Old 03-04-2010, 11:06   #106
dfirsty
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Originally Posted by The Reaper View Post
Good physical security preparations.

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

TR
This is something I hadn't thought of and wasn't prepared for. A few nights ago there were several shots fired in front of my house. While i immediately had access to my gun it took me some time to find pants to put on before going outside.
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Old 03-04-2010, 13:35   #107
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In 1996 the small community (population 495) I live in in rural Vermont experienced a number of break ins. Various items were stolen and it was likely some of the local teens screwing off.

So I am home one day with three kids: ages 3 (girl) ,2 (boy) and 1 (boy) month old. We are between cycles at the Mountain Warfare School so I am home dumb happy and getting fat. I had just dropped my oldest daughter off at pre-school and came home with the other three. The way our house is situated I can see the entire 1500 foot driveway and after getting the kids situated I was watching my dogs outside playing in the drive when they all turned tail and ran for the door. Which was a very odd thing for them to do so I started for the mud room to find my very large neighbor standing in the doorway between the kitchen and pantry (which leads to the mud room).

I blew up and demanded to know what he was doing in my house to which this knucklehead answered: "I came to see what I could steal"

Now I am home alone with 3 kids. This guy is between me and the only viable exit as we had just dug up the footing drains and therefore had a 8 foot wide, 11 foot deep trench around the house. The only working phone at the time was beside him and the dogs were outside barking. I ordered him out a total of times (best Drill Sgt impression I could muster) and he laughed.

My daughter and oldest son came to see what Dad was screaming about and were right behind me so I ordered them to get the baby, go to their room, lock their door, go into their closet, lock that door and sit with their back to the door and not to move until I came for them. Again i ordered him out and he laughed and my sorry arse was totally unarmed. I couldn't even get so much as a kitchen knife with out being well with-in the 25 foot danger zone of this guy. So when I heard the bedroom door slam I beat feet to the living room where I had been working on my Grandfather's double barrel 12ga (which I should add was unloaded and had no firing pins in it at the time) and turned to find he had followed me and was now in the dinning room, right on my tail.

I turned, pointed what was effectively a paperweight at his head and told him last chance and he bolted. I got the kids, departed the house, called the State Police from the road and met them back at my house to ID the puke whom admitted to being in the house when I got home (in the basement where he entered through and unsecured bulkhead)

So learn from my mistakes. I had zero weapons available to me at the time. had zero planning done and things were rapidly going down hill and thankfully this idiot hadn't attacked while I was in retrograde looking for something that might go bang.

I am now rarely farther than two large steps away from a well hidden and loaded firearm anywhere in my house. I carry any time I am outside my house and always have a BUG on me. My kids, when over, know an immediate action drill, e & e and FPF plan and we have rehersed it multiple times.

My fiancee thinks I am paranoid and has always expressed her feelings that I am one brain cell short of wearing a bib all the time because of my "over preparedness". However, three weeks ago she was on the phone with me while I was coming home from work and the phone went dead, three or four seconds later the power went out and the dog started barking at the window. She clicked automatically into an IA drill and I arrived home 10 minutes later to find her locked in the bathroom with the dog, a scorpion light and a 1911A1 and demanded that I give her the sign/counter sign or there was going to be multiples holes in the door/wall where I was standing. The power outage was due to a telephone pole being taken out in town by a drunk driver, the dog was likely barking at his own shadow and she did a fine job in my opinion.

Moral of the story is: never forget to prepare for daylight bad guys or for times when your loved ones might be home with out you.
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Old 03-05-2010, 17:24   #108
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In regards to improvised weapons, here is a link to an older book which I found to be an excellent primer on improvised weapons when I was a newly minted street cop.

http://www.amazon.com/Equalizers-Bla..._bxgy_b_text_c

The prose can be a little dramatic and a couple of ideas are perhaps a little overly optimistic , but overall I found it to be a a good book that really opened my eyes to the utility of everyday items as weapons when I was young and naive.

The knowledge and mindset I gained from this book saved me from injury a few times when I was working the street.
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Old 03-07-2010, 21:06   #109
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shotgun rack and ...

Don't rack a pump shotgun as a warning. People breaking in are idiots to begin with and may be high on drugs, or worse mentally ill. A lot of people are not shooters and they do not know what a racked shotgun sounds like.
Don't put up warning signs that say "intruders will be shot". Idiots will break in because they think they can steal your guns.
Wire all of your house lights, both inside and out to one master switch. If something suspicious happens, turn on "all the lights" with one flip of the switch. May be expensive, but it's worth it. Plus that will help you ID the neice that you gave keys to ten years ago and told her to come over when ever she needs help. Put some decorative mirrors in the corners around the house to help you see "around the corner" Might even want to shoot through the wall if you can see them in the mirror, but don't quote me on that.
A hidden handgun is not within reach when you need it. A handgun must be on your person at all times or it won't be in reach when you need it. Pain in the neck, you bet. A gun holstered on your hip is a lot safer then one laying around the house someplace.
"They" say that forty percent of all breakins are by someone you know or indirectly know. Keep your mouth shut about your neat gun collection, your vacation and your schedule. If you have kids, they will talk to their friends about your gun collection.
Semper Fidelis,
Tippy

Last edited by Tippy; 03-07-2010 at 21:12.
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Old 03-07-2010, 22:25   #110
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Hey, Tippy.

