Fortify your home against attack in five simple steps

US Crow

You’ve decided to shelter in place, either of your own free will or under the advice of emergency management personnel (insert ad hominem here). While we strongly recommend bugging out to a secure location outside metropolitan and rural areas the reality is – not everyone has the bankroll for that. So sheltering in place is the only option for some of us.

More than 2 million Americans are burglarized a year. If two million homes are getting robbed in the presence of ‘civilization‘, what do you think is going to happen when civilization ceases to exist? Even worse, what if a member of your family spilled the beans and word gets out the Andersons have two years worth of food and water? You had better hope your home has been fortified against the human element when the shit hits the fan.  

Know this – staying in suburban, densely populated rural, & metropolitan areas is strongly advised against. Being able to move and be unseen will keep you alive. But we aren’t irrational, we know some of you might not be able to move. Young children, disabled and elderly family members are a pretty good reason to not go traipsing around a war-zone. This means you better do everything in your power to protect your family!

Is your home ready for this or not?

It is Day 4 after TEOTWAWKI – grocery stores have been looted, and your neighbors got the hell out of dodge. You have food and water stored in your basement so you figure you can wait it out. You figure you’ll keep the curtains closed and avoid using lights at night to avoid detection. All forms of transportation have been rendered inert and you live 30 miles outside of town – safe as a pearl right?

Wrong. In four days an average human being can walk 90 miles, this includes a large group of blood thirsty lunatics passing by your property at night. As they walk past your ‘vacant’ house one notices a glimmer out the corner of his eye. A flicker really. A flicker of light from the bathroom of your house. It was only a sliver of light but that sliver was all that was needed. This pack of thugs has now changed direction – their pace has increased – they are coming for you…

Special Operators are trained to breach a two-story 2,000 sq ft home in less than 10 seconds. This timeline is achieved by breaching multiple points utilizing Hick’s Law. They breach in pairs, one going right – the other left – through a single entry point which will slow your reaction time by up to 60%. Lets hope this pack of lunatics don’t have training because that 10/22 Ruger breakdown won’t be able to cover multiple entry points. Will that furniture you shoddily covered your windows with hold up to the incursion? Save yourself a little heartache and fortify your home now!

1. Fortify on the cheap with plywood

Fortifying your home without looking like a wacko can be expensive! So have your fortifications at the ready! A 4 ft x 8 ft piece of plywood costs $15+/-. You can cut this plywood down to the size of each window in your home. You can mark each panel’s location (for quick install) and store the panels in discrete locations next to a fully charged drill (It’s just plywood, no need to buy a bunch of $200 drills). Our recommendation is to install the panels on the inside, behind the curtains. You don’t want to be obvious about it. Some will tell you to install the panels on the outside and the inside using carriage bolts to create a more solid fortification but it’ll paint a pretty big target on your back.

2. Form and function with metal bars

Metal bars for home security are a pretty solid fortification but they’re ugly as hell. A pretty solid and discrete solution to this problem is rolling shutters, but they’re ridiculously expensive. So what’s the alternative? You can embrace form and function by securing bars in a more aesthetically appealing manner by only using modern design techniques..

3. Security films

Security films are used by private businesses across the country to protect from smash and grab looters. This stuff is awesome and easy to install. If used in conjunction with one or both of the prior home fortifications listed you’ll be fairly protected. Security film comes in various thicknesses and composites that vary in price such as; 4 mil, 8 mil, 12 mil (recommended). Security Window Film is designed to slow or prevent entry from a burglar. Protect your family, and your property, with high quality security and safety window films. Security Window film prevents thieves from quickly getting through windows and into your home, and prevents shards from falling should windows be broken.

4. Hurricane Security Screens

These security screens are another elegant solution to home security bars, they are an excellent answer to the form versus function debate. A reasonable investment if you have some funds set aside for security. The screens are made of a fine .012 Ga mesh that is less than 1/64th of an inch in 30 horizontal and 30 vertical strands. They are made in thicker and stronger sizes, but far more expensive.

5. Entry Point Fortification

I can’t stress this enough. You need to fortify breach points like windows and doors after SHTF. 2 x 4′s are amazingly useful. You can nail a 2 x 4 to the floor behind each door to prevent a single impact entry. While this is not a solid fortification it may just provide you the time needed to gain a tactical advantage.

http://uscrow.org/2014/02/09/fortify-home-attack-five-simple-steps/