October 26th, 2020
8:45 runtime
You hear a bump in the night.
Your thoughts are racing and you are groggy.
Is it a family member?
Are you prepared to face down a deadly home invader? Wouldn’t it be best to stop it before it starts?
Where is your gun and did you forget to lock the door?
These are the last things we want to be thinking about in this scenario, under extreme stress.
You should have a plan and know it to be prepared during moments such as this.
While the average home can be quite vulnerable, a well-prepared home owner can change that dynamic.
As the saying goes, Home is where the heart is.
Your home is your reprieve, your safe shelter, your castle.
It is where we all store our valuables, raise our kids, and begin each day anew.
Having the proper gear — like this FDE Hellcat OSP and more — is a must for proper home defense.
The Numbers
The FBI database states that there are roughly 1.7 to 3.4 million burglaries each year.
95% of those require some sort of forced entry into the home.
7.2% of burglaries result in the homeowner being injured.
Does your home look like an easy target to a potential home invader, or a difficult one?
Homes with security systems were 300% less likely to be burglarized.
Lets start by getting in the mindset of someone who may want to case your home.
Do you have motion-sensing lights, or surveillance cameras positioned outside of the home?
Shrubs that can conceal an attacker are a risk. Keep them cut back and tidy.
Even with a sturdy front door, a would-be intruder can easily kick their way in with enough force.
To combat this, you could replace the original screws in your door hinges with 2-4 long screws.
Rear doors come in a variety of flavors.
Being forced to search through a darkened home is not an optimal situation.
For sliding glass doors, these are usually secured with poor locking mechanisms that are quite easy to bypass.
The garage door can be a very convenient entrance for a would-be home invader.
Keep it hidden out of sight, out of mind.
Do you have effective lighting around your home? This can help deter a home invader.
Once pulled, this disengages the garage door from the automatic opener allowing it to be opened by hand.
I suggest either removing this rope completely or making it very short and removing the pull handle.
They are cheap and easily installed onto all windows in a matter of minutes.
A weapon-mounted light on your firearm can be beneficial for some situations.
How about blind spots or dark areas an intruder can use to conceal their presence and prowling?
Lets talk about security systems and cameras.
There are many different choices these days from professionally monitored systems to DIY self-monitored solutions.
Is this an inviting — or foreboding — sight for a potential home invader?
First, near your entrances and main pathways you’re free to place motion-sensing lights in empty sockets.
Light is our friend in this situation as identifying your target is particularly important.
Weapon Safes and Placement
Keeping your weapons secured and safe in your home is of utmost importance.
We also want these weapons to be quickly accessible in case of an intruder.
Also, consider havingnight sightsand apistol lighton your firearms in the event of a low light engagement.
Other Tips
Consider replacing all outdoor bulbs with LEDs that you keep on continuously.
The primary weak spot of a smart home security system is electrical power.
If someone cuts power to your home, all your wonderful tech is rendered useless.
Consider plugging your modem and wifi and any possible cameras or security peripherals into backup batteries.
This way your primary systems will still function for a time during a power outage.
Include the Family
Last and most importantly, include your family in this planning.
