What’s your home defense plan? We spend a lot of time in dumb arguments about the best home defense gun. Often, it doesn’t really matter if your 11.5 AR works better than my 12.5. If you have a gun, you’ve met the first criteria. However, the plan you execute when things go pear-shaped could matter a lot more than the gun and ammo you’re using.
Failing to plan is planning to fail. Most of us think we’ll return fire and save the day if someone kicks down the door. The Mayor will slap a medal on our chest and call it a day. Reality is often disappointing. If you plan to shoot the bad guy, then you’re leaving a lot up to chance. There are a few situations where that’s fine, but maybe you should consider the before, during, and after the shoot.
The Home Defense Plan – Stage 1
Stage 1 is what we do to secure our homes prior to a break-in. In fact, we are attempting to make our homes look unappetizing to the average criminal. Stage 1 is the most important stage because it could potentially make stages 2 and 3 nonexecutable.
Part of making your home look a lot less friendly to break-ins is taking a few soft steps to improve your security on the outside. Gates are great, and so are 12-foot-tall barbed wire-topped fences, but that’s not always the practical choice. What can we do to our homes to make them unappealing to the thuggery of the world?
First, lights. Big lights make it tough to sneak around. My home is set up with motion-sensing spotlights, which are fairly affordable. Additionally, I have cameras. Some are obvious, but others are not. Motion-sensing cameras that can text your phone are a great tool to have, and making a few of them more obvious makes sure people know you’re serious about home security. Doorbell cameras have also been proven to be an excellent tool for home security.
Inside the home, we can invest in good locks. One-side deadbolts are impossible to pick. A really easy upgrade is swapping your ¾ inch door hinge screws with 3-inch screws. That makes your doors a lot tougher to kick in. Also, if possible and affordable, replace your hollow exterior doors with solid doors.
Stage 1 comes down to practical steps you can take to harden your home physically.
Planning to Win – Stage 2
Stage 2 occurs when stage 1 fails. This is what to do when someone is kicking down your door and is likely to make an entrance. When this occurs, it’s time to get the gun, but you need to know more than that. You need to consider the location of you and your family, if you have one. Single folks or couples without kids can hold up in their bedrooms and use the bunker-down tactics.
If you have kids, you’ll have to consider what to do. You may need to leave your home and find a defensible spot that secures the kids and you. You’ll also need to establish roles, like who carries the gun and who calls 911. Maybe you have to do both, and therefore, a pump shotgun isn’t a great choice; a carbine or even a handgun might be more viable.
Stage 2 is where we plan exactly what to do when the door comes down. You need to know what job you’re doing, how you’re responding, and whether you are moving or not. If you are moving, you might set up your home to give yourself an advantage, like making sure the defensible point offers concealment or cover.
This can be difficult to plan and might require a walkthrough of your home. This type of plan should involve a dry run, and everyone with a job understands their role.
After the Fight – Stage 3
A lot of people don’t plan for stage 3. They picture themselves getting their medal. In reality, stage 3 is what you need to consider after you pull the trigger. The fight is over; the cops should be called by now, but if not, that needs to be prioritized. You may also be wounded, or, Lord forbid, a family member may be wounded.
These are things you can plan to address. This means having a medical kit that isn’t a dollar store first aid kit for boo-boos. You need a trauma kit and the knowledge to use it. You also need to be prepared to be placed in cuffs. Self-defense is typically evident inside a home, but be prepared to take that ride.
Do you have a lawyer? You might look into a local criminal defense attorney and have their number accessible and easy to find. I won’t give legal advice because I shouldn’t, but a criminal defense lawyer might be a good call.
Similarly, are you or your loved ones going to be traumatized by this event? If this happens to me with my family home, everyone goes to counseling. That’s admittedly a step for another day, but it’s something to consider.
The Plan
A good plan goes a long way. It’s important to prepare and plan well before a violent event occurs. Hopefully, you sink time, effort, and a little money into stage 1, so stages 2 and 3 can remain dusty and on the shelf.
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