In a previous article, Urban Defense Planning for the Home, it was briefly discussed that designing a home defense  system to evade possible criminals is your only way to protect your home, your family and your belongings, as well as alert you to anyone trying to break in.  Home invasions are growing more and more frequent these day.  Recently in the news, a 15 year old shot a home invader trying to break into his home. 

Desperate individuals feel their cause is justified and important enough to break in, terrorize, attack and steal belongings from others homes.  These persons are dangerous and should be avoided at all costs.  Preventative measures can be put in place to keep these scums far away from your home.  Minimize the threat of a home break in or home invasion by adding layers of security to prevent your home from being a possible hit.  Security layers are preventative measures put into place that will advertise to possible intruders to avoid your home altogether. 

Layer 1: The Outside Layer

• Reinforced doors and locks.  There is only 1 ” of wood protecting you in normal door locks. 
• Invest in heavy duty door hinges and secure door frames with 3 ” screws.                                   
• Barred windows or European-style security/storm shutters.
• Doors that are not glass or see through.
• Install a peep hole for the door.
• Never rely on a chain latch as an effective barrier (they are easily broken if the door is kicked in).
• Install infrared flood lights, or motion detector lights around the perimeter of the home.
• A gate at the front of the driveway that has spikes at the top to prevent someone from jumping over the fence
• Never leave a spare key hidden under a rock or door mat.  Too many people do this and it is the first place a criminal is going to look.
• Cut back large trees or bushes near the windows to provide concealment.  Additionally, putting thorn bushes in their place would be advantageous.
• Have a guard dog trained to attack.  And place “beware of dog” signs in the front and side gates of the home.

Layer 2: The Inside Layer

• Consider investing in an alarm and advertise that you have one by placing stickers in windows and signs in the yard.
• Consider adding a 2-way voice feature to the existing alarm system.  This feature enables your security system to communicate directly through the control panel.  This feature also allows you to call into your system and be able to listen to any activity or speak to your child or other family members who are home.
• Position web cams strategically in hidden areas.  Place the computer that is monitoring the locations in a hidden spot so the criminals do not walk off with the computer.
• Have emergency plans and protocols set up where children or teens can see them.  Additionally, have important contact phone numbers next to the plan.
• Teach the household how to call 9-1-1, and have a script ready for them to read to the dispatcher.  This will help keep them explain calmly to the dispatcher what the emergency situation is.
• Teach members of the home different escape routes to use in case they need to leave the home, as well as a code word to use for the family to immediately leave the home to go to a safe location.
• Close all curtains and blinds at nighttime and set the alarm.
• Keep purses, car keys, money and jewelry away from windows were burglars can look in and see.  This only makes them want to break in more.
• If a gun is in the home, have it locked up or put away so that smaller children do not try to use it.

Layer 3: The Personal Layer

This is the most critical layer. 

• Teach family members to be observant of their surroundings when coming home and be aware of suspicious activity.
• Never open the door to strangers.  Teach children not to be easily persuaded by strangers who look professional or have badges. 
• Teach chidren to call “safe” adults, such as neighbors for help in cases where parents are not home.
• Get to know your neighbors and have their phone numbers on hand in case the child needs help from a nearby adult.
• Or, arrange a neighborhood watch program.
• Never be afraid to call the police if a stranger or solicitor is acting suspiciously.
• Teach children how to use the security alarm and where the panic button is.
• Find a bug out location for family members to go to for safety.
• If someone is trying to break into your home, activate your car alarm or panic button on the security alarm to draw attention from the neighbors.
• As a last resort, teach older members of the home and older children how to use weapons against intruders.

It’s not enough these days to tell those who are home alone to have the doors and windows locked at all times or to not open doors for strangers.  Parents need to thoroughly discuss emergency and safety plans with those living in the home, as well as protocols on how to handle certain dangers.  A person who is prepared for a possible run in with a burglar or home invader is well equipped with knowledge on the home’s security features, knowledge on how to get additional family members to safety, get help, and as a last resort know how to use a weapon. Teaching members of the family what a home invasion is and the dangers associated with it will help them understand that invaders will not be kind, that they are intending to hurt persons who are inside, and will stop at nothing to get what they want. 

