What are you going to do, when someone breaks into your home? Do you have a plan in place, for that kind of a situation? Do you have loved ones in your home? What if you wake up to discover that the intruder has made their way to your child’s room? Do you have a plan for that? Here’s what I can tell you that you cant do - wait for the police. Now, I’m not telling you that you shouldn’t call the police. By all means, please do, because you’re going to need them, if for no other reason than to report what happened. What I am telling you is that waiting for them is a mistake. On average, it takes officers 15 minutes to respond to a call to a residential area. There may be exceptions, but as an average, you’ve got a lot of time to wait. What are you going to do with all of that time, make some tea? Below, I’m going to list 3 simple actions to take, along with some supporting advice. Keep reading below. Assess your situation, and contact emergency services.
So, the first thing you need to do, once you are aware of an intruder in your home, is make sure you are immediately safe. This is like checking your own oxygen mask, in a plane, before helping your neighbor out. There should be a phone and weapon of some kind present by your bedside. These items, particularly the weapon, should be accessible without needing to get out of bed. You never know where the intruder will be, when you are made aware of their presence. If they are at your bedside, getting up may not be an option. Once you are able to get up, assuming they are not beside you, we need to contact emergency services. Now, from here, you may not have time to explain what’s happening. Let’s say you do have kids in the next room. It’s time to make your way to them. Your most important job, besides staying alive long enough to, is to protect them. If there’s a chance that the intruder has made their way to the child’s room, then that’s the direction you need to be moving. So, what do you do with your 911 call? Place the phone in your pocket, or hook it (if it has one of those fancy hooks on the back) to your pants. The dispatcher may not be able to hear too much, but this is a common practice in abusive situations. The dispatcher will send units your way. Once you confront the intruder, if it comes to that, they will be able to hear what’s going on, anyway. Now, if there is no one else in the house, then it’s time to follow the next couple of steps, and sit tight. Arm yourself with what you’ve got. This is the stage that is difficult for many. So many Americans don’t own firearms, let alone other kinds of self defense weapons. Even fewer keep them by their bedside. Many who have children fear for their child, knowing a child’s interests can lead them into harms way, if weapons are readily available. Rest assured, if you spend the appropriate amount of time training your child about such things, this can be avoided. I will be releasing another article about this, another time. Let’s say you do believe that keeping a weapon at your bedside is a good idea. Ideally, you would have a shotgun and a knife of some kind. Shotguns are the most home-friendly firearm, as they do not typically shoot through walls, provided you have the appropriate ammunition for them. This provides you with a weapon that you can use at some distance, meaning you wouldn’t need to get close to the intruder, if you are able to see them at a distance. Also, a shotgun blast is a larger spread than other firearms, which makes it easier to fire without missing. They can be fired at close and medium ranges, without much experience, though proper training is highly recommended. But, Phil, if I have the shotgun, why do I also need the knife? Well, depending on the type of situation you might find yourself in, there is a chance that the weapon gets dropped, hit out of your hands, or grabbed. In this case, it’s important to have a secondary weapon that you could deploy and use as a last resort. It’s never good to put all of your eggs into one basket. Now, you move on to step 3. Secure your loved ones, or secure yourself. Now that you’ve dialed 911, and grabbed your weapon, it is time to either secure yourself or your loved one(s). Let’s start with them, as this is a likely situation for most. Let’s remind ourselves of the situation. You’ve woken up to the realization that someone is in your home. You got up, dialed 911, and you armed yourself to the best of your ability. Now, it’s time to make sure that everyone else in the house is okay, while the dispatcher listens to what’s happening, and you’re waiting for law enforcement to arrive. No one knows the layout of your home the way that you do. There should already be a procedure in place for situations like this, but let’s say you’ve never thought about this before. As you leave your bedroom, you need to be cautious with the direction you point your weapon, so keep it lowered, with your finger off of the trigger. You don’t want the barrel to move across someone it doesn’t need to. Now, as you’re walking around, be sure to check all of your corners, making sure you don’t miss any areas of the house that someone could be waiting or searching in. As you maneuver your way through the house, find your way to their bedroom. Make your way in quietly, as to not startle them awake, if they’re not aware of what’s happening (the less noise, the better). If they are alone, wake them slowly, and be sure to keep them quiet. It’s time to give them clear instructions for where to go, and what to do. For more information on this, comment below, and I will write a strategy guide for some ideas on how to do this most effectively. Above all else, make sure they know to remain quiet. Be ready to handle your business. Once you’re both set, it’s time to check on that 911call, and inform the dispatcher of what’s going on. Let them know where you are, in your home. Let them know that you are armed, and make sure they know what you look like (including your clothes). If you’re alone, then you simply need to lock yourself into your room, with your weapon, and let the dispatcher know, as above, what you’re wearing, what you look like, that you have a weapon, and so on. In conclusion... This has all be to help you understand how to handle a home invasion in the middle of the night. You are not helpless, but you simply can not wait for help to arrive. This is one of those situation where you must take care of yourself for as long as you can, and allow the police to take the situation off of your hands, once they arrive and relieve you. Even then, remember that the responsibility for survival is completely in your hands. Cops aren’t impervious to damage either. I hope that this helped you in some way. If you enjoyed this, or found some use in it, then please pass it on to your friends, by copying the link above. If you have comments, questions, or concerns, please comment below. I would love to discuss this topic further with you! Have a great day, and stay safe!
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