Thanks for the advice, but this is not where your first post goes.

Please review the rules and comply before posting again.

TR
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Old 06-03-2010, 13:10   #111
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10 Bizarre-but-True Ways to Hack Your Home.

Some of these methods seem rather far fetched, but scary at the same time. Some have already been addressed in this thread, others such as the EMP threat might be tough to prevent.

10 Bizarre-but-True Ways Your Home Is Susceptible to Hackers

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/...ty/?test=faces

Thanks to those who have contributed to this thread. There are some important things for me to consider here.
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Old 06-14-2010, 12:39   #112
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Electronic Armageddon -- HEMP

There's a National Geographic documentary that will air on Tuesday, June 15th at 10 p.m. EDT: Electronic Armageddon. It is about the effects of a High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP) on the US.
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Old 02-06-2013, 17:49   #113
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Originally Posted by armymom1228 View Post
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.
I would add guinea fowl also. Very alert, very noisy. Just one more level, and also good eating.
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Old 02-06-2013, 18:56   #114
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Being sheepdogs at heart its something we are always envisioning. The unexpected happening to of all people, us. I have always had a loaded glock next to my nightstand. Recently I've added a 12 guage to our sleeping arrangements since our sons have moved on. (ala Richard) We have the usual locks and security alarms but my most trusted are two 80lb boxer's that sleep at the foot of our bed.
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Old 03-21-2013, 08:16   #115
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Pants...

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Originally Posted by dfirsty View Post
This is something I hadn't thought of and wasn't prepared for. A few nights ago there were several shots fired in front of my house. While i immediately had access to my gun it took me some time to find pants to put on before going outside.
One could have a pair of light, elastic waist band "cargo" shorts or pants with a quick fasten belt.
Extra pistol mags in left hand pocket for righty pistol shooters and SG shells in the right pocket.
Maybe a pay as you go cell phone in a pocket?
In the event of needed hasty action and you drop or do not pick up your regular cell phone from the night stand...
Maybe some "slip on" shoes (not open toe "flip flops") by the bed in the event you have to continue repelling invaders off your property...

RE: Shotgun ammo... Maybe the first 2 rounds are #10 shot, then apply 00.
In the event that the intruder is a "rookie" and retreats immediately you're not putting any family members at risk and blasting up all the drywall (not that you won't be anyway but...).
Obvioulsy if they keep comin', different game.

Love the "remote control" light behind the intruder input!

As usual all other advice is top notch!

Spring break this week, we will be revisiting our fire escape and other "what to do if..." scenarios...

This is one of my favorite threads along with "be prepared".

Thanks to all!
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Old 03-21-2013, 08:45   #116
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Reaper View Post

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

TR
Since the thread was bumped and I read through page one again,
I'd have to say that there is no way in hell I'd touch a wounded intruder. I'd cover them with a weapon until LEO responded or let them run if they could but i would not attempt aid.
They broke in an probably threatened violence if shot, I'm not getting within touching distance of them.
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Old 03-21-2013, 12:32   #117
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Since the thread was bumped and I read through page one again,
I'd have to say that there is no way in hell I'd touch a wounded intruder. I'd cover them with a weapon until LEO responded or let them run if they could but i would not attempt aid.
They broke in an probably threatened violence if shot, I'm not getting within touching distance of them.
If they get blood anywhere, then they have to deal with spousal unit alpha, in which case they will be begging for law enforcement to arrive and cart them off to jail.
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Old 03-31-2013, 09:43   #118
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This is something I hadn't thought of and wasn't prepared for. A few nights ago there were several shots fired in front of my house. While i immediately had access to my gun it took me some time to find pants to put on before going outside.
I live in the older, historic district of my town. It is bordered by some "less than desirable" neighborhoods. Consequently, I have had a few middle of the night visitors poking around the yard and porches and on a couple of occasions banging on the door. The dogs usually run off all but the drunkest or most serious. So on a couple of occasions I've gone out and confronted them with my CAR 15. Warning shots fired. My wife was meanwhile calling the PO-lice. When the LEOs arrived, they were always entertained by my attire of boxer shorts only while covering the intruder. MS is a castle doctrine state. So if they actually enter or you feel you are in mortal danger in your yard or car..... Even the densest and most doped up seem to have broken the code on this. This being a small town, word does travel. This stuff has pretty much stopped at my house in the last few years.
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