When an emergency arises, adrenaline is kicks in, and triggers the fight-or-flight response, causing a rush of emotion, anxiety and for some, panic.  Practising emergency plans can help a family know exactly what to do and how to stay calm doing it.  Dangers such as home invasions and burglaries are occurring more frequently, thus causing those who are home alone to be more at risk.  Having layers of security features in and outside of the home can keep those inside the home safer.

Imagine, the dangers that would lurk.  Imagine the hungry and desperate that would be willing do anything it took to get their family fed, the diseases that would occur due to poor sanitary conditions and contaminated water supplies.  The people of this Nation would shed their decency and timid natures (which we are so used to seeing), and become nothing short of animals.  We would become territorial predators that would attack to get what is needed to survive.  In desperate times, people will stop at nothing to get what they need to survive.

The Hungry

When a  long term disaster situation begins, many of the unprepared will go out searching for food.  The human race is genetically wired to do what is necessary to survive, even in a panic state.  Those that are panic stricken and in a desperate state are not the type of people to get tangled up in.  They will either attack in organized groups, or individually attack.  They could set houses on fire, and kill if necessary to feed themselves and their families.  If a person decides to be charitable, approach this with caution.  Desperate times call for desperate measures.   As much as a person wants to help their fellow man, their fellow man may want more than just a hand out. 

If a person has the power to prepare a city or town for a long term disaster, a great way to plan for this would to have churches or other facilities begin preparing a food bank with canned goods, non-GMO seeds, and needed preparedness items for a long term situation.  This food bank would be able to keep hostility down in the beginning of a long term disaster so that a city can prepare an action plan (if it has not already done so).  The more a city is prepared, the more success it will have, and it’s citizens at surviving. 

 Dangers From Lack of Security

To prevent someone from attacking your shelter or homestead, measures must be put into place.  Additionally, having a good security detail to be aware of possible threats and attacks.  This is an essential defense maneuver.  Whether an urban street has blockades and neighbors take turns in groups securing the parameter, or having a sniper set up to alert in the case of a surprise attack.  There must be some form of security in order to defend the area.  Defense will play a large part in a long term disaster. 

Creating a barrier to prevent vehicles or individuals from approaching would efficiently secure the parameter of the home.  Re-enforcing fences with cement, or planting a shrub that has thorns is also a good deterrent.  Additionally, another way to secure a parameter is by planting an aggressive growing, highly resilient planst around the parameter, such as bamboo.  This will not only hide the homestead or home, but will also be a way to stop ambushes and persons trying to forcibly attack a home.

Fire

Next to having food and water, having a shelter is a top priority.  If a fire were to break out, many do not have enough measures available to put the fire out.  If the home is on fire, one must do everything in their power to save it.  Having some extra supplies such as Class A fire hydrants and baking soda for smaller fires, Class B for grease fires or a Halon Fire Suppression system, would come in handy if someone needed them.  If the fire cannot be contained, then everyone should evacuate immediately.  If the fire was started by looters, then a defense strategy would be necessary.

Disease

In a long term disaster, death is going to occur. When death is all around, it creates a disease prone area.  If dead corpses are laying in a water source, water-born diseases such as typhoid, cholera, hepatitis A, viral hemorrhagic fever, and dysentary can pose a threat to the surrounding area.  Although persons that are alive are more likely to spread diseases due to poor sanitation and hygiene conditions, it is better to be on the safe side and take necessary precautions.  Additionally, some corpses could have blood born viruses such as HIV and hepatitis B and C, or tuberculosis and could pose a slight risk if someone were handling the bodies.  But the risk can be minimized with basic precautions and proper hygiene.  Having a well organized plan of what to do to minimize the spread of diseases is something for many to think about.  Adding extra rubber gloves, face masks and bleach to the medical supplies would be advantageous.

