Preview – Home Defense Preparation

We all know someone whose home has been violated. We see stories on the news with increasing frequency about families being brutalized by home invaders. Our natural inclination is probably to think,“Well, that’s too bad, but it won’t happen to me.” Reality and statistics prove otherwise. But with a relatively slight amount of planning, we can minimize the disruption caused by these very personal crimes, and ensure the survival of our families during the worst of them. Make no mistake about it: Defending your home is going to be a battle, and you must assume the role of general. All great generals take every opportunity they can to prepare the battlefield in their favor before an anticipated engagement. As with any defensive action, a layered set of preparations should be undertaken to create what is known as a defense in depth.

PREPARING A DEEP DEFENSE
For a home-defense plan, these layered preparations should begin with the design of your home’s exterior. Keeping shrubs trimmed away from windows and exterior, motion-activated lighting, and ensuring walkways and access to the front and rear doors can be observed from inside the home is a first line of defense. Next, installing and maintaining high-quality locks on all doors and windows is essential to hardening your home against casual burglars. Finally, a monitored alarm system with cellular backup is essential. When selecting an alarm system, make sure the perimeter sensors can be activated when you’re inside the home, and spend the extra money to have a sensor on every potential entry point, including the windows. Moving inside the home, create an interior design with defensibility in mind. Arrange furniture to provide as little concealment and cover as possible to an intruder close to entry points. Next, use interior locking doors to create compartments inside your home by creating primary and alternate safe rooms with solid doors and quality locks. Then focus on securing your weapons by making sure your nonessential firearms (those you’re not planning to use in a defensive engagement) are in a locked container bolted to the floor. The weapons you plan to use for your defense should be stored ready for use, in a rapidly accessed locking container. Finally, ensure your communications with emergency responders are redoubled. In addition to your hardwired phone, have a cell phone on your person or next to your bed.

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