There are few events in life that can compare with the violated feeling one can get after a break-in or robbery of your home. Incomparably worse is when the break-in happens while you or your family are in the home at the time.
While it’s easy to say that you are prepared to defend your home against an invasion, it’s probably more accurate to say that you survived the invasion rather than you defended against it.
If we look carefully at the differences between defense and survival, you will notice that defense implies that you were able to prevent the break-in from even happening. Through the use of alarm systems, better quality locks and physical security measures and a setup that makes your home unattractive to potential intruders, your home can be saved from intrusion and thus, defended before an attack even occurs.
But what if your household security is less than ideal? It is not always possible to foresee every possible scenario through which a thief or attacker can gain access to your home. It’s in these cases where surviving home invasion comes into play.
Surviving Home Invasion
1. Have a Plan
Your plan should include all the steps and responsibilities for every member of your family to come together in times of chaos and surviving home invasion.
Each member knows where they have to go once an alarm of some kind is raised—meaning—whether a smoke alarm, intruder alarm or a scream, everyone meets together in one location with closable access (like a parents bedroom).
This plan should be practiced so that it is second nature to every family member and require as little thought as possible to carry out.
2. Have a Means of Defense
Your first means of defense? Alert the authorities. Someone calls 911 and stays on the phone while a qualified adult gains control of a defensive weapon. Be this a handgun, shotgun, baseball bat or broom-handle, someone has a defensive weapon in hand to receive the intruder, should they break into your gathering place.
This place is your last stand. Your Alamo (but hopefully with different end results). Grandstand, threaten and bang your chest to establish the danger you represent, should said invader choose to violate your safe-zone.
Remember – shoot only when there is no other option and if you are going to shoot—do you know how? Have you practiced with your firearm?
Remember – an unpracticed firearm can be just as dangerous as an attacker. You should be able to load/unload and manipulate the gun with your eyes closed. Otherwise, grab the bat instead.
There’s an important point to keep in mind when in situations like these—things are just things—your health and family are what is important. If you can avoid the confrontation, great. If the perpetrator gets caught by the police, even better. If you are forced to shoot, you do what you have to do. All things considered, though, so long as you all come out of it unharmed, what does it really matter if something was stolen or broken?
Things are replaceable—your family is not.
Heaven forbid you ever find yourself in such a situation, but with the right planning, a practiced means of defense and constant contact with the authorities, there is nothing that you and your family cannot handle. Some would disagree and insist that you, as a defender, go forth and attack the attacker, but in real life it’s the attacker that is the true unknown danger in your survival equation.
Skip Tanner
P.S. – If you and your family don’t have a pre-planned home defense response plan, NOW is the time to map one out.
You’ll find a ton of information online, but a lot of this isn’t based on the harsh reality of home invasions.