In Summation

There are two very likely facts that everyone can agree on.  1.) Disasters happen every day.  They happen all over the world.  And may, in fact, happen to each us at one point in our lives.  2.) Desperation has no bounds.  If everyone agrees on these two facts, then the only logical answer is to prepare for the result of these two facts occuring, and the possibility of it happening at the same time. 

Preparing for the likelihood of a major, long term disaster is a choice that each person has to make.  If a long term disaster were to occur, the cities would become breeding grounds for disease, not to mention crime, starvation and total devastation.  Many city dwellers will try to flee the cities and roam the countryside trying to find safety and basic needs.  Yet, at the same time have the potential of bringing the diseases and exposing the countryside to sickness.  This is a nightmare, than many hope to never see.  But it has happened before, and it could happen again.  The point of all of this, is if it does indeed occur, how prepared for it will you be?

Providing charity during a long term disaster can be seen as a blessing to those in need.  But to those providing the charity, it can be seen as a security nightmare.  There may come a time when a person feels the need to help their fellow man.  After all, it is human nature to want to help. 

But,  desperate times call for desperate measures.  If the person in need is neither a family member or a friend that can help on the homestead, what can be done?  If there is a group of displaced persons, do you risk it?  Survival during a long term disaster depends not only on making the right choice, but the smartest choice. 

Maintain Anonymity

Provided that a person has enough provisions to support his family for the long term, and has enough extras to give out, it would be wise to be as inconspicuous as possible when providing the charitable items.  In a situation where people know that you have a lot of supplies, dangerous situations could occur.  If a person were desperate enough, they could try to overtake your home to get to the supplies, or get a group together to attack your home.  A person can never be too paranoid in a situation like this. 

Many are conflicted with how they could provide charity and still maintain good OPSEC and home security at the same time.   Going through a third party to give out the charity would eliminate the danger involved in  face-to-face donations.  This method would also eliminate the risk of people talking and spreading the word around that you have extra food at your disposal.  A third party could be a member of a church, or a family member.  A person could drop the donation off at the church door and tell the church leader to give the donation to who he/she feels needs it the most.

Charity during a long term disaster is quite a conundrum for those that have the means to assist.  But there is no “one size fits all” answer to this question.  It truly is a conundrum that each prepper may be faced with in the near future.  Whatever desicion is made regarding chairty, keep in mind that in a post -SHTF world – the rules have changed, and there will be more dangers out there.  So, make sure if you decide to give to chairty, play it smart, and keep your family safe.

City dwellers have been “exposed” and have lived in close proximity of each other  for so long, that many have forgotten the concept of what privacy really is.  Because of people living in such close quarters to their neighbors, OPSEC (operations security) is a forgotten or unknown concept.  This forgotten concept carries though into the community as well.

People talk to strangers about unnecessary things,relay secrets to strangers more, and for some, gossip to exchange bits and pieces of information they have obtained to “one up” each other.  Neighbors observe other neighbors who behave differently, or seem different based upon their own social definitions of what and how a person should behave.  This information is stored until it can be used at a later time.

What is OPSEC?

From a prepping standpoint, OPSEC, or operations security is a term based upon a systemic process used to identify if critical information or inventory is properly concealed so that exploitation is not possible.  OPSEC maintains essential secrecy for effective operations.

Therefore, if a person wants to secure their preps they use OPSEC:

1. To keep their prepping inventory secure.

2. To secure the perimeter of their home in order to make sure their inventory cannot be taken.

3.  Use OPSEC in a social environment so that others will not know that there is an inventory at all.

Anything Can Be Used Against You

A person should think twice about telling others about any prepping investments they have made.  If a SHTF scenario occurred, anything said previously can be used against that prepper.  For example, if you tell your neighbor you have silver coins stashed away, if times were desperate enough, that neighbor could turn on you.  Keeping quiet about what one does is second nature to some.  But for others that are new to the idea of prepping, they do not see the whole SHTF picture.  If one person tells another about their preps, one person could tell another person about what preps their neighbor has.  Then, the word spreads throughout; especially when a severe situation occurs.  People will remember what you have told them, and come to you for help (if they are unprepared).  Helping a neighbor or family member in need is a noble deed.  However, those preparedness items are an investment for you and your family; and therefore, no one outside of the family should know what you have (unless you want that person to know).

