Using Light to Your Advantage

 General, Home Protection, Home Security  No Responses »
May 172013
 

It is the middle of the night and the sound of something crashing to the floor downstairs wakes you up. Or, perhaps wakes up your wife who then shoves your shoulder, saying she heard something. Either way, you need to check things out.

Rule #1 — Don’t turn on your bedroom light, not even a night-light. Doing so will ruin your night vision as well as possibly alert an intruder that you’re on your way.

Rule #2 — Grab a flashlight when you grab your weapon. Not only will the flashlight allow you to see what’s going on when you get downstairs, you can use it offensively. Shine it right in their face to blind them. Another tip is to hold the lit flashlight away from your body. An armed intruder might instinctively shoot at the light.

Rule #3 — Don’t silhouette yourself. Doing so just provides a really nice target outline. Leave the lights in the house off, at least the ones behind you. Ideally, you should walk from darkness into light, not the other way around.

Remember too that you know, or should know, the layout of the home better than any intruder. Try to use that to your advantage as well.

Watch/Guard Dog Training

 General, Home Protection, Home Security  No Responses »
May 152013
 

Bear in mind that while there are many breeds that historically make great guard dogs, canines are as individual as people. We may know the Mayans were brilliant mathematicians but I’m willing to bet there were at least a few of them who couldn’t count to 21 without dropping their shorts. Likewise, you may find yourself owning a German Shepherd that through some genetic quirk happens to have low intelligence. This is why it is important, if purchasing a purebred dog, to visit the breeder’s facilities and see the parents of the puppy you are selecting. However, if you still end up with a dog that doesn’t quite meet your expectations, I am of the strong opinion that owning a dog is a lifetime commitment. Unless there is a genuine safety issue, the dog deserves to have a home where it is welcome, regardless of capabilities. Just like people, dogs can surprise you by performing admirably when it would be least expected.

rottweiller

Whether you are considering a guard dog, a watch dog, or just a canine companion, they all need at least a modicum of training. Your dog should know, at a minimum, basic commands like sit, stay, come, and heel. As you progress through the training, you’ll also want to teach your dog to stop barking once you are alerted to a problem. Doing so will allow you to concentrate on the problem at hand without being distracted by continued barking. Further, there might very well be a time when it will be imperative your dog remains quiet.

One way to teach the “quiet” command is the following. Every time your dog barks, tell it to be quiet, then call the dog over to you. Reward it immediately with praise and a small treat. Keep at it and soon the dog will develop a habit or even a reflex of barking, then going directly to a family member. This, like any other command training, may take time to develop. In the beginning, it may be difficult to get the dog to cease barking long enough to hear and recognize a command to be quiet. If that’s the case, use what trainers call an interrupter. This is a device you can make yourself that will create noise and momentarily distract the dog. It can be as simple as a soda can with a few pebbles in it. If your dog is barking incessantly and won’t respond to you, shake the can briefly.

With the “quiet” command in particular, it is important the command is given in an even and firm tone of voice. Trying to shout over the dog’s noise may cause it to think you are “barking” right along with it. The end result is just more noise from both of you, with nothing accomplished.

Don’t forget to teach your dog a release word. This is the command you’ll give when the dog has completed the tasks you’ve instructed it to do. For example, if you tell your dog to sit and stay, obviously at some point the dog should be released from those commands. When choosing a release word, use something that makes sense to you but is not something that would likely come up in every day conversation, such as “ok.” The reason I mention this is, let’s say you put your dog in the sit/stay command while you’re talking to your spouse. He asks you how work was today and you reply, “It was ok.” The dog hears that and figures it has been released from the sit/stay, even though you weren’t even looking at it.

I highly discourage people from trying to teach their dogs to attack. It can be very difficult to do this effectively without having first received proper training in it yourself. Going it alone on something like that is running a big risk that your dog will bite a family member or innocent visitor to your home. Given that such occurrences can bring criminal charges to the dog owner in many areas of the country, it is something you should work hard to avoid.

Jim is the author of Prepper’s Home Defense. The above article is taken from the book. Prepper’s Home Defense may be found or ordered from anywhere books are sold.

