We talk about survival and prepardness what about the home?

Many good questions. Many I have already considered and some that I have not. In addition to some of the things you mentioned, here are a few I can add..

As mentioned, Rose bushes outside the windows are a great deterant. If you don't have those, think about putting in a deep bed of river rock around the perimeter of the house. You would be surprised how noisy it is when someone is walking through river rock outside your window.

For those who don't want to pay to have a monitored sercurity system installed, think about installing your own door alarms at each exterior door as well as your basement door if you have one. These are cheap and typically have two different alerts or off. Turn them to chime during the day and a constant alarm at night. As soon as the door is opened a LOUD alarm sounds. They are very small and installed with double stick tape at the top door jam. The inside basement door is often overlooked. How likely are you to hear someone gain access to your basement while sleeping at night? And if you don't hear them gain access, you certainly won't hear them open the door at the top or bottom of the stairs. In addition to the door alarm, put a deadbolt on the upstairs side of this door.

Locking storm doors are a good deterant too. Most swing out making them inherently hard to kick in. Think of them as two layers of safety. BGs would have to get through it and the regular door. They like to take the easy route...make your house harder than your neighbor's.

Install better hardware in your door hinges and frame. Most screws in door hinges and latch plates don't secure into anything other than the flimsy trim. Put some long screws in that reach the 2x4 wall framing. If they get past the storm door, they will have one hell of a time trying to kick in a door with better hardware. A house on my street was vandalized recently. It only took two kicks for the BG to gain access. They had a deadbolt but cheap hardware.

Old cell phones that no longer have a paid plan can still call 911. Keep your old unused cell phones plugged in around your house so you always have one within close reach.

Tell your kids to NEVER tell a "salesman" at the door "my parents aren't home". If you aren't home, instruct them to keep the door closed and tell anyone at the door that you are in the other room or the shower.

Fire drills maybe old school...but do them with your kids anyway. They work.

Do you and all the drivers in the house watch the rearview and pay attention to make sure no one is following them home?

That's all I can think of now...

How do you guys secure your sliding glass door? The old dowel or something better? I have a fold down bar about halfway up but was wondering if there is anything better...

How do you secure your window well covers from above access but allow easy emergency exit from below?

We have keyless entry on the front deadbolt, and change the codes periodically. Motion lights on all access routes. Locked 6 ft privacy gate into the back yard. Good relationships with the neighbors, who are nosy. Several other precautions which I won't detail. Food, water, heat and electricity backups for several days to several weeks.

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Originally Posted by jim

Do you have outside lights and are they on at night? Specifically Front and where applicable rear or side entry points?

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Own my house, in the mountains, unique setting/terrain/locale in brief. Outside lights yes, also above entry points. They are not always on at night however which is by and large a tactical choice. I use NV quite frequently to periodically monitor my surroundings.... a fact most in the neighborhood would probably freak out about, but hey, sneaking up on me is NOT an easy task and I prefer it that way. We do have motion sensitive lights, but again, I don't always opt to turn them on, just depends on how "normal" I wish to appear to suspected outsiders.

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Originally Posted by jim

Ground floor windows?

Bushes that are deterrents for access, rose bushes, small evergreens etc

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Yes.

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Originally Posted by jim

2nd story emergency exit

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A few actually.

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Originally Posted by jim

Perimeter.

Fenced, trees, bushes, well lit if nothing keep anything out

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Fenced, plenty of trees and bushes, again lighting available if required and alternative viewing methods of the area as well.

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Originally Posted by jim

DO YOU HAVE A SAFE WORD, SAFE areas are the kids secure??

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Yes in a sense, we utilize a method that while not entirely obsolete or undecipherable, would not likely be understood by any outsiders.

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Originally Posted by jim

Cell Phone and flash light at bedside.

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Cell phones do not work in our area, land line yes, butt-set in a small grab bag with a few other "rare use" essentials if necessary. Flash lights in multiple areas of the home as well as candles, and lanterns. (Might seem odd to some, but remember "mountain" area and suddenly the decor becomes 'functional'.)

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Originally Posted by jim

Those pita toys you're always after the kids to pick up, are one of the best natural land mines for an intruder, PITA @ 3 when you have to pee, is the downside.

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While I understand the practical use of such things, this is a massive "no-no" in our home. Our kids are actually grown and on their own, but we do have a girl we consider a daughter and her daughter living with us. All toys are to be off the floor and back in the toy box after 7pm. Anything that would allow me to identify someone else's steps, would also potentially alert a would-be intruder to my location if I stepped on them.

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Originally Posted by jim

Where are the kids rooms in relation to your bedroom. Are they safe? Are you upstairs and the kids down? If someone were to kick the door in, do they have straight access or is there are couch, table, chairs etc impeding the way?

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Kids room upstairs, but to get there from the outside one would have to already come up the stairs out there which would already alert me. IF.... they were to make it that far, and knew the lay out of the house, they could access Sam and Kaylee's room..... but I've taught Sam many things.... things even her dates perhaps wish I hadn't, but as I said above... I regard her as a daughter and WILL protect her as such.

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Originally Posted by jim

DO YOU Have a way to look out the back or front door w/out exposing yourself?

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Yes, many locations including upper windows if I choose. I've also made the local PD uncomfortable on a couple occasions, but this being a relatively small town they know that if shit really hit the fan they can likely ask me to assist.

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Originally Posted by jim

Do your kids answer the door or phone and say. their not home now.
Why are they answering the door or phone w/out a basic answer?

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No and somewhat N/A though. Sam is rather vague unless speaking to family. Kaylee won't talk to anyone she doesn't know, she runs to get one of us first. Calls go to the answer machine if they're unrecognized anyway.

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Originally Posted by jim

FWIW: Do the neighborhood weak link test.

Who knows you may be a weak link
Garage and or front doors open 24/7. We all see it, fence gates open the car windows never closed, partial when hot is ok.

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All doors always locked, vehicles locked, gates locked, all neighbors not only know this, they also know to call in advance or as a simple courtesy, "walk heavy" when approaching so they won't be greeted with a Badger's wrath. The same courtesy is returned even though most of them are not as likely to come to the door locked and loaded just because someone walks a little stealthily.

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Originally Posted by jim

Knowing your neighbors by name having a phone tree and the best.

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Numbers are memorized also just in case, but a quick reference list is also on hand.




Badger

Great thread Jim, and all the other input so far.

I gots me some work to do.!

Cell phones do not work in our area, land line yes, butt-set in a small grab bag with a few other "rare use" essentials if necessary. Flash lights in multiple areas of the home as well as candles, and lanterns. (Might seem odd to some, but remember "mountain" area and suddenly the decor becomes 'functional'.)

Oddly enough 911 does work almost anywhere.
Our daughter and then S-I-L broke down in the desert between mojave and whatever on the 99 going north 2-3am.
End result after dealing with cell co due to issