Last email you were encouraged to assess your own home for vulnerabilities and advantages from a home protection/defense standpoint. While we are not using your home, I hope you are able to apply the same concepts to today’s scenario.
Scenario: It’s 2:30 AM. You and your spouse are asleep in the master suite when you’re awakened by a noise coming from the entry area. Your two children (ages 8 and 10) are asleep in Bedrooms 2 and 3. You suspect an intruder has entered your home through the front door.
Starting positions:
- You and your spouse: Master Suite
- Child 1 (age 8): Bedroom 2
- Child 2 (age 10): Bedroom 3
- Suspected intruder: Entry area
Questions:
- What is your immediate action plan?
- How would you secure your children? Consider the layout and potential intruder movements.
- Identify potential ambush or defensive positions in your home. Why did you choose these locations?
- How would you use the home’s layout to your advantage? (Consider the vaulted ceilings, multiple bathrooms, and the safe room.)
- If you needed to evacuate, what route would you take and why?
- How would you communicate with your spouse and children without alerting the intruder?
- What items in your immediate vicinity (master suite) could you use for defense if needed?
Additional Considerations:
- The garage door is closed and locked.
- You have a charged cell phone in the master suite.
- There is a home security system, but it hasn’t been triggered.
Curious to see what other FSW members think? I encourage members of the FSW to post their comments/plans/ideas on the community page.
I would immediately go for my pistol and my phone both located on my nightstand, then waking up my wife quietly. Following that, I would start clearing the dining room, foyer and then heading to the kids room. My wife would go to the safe room and lock it from the inside. Once the kids rooms and bathroom in between ate clear I would yell out loud inform the potential intruder that I’ve called the police and they are on their way. This way I could give them an opportunity to escape and prevent a potential violent encounter.