You Endanger Yourself When OPSEC is Breached

Many of us live out in the open for everyone in our neighborhood to see. Our neighbors know more  about us than we give them credit for.   They know our schedules, they know our habits, they know what kinds of food we eat based upon what is in our trash cans, they know when we do yard work, they know what is inside our garage.  Neighbors talk, and they do not necessarily speak good things.  If you do tell a person about your prep items, make sure you trust that person explicitly.  But to be on the safe side,  keep your preps on the down low.  It is better for you, your family and your well being.

Do not place prep items in a area that can be easily seen. In dire situations, neighbors will lose their “neighborly way” if their family is in jeopardy, and will do just about anything to keep their family safe.  Therefore. store food in an area not easily seen.  If a person stores their prepping items in a garage, if they raises their garage door regularly, people walking by, neighbors across the street or adjacent to you can see what is inside your garage.  They will see the bottles of water, the super pails of food and keep a mental note of it.  Mainly, because it is out of the ordinary.  When a disaster situation occurs, they will remember what they saw, and they will come to you for help or get what they need by force.

It is important to keep in mind that a person should store food and water in an area where temperatures do not fluctuate.  Therefore, a closet or unused room would be a better choice.  Additionally, the preps should not be exposed to large amounts of light.  If a person has to store their preps in a garage, try and buy storage shelves with doors to hide what is inside, and use some sort of mobile AC/heater unit to regulate temperature.  And the best bet, is to not open the garage door to expose what is inside.  Not to mention, a garage is a easily accessible area to rob if the parameters are not adequately secured.

Secure the parameter of your home so that it cannot be breached. Let’s face it, crime is increasing and home invasions are more common, even in the so called “safer neighborhoods.”  Many invaders know that a majority of people do not have guns in the home, and home owners rely on their expensive home alarm systems.  There are ways to make a home less of a target to burglaries.  Additionally, many law enforcement agencies will “walk through” a home to make suggestions on trouble spots.  This is usually done free of charge.  If there is a long waiting list due to the lack of police in the area, an “off duty” officer could do this as well for a nominal fee. Or, you could put yourself in a burglars shoes and walk around your property.  Take a friend around the property who is not as familiar with it as you.  He may find some things you overlooked.

Your Preps are Your Life Line

Prepping is not the newest fad that people should talk  casually about.   The items stored are necessary items to carry you and your family when times become difficult. Those preps are your life line when a natural or man made disaster is imminent.  You must keep them as safe, secure and out of sight as possible.  Use OPSEC to keep those items, your home and your self secure.

Ten Commandments of Gun Safety

1. Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

2. Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.

3. Always keep the action open except when actually hunting or preparing to shoot.  Always wear approved shooting safety glasses and hearing protection.

4. Be sure the barrel and action are clear of obstructions and that the ammunition is appropriate for the firearm.

5. Always be sure of your target and beyond prior to firing.

6. Avoid all horseplay with a firearm and never point at anything you don’t want to shoot.

7. Never climb a fence, tree, or jump a ditch with a loaded firearm.

8. Never shoot as a flat hard surface or water.

9. Firearms and ammunition should be stored and locked separately.

10. Do not use alcohol and/or drugs at any time while handling a loaded firearm.

These guidelines are to ensure the safety of yourself and those around you.  If a person is inexperienced with handling a firearm, there are classes available through local gun ranges on assisting a person understand their firearm and how to use it.  Additionally, the National Rifle Association is also a good source of knowledge to fun information pertaining to firearms and safety. 

A firearm should be used as a last resort when all other means of diffusing the situation has been exhausted. 

Gun safety should be taken very seriously when children are present in the home.  Children are very curious and typically live in their world’s of make believe.  Follow certain safety guidelines when children are concerned. 