Layers of Security

 General, Home Protection, Home Security  No Responses »
May 132013
 

An effective plan for physical security is like an onion. Layers on top of layers.

onion

For example, let’s say we want to protect a valuable heirloom necklace that has been handed down through several generations. Rather than just rely on any one single method of protecting it, we instead utilize this system of layers.

We first place it in a good, strong safe.

Then, we put that safe in a closet, hidden on the floor behind boxes of old clothes..

The closet is in the basement of the home. We lock the doors and windows of the home when we’re away. We also have two dogs who are left loose in the home, neither of which particularly like strangers.

The home has several motion-sensitive lights on the exterior walls. We have removed concealing bushes and shrubs that were near the windows.

In order for a burglar to steal that necklace, he’ll have to:

1) Get close to the house without being detected.
2) Defeat the locks on a door or window to gain access to the home.
3) Make his way to the basement without being seen or heard by the dogs or in some way mitigate the threat.
4) Find the closet down there and know there’s something valuable inside.
5) Get the safe open and grab the necklace.

We have also taken the steps to document the necklace by several photos in the event it is taken. That way, the police can positively identify it should the necklace turn up during the investigation, whether in someone’s pocket or at a pawn shop.

Layers are important. They should complement one another and work together to create a tight net of protection.

Jim is the author of Prepper’s Home Defense, in which these elements are discussed in great detail. Prepper’s Home Defense may be found or ordered from anywhere books are sold.

Three Stages to any Security Plan

 General, Home Protection, Home Security  No Responses »
May 102013
 

When it comes to home security, whether we’re talking about some sort of post-collapse world or just dealing with run of the mill burglars, there are three distinct stages or parts to an effective security plan.

It doesn’t matter if you’re writing the security plan for a Fortune 500 company or just your own home, these three elements must be present in some way for the overall plan to be effective.

Deter

This is the first line of defense, so to speak. You want to at least give the illusion that you don’t have anything that is worth the trouble it will take to get inside. Human beings operate on a risk vs. reward basis for many decisions. If the perceived risk outweighs the anticipated reward, they’ll move on to an easier target. You accomplish this by not looking like a target and keeping your mouth shut about what you may have.

Delay

Anything you can do to increase the length of time it would take for a bad guy to reach their goal, the more time you’ll have to find out they are there and do something about it. Locks and alarms help in this regard as the criminal has to either defeat them somehow or believe they will be faster than your response.

Defend

This stage is last for a reason. If you reach the point where you need to actively and physically defend your home, it means some other portion of your security plan failed in some way. A confrontation (possibly while armed) should not be the goal of a security plan but the option to take when all else has failed.

As you go about devising your home security plan, keep these three elements in mind and make sure you have them each covered.

Jim is the author of Prepper’s Home Defense, in which these elements are discussed in great detail. Prepper’s Home Defense may be found or ordered from anywhere books are sold.

Improving Window Security

 General, Home Protection  No Responses »
Apr 262013
 

Next to doors, windows are of course a burglar’s easiest way to enter a home. Fortunately, there are number of projects the average homeowner can complete that will serve to augment the security of the home’s windows.

The keyword when it comes to security is TIME. The longer it will take to gain entry, the more likely they’ll move on to an easier target.

The first thing to do is remove any large bushes or shrubs that could conceal a burglar as he tries to open a window. This in and of itself will go a long way toward foiling potential break ins. Burglars want to be hidden from prying eyes as they go about their business. For this reason, also consider installing motion-sensitive lighting along each side of the home.

burglar

Next, look at applying security film to the inside of the windows. This is a clear plastic that prevents the glass from shattering. The plastic keeps all the pieces of glass together, rather like we see in modern vehicle windshields. While the glass will break if struck, it stays in one piece, preventing the burglar from reaching in and unlocking the latch.

If you have traditional double-hung windows, use a drill to put two small holes in the lower sash, drilling through and into the upper sash. Drill the holes at an angle downward. Then, slide nails into the holes, being sure to use nails that will slide back out easily with your fingertips. This will prevent the window from sliding open from the outside.

Avoid placing valuables directly in front of windows so as to prevent temptation. What you might put on the sills though are inexpensive knick knacks or vases. This way, if the burglar does get through the window, odds are there will be some noise from those things being knocked to the floor.

Safe Rooms

 General, Home Protection, Home Security  No Responses »
Apr 122013
 

While Hollywood and celebrities might give us a decidedly skewed view of what a safe room looks like — heavily fortified, equipped with high-end surveillance systems — safe rooms aren’t just for the rich and powerful.

Realistically, what you really need is just a room in your home where every family member can go in the event of a break in or some other emergency.

The idea here is to have a safe place to stay until help arrives. Perhaps the most common room chosen for this purpose is the master bedroom. The key elements to a good safe room are:

–Strong door with a lock.
–A telephone.
–A means to escape, such as out a window.

The door should be solid, not hollow-core. The hinges should be reinforced with long screws that go deep into the studs behind the door frame. It should have a good quality lock, perhaps even a deadbolt.

The telephone is your way to communicate with the police or other authorities. It should be a corded model, not cordless, so you have a better chance of it working if the power is cut. Do NOT just rely on having a cell phone in the room. How many times have you forgotten where you put it? How many times have you picked it up, only to find you forgot to charge it?

There also should be some way to exit the room besides the door. A window with a fire escape ladder is an excellent option.

Perhaps not coincidentally, many master bedroom safe rooms are also where at least one gun cabinet are located in the home. This also is not an inherently bad idea but recognize the risk of having the police show up as you are walking through the home with a handgun. Remember, just because you can easily identify the officers by virtue of their uniforms and such, they may not have a clue who YOU are and only see an armed individual in the shadows.

OPSEC

 General, Home Protection  1 Response »
Apr 102013
 

OPSEC, or OPerations SECurity, refers to the concept of keeping things private. You’ve all likely heard the phrase, “Loose lips sink ships.” Same idea here.

The key thing to remember is to pay attention to what you allow the world to see. It really don’t take a lot of extra effort or time to play things closer to the vest.

When we talk about OPSEC for the average person, we’re talking about ways to prevent someone else from deciding you’d be a great target for a home invasion or burglary. For example, many people right now are receiving their tax refunds and some of them, no doubt, will spend at least some of that money on fun stuff like a new TV. Ok, so you bring home your new flat screen HDTV and set it up. After heading back to the store to get the cords you forgot the first trip, you’re finally up and running. Without thinking much of it, the TV box goes to the end of the driveway for trash pickup. Guess what? You’ve just told anyone who happens to drive by between now and garbage day that you are now the proud owner of a really nice TV.

opsec

You’d be much better off taking the box and flattening it, then cutting it into sections to pile up under your recycling bin. That should take you all of perhaps 3 extra minutes out of your day.

If you insist on taking your iPad everywhere, at the very least don’t leave it sitting on your car seat while you spend a few hours shopping at the mall. Same goes for high end mp3 players, GPS units, and the like. All it would take is a couple seconds for someone to smash your window and you’re left with nothing more than shattered glass on the seat. To add insult to injury, what do you figure the odds are it’ll be pouring rain too?

Speaking of shopping, many folks today prefer to use cash for at least some purchases. The idea being your purchases can’t be tracked in that way. However, the guy behind you in line might take notice of the wad of bills you pulled from your pocket and decide that those portraits of dead presidents will look better in his hands than yours. Sure, you can defend yourself and such but why invite the trouble to begin with? Instead, spread out your lettuce among several of your pockets, only removing as much as you need to complete the transaction.

As you go about your daily life, pay attention to your actions. Give thought to whether you are practicing good OPSEC.

The Importance of Being Legal

 Apartment Security, Home Protection, Home Security, Self Defense Discussion  No Responses »
Apr 082013
 

I have always maintained that it is vitally important to strive to be legal in all things. By that, I mean abiding by the laws in force, whether I happen to personally agree with them or not.

Legal

Remember, ignorance of the law is not a legal defense.

For example, pay attention to eavesdropping laws. In some states, it is illegal to record a conversation unless all parties involved are aware it is being taped. In other states, it is only required that ONE party is aware, said party often being the person doing the recording. This is something you should keep in mind before you hit the record button when speaking with a telemarketer. The reason it is important to be aware of the laws in your area is because if the recording isn’t made in a legal manner, it will be worse than worthless to you should the overriding incident end up in front of a judge. I say worse than worthless because not only will the recording not be allowed in court, you might find yourself being sued for invasion of privacy as well as facing criminal charges.

