Originally Posted by The Reaper
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?
Forced entry:
SLLS first off, ID the entry point. They will either be coming in the front or back door. Back door will most likely be shattering glass, as it's a sun porch. Front door will result in screen door then front door breach. From inside of our bedroom we can have eyes on the stairwell down to the first floor (entry floor) as well as visually check the second bedroom's security (pistol lanyard secures it to keep the mutt and cat out since the door doesn't latch)
Call local dispatch directly, avoiding 911 because of the time-waste up here where you go to a primary operator who then routes you to someone who actually can send response your way. 2 minutes of time saved by that. ID our location, intruder in the home, unknown or probable count, we are armed, need troopers here yesterday.
There's a rather bright nightlight in the landing in such a position that it is incapable of silouetting anyone on the 2nd floor to anyone coming up the stairs or telegraphing via shadow downstairs. It does illuminate VERY well and make our bedroom a complete blind spot for anyone coming up the stairs. Tactical advantage by not having to have taclights deployed until final confirmation and order to stop, unless armed... if they're armed.....
Once we've established that the immediate area is secure and that we don't have any intruders on the 2nd floor, I flow out first, covering the stairwell, wife right behind me clearing bathroom and laundry area. Then the dog gets released from her kennel and the wife takes control of her since I'm running with the AR covering the stairwell from above/behind. Hard point there until troopers arrive, we have positive confirmation they are on scene by the dispatcher, and that they have cleared the first floor, at which point we will come downstairs.
Disturbance but no entry: Clear the top floor, get the dog out of the kennel, then send her out. Clear down behind her to the point of ruckus and take appropriate action at that point. There are few red zones in our house and we have practiced clearing this house to the point that it's pretty much muscle memory.
I most likely will have sweatpants and slippers on, the wife her sleeping clothes.
Who else is in the home and what are their responsibilities?
Wife, child eventually. Wife's #2 with specific areas of responsibility within our home defense plan, the (in 10 weeks)infant is an infant. Nothing will harm my child.
How do you protect them?
aforementioned plan, once we have the kid we'll probably adjust our investigation plan to simply holding hard and waiting a long 10 minutes for troopers to arrive to figure out what is going on, and at least get an exterior inspection of the home to determine if there WAS entry to the house, and work it from there..
Can your spouse use a firearm to hold a door or hallway/defend herself?
Yes, I have taught her how to room clear as part of a team, she's more capable than some grunts I've met.
How will you notify your family that there is an intruder and to initiate the reaction plan?
We'll be home, in bed together since the wife works nights. The reaction plan goes into operation for anything out of the ordinary, ordinary being silence. People call us before they come visit, we're on a dead end dirt road. We don't get random visitors.
Do you have near and far rally points?
Breaking contact isn't an option, we cannot safely exit the second story sleeping area and to be honest, if an oh-shit situation happened and we were downstairs it'd end up being a react to contact drill if the home's perimeter was breached.
Do you have a signal for the family to flee the house for the rally point?
n/a
Do you have a trusted neighbor who will quickly let you/your family in in the middle of the night and protect them?
Not planned, breaking contact due to a threat is a bad idea/option due to the layout of the house.
What gear would you need to protect yourself, defend your home, and ensure a positive outcome for you and yours?
AR-15, .45 pistol, shotgun depending
Where is it now?
AR-15 is upstairs leaning on the wall, shotgun on the same wall, both my side of the bed. Expert is in the wife's dresser.
How will you carry it?
Pistols are condition one in this house, I always have mine on or basically right in front of me.
Shotgun is on fire, hammer dropped on empty chamber, slide slack. Rack and go.
AR is aircraft loaded, on safe. Rack and go.
How long does it take you to gather and don it?
About 4 seconds at worst
How long does it take you to identify that there is an intruder, initiate your drill, and be ready to engage?
6 seconds or less to 2 barrels covering the bedroom entrance, things go a bit more dynamic after that.
My best time booting an unlocked door and scooting upstairs was 10 seconds, that's not adding in the fact that the door is reinforced as best as I can, the door is in a crappy position to effectively kick due to our arctic entry(I had to get in once before that way) and that they'd have to get through our semi-solid screen door which would add at least 3 seconds on a good day.
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
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