As much as I would like to believe that order and decency will prevail in a crisis, I’m afraid the reality is that the thin veneer of humanity may crack under pressure.  I hope that the worst never happens, but if it should, you need to be prepared to protect yourself, your family, and your supplies.  As I see it, the biggest threat from your fellow man will be from home invasions and looting.

Quote from How to Survive The End of The World as we Know It

As the economic system continues to break down, an increase of crime, looting and kidnapping will be seen in more of the so-called “safer neighborhoods.”  In a worst case scenario, such as a societal breakdown, these criminals will be well organized, cunning and willing to do whatever it takes to get into a home.  Due to the poor architectural designs of homes these days (glass doors, sliding glass doors and easy entry from streets), homes are now more vulnerable than ever to break ins.  If a home is set in an urban location, home invaders can use a multitude of items to easily break into a home.  Items such as bricks, paving stones, and lawn furniture; or due to poorly made doors, they can just kick the door in.  They could also use a variety of ruses to trick you to open the door.  They will be cunning and prey on those who are ill equipped to handle a home invasion, or the vulnerable types.  A person must always be alert and cautious when opening a door to a stranger.

• They will use disguises of uniforms to get you to open the door.  They may even have a convincing looking delivery vehicle to further try to convice someone.
• Act as if they need your help (This can be anything from begging for food, needing to use a phone or needing help with car problems).

Securing Your Home

Designing a home defense  system to evade possible criminals is your only way to protect your home, your family and your belongings as well as alert you to anyone trying to break in.  Although many survival experts highly recommend having a home in a remote location, some people are not able to do so.  Walk around your home and distinguish what the vantage points, and vulnerable areas are.  Make necessary changes and home adjustments to “lock down” a home more thoroughly.  In the book,  How to Survive The End of The World as we Know It, the author, James Wesley, Rawles lists some examples on how to have a defensible advantage from criminals.  Although, this article lists some of these examples, it is highly recommended that you read the book.

• Reinforced doors and locks.
• Barred windows or European-style security/storm shutters.
• Place thorny bushes around windows.
• Intrusion detection systems.
• Position web cams strategically in hidden areas.  Place the computer that is monitoring the locations in a hidden spot so the criminals do not walk off with the computer.
• Create a barrier from approaching vehicles.
• Put a peep hole in the door.
• Add a bolt and chain to the door.
• Guard dogs
• Infrared (IR) floodlights to illuminate the property (These can be motion-sensor activated).
• Fence the entire property, if it is not done so already.
• A gate at the front of the driveway that has spikes at the top to prevent someone from jumping over the fence.
• Extra fire hydrants in the case that the invaders try to burn you out of your home.
• Create a safe room or vault to where a family can go to evade their attackers.
• Create a neighborhood watch.

What If a Criminal Is In Your House

A home invasion can happen suddenly and catch someone off guard.  If the home is not fully protected an invasion can take no time at all to happen. 

Arsenal to use on invaders

If a home is not defensible and a person comes into a home, then they will stop at nothing to get what they want.  This includes stealing property, rape, terrorizing and death.  In a worst case scenario, a person must fight and defend or they will end up dead.  Although it is advisable to have a gun in the home, some do not agree.  There are other weapons that can be used to defend yourself:

• Pepper spray
• Fire hydrant
• Hot coffee
• Lamps
• Metal baseball bat
• Salt in the eyes
• Butcher knife
• A small dog thrown at the invader will distract them enough to where a person can attack.

Do not take home defense lightly.  The prominent areas will no longer be as safe as they once were.  In fact, they will probably be the first areas hit by mass crime.  If you plan to stay in the area, take precautions now and prepare because sooner or later the crime will come.

This article is intended to inform on possible home invasion scenarios and is further advised that each person has a choice on what type of defensive measures they want for their home.  To see further videos on home invasions, go to www.youtube.com and search “home invasions.”  This is a reality that we each have to face, and the choice is ours on whether or not to protect ourselves and our homes.