Another area is self-defense. I would encourage everyone to learn the laws regarding self-defense that apply in their own local areas. As we talked about the other day when we were discussing Castle Doctrine, these laws can and do vary across the country. Trying to skirt around them is never a good idea. You need to know ahead of time just how far you can legally go when it comes to defending yourself, your loved ones, and your property.

I’ve worked in and around the legal field for many years. I can tell you with some degree of authority that ignorance of the law only leads to bad things. Further, as the saying goes, the path to Hell is paved with good intentions. You may set up some sort of “trap” at your hunting cabin with the intention of stopping the burglaries that seem to happen on a regular basis. You are just trying to protect your assets, right? Got news for you. If you set something up and it ends up injuring or killing someone, even if they were there with the sole purpose of robbing you again, you’ll find yourself in a world of legal trouble, the likes of which may make you wish you were dead.

If you don’t like a particular law, work on changing it through the proper channels. But don’t ever just thumb your nose at it and think you’re somehow above the law. That, my friends, will only lead to trouble.

Surveillance Systems

 Home Protection, Home Safety Items, Home Security, Spy And Surveillance  No Responses »
Apr 052013
 

Once upon a time, if you wanted to set up some sort of camera system in your home, you were looking at spending several thousand dollars and you’d get some grainy black-and-white footage at best. If you were truly lucky, you’d actually see some action before the videotape ran out.

Today’s home surveillance systems are more economical and of much higher quality.

Many of the better systems available now utilize an embedded DVR (digital video recorder) that allows you to not only view recorded footage but you can also go online anywhere on the planet and see what your camera sees live at home.

Surveillance Systems Do Work!

I particularly like that feature for places like vacation homes, survival retreats, and offsite businesses. You can couple these systems with motion detectors that will alert you on your smartphone if there’s a potential intruder. You get the alarm on your phone that someone might be in your cabin, go online and in seconds you can see exactly what is happening and take appropriate action.

Another application of this technology is allowing you to see when your kids get home from school, assuring you they are safe and sound.

Many of these systems use cameras that will automatically adjust to the light levels, giving you full color when the light is good, black and white when the light is low, and even infrared when light is very poor.

A good friend of ours has a cabin that is about three hours drive from home. It was broken into a couple times, with lots of damage done by vandals. She finally invested in a camera system and the very next weekend after installing it, she was able to get footage of the culprits which led to an arrest and, hopefully, restitution for the damage. Surveillance systems do work!

Castle Doctrine

 Home Protection, Home Security, Self Defense Discussion  1 Response »
Apr 032013
 

Worth learning is whether your state has any form of Castle Doctrine laws on the books. Most do, at least to one degree or another, but there are some that do not.

Castle Doctrine says if you are in your home, you have the right to defend yourself against an intruder, up to and sometimes including the use of deadly force.

Admittedly, that’s putting it a bit simply but that’s the long and short of it. Some states also have provisions within the law that state if a homeowner uses force to defend against an illegal intruder, said intruder may not bring suit against the homeowner for injuries sustained or damages, nor can their next of kin should the intruder be killed by the homeowner.

castle doctrine

In most cases, there are elements which must be met for the Castle Doctrine laws to apply.

1) The intruder must have entered the home forcibly or unlawfully.

2) The occupant of the home must be there legally. Meaning, the occupants cannot be just squatting nor can they be fugitives from the law.

3) The occupant must reasonably believe their life, or the life of another occupant, is in peril due to the intruder.

4) The intruder cannot be a law enforcement officer performing a legal duty, such as serving an arrest warrant.

Some states expand upon Castle Doctrine to include vehicles, workplaces, or even just where you’re standing at the time.

For those who may consider using deadly force to protect their family, in the home or otherwise, I’d HIGHLY encourage you to research the laws of your state and determine what is legal and what is not. There have been instances where homeowners have used deadly force against intruders and then were successfully sued by the next of kin. Better to know ahead of time what you are legally allowed to do and what you should avoid doing.

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