. Me personally I'm going to rack the slide and that's your warning, the next thing you'll hear is a bang. Understand the racking of a shotgun slide is the 2nd most recognizable sound on earth, second only to a Harley :p, and it is a universal sound that means go away. Any friendlys in the area are going to sing out their name and status at hearing the slide being racked, and they are likely to stop moving until they make contact with you, but your situation may be different if you have family in the area or multiple neighbors with access to your house.

Ok lots of issues here, if racking the slide didn't scare away the intruder your voice is probably not going to have any effect, they are INTENT on doing you and yours harm and must be dealt with. I would highly discourage warning shots, if you rack the slide and they keep coming a warning shot is simply a wasted round and wasted time, both of which may result in you or your families demise. Another issue, the stairs are a choke point in most cases, if you have only one way up and down that is the best place to make your stand should it come to that, the bad guy has no cover and you hold the high ground while he is in a fatal funnel. If I'm at home and have racked the slide and a bad guy keeps coming, I'm going to end him at the stairs, retreating at this point is simply giving up an advantage for a little meaningless time, if they keep coming up the stairs you need to be ready to keep them from making it to the top.


Hope is not a strategy, you have two choices in this scenario IMO, fight or hide and I equate hiding with dying, if you want to block the bedroom door then get a door club, but don't surrender yourself to act as a final door stop, I'd rather go down fighting than to hope the bad guy is a moron.


Jayson you sound as if you are only willing to use the shotgun as a warning instrument, I would advise you that if you are unwilling to use it to take a life then you may want to reconsider getting one.

Also when I was a police officer there was a saying many of us used to live by, I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6. Canadian law may suck, and it may not side with you, however if you don't do anything in this scenario you may be dead right along with your loved ones, personally I'd rather neutralize the threat, ensure my family is safe, and deal with the consequences whatever they may be afterwards.

Just a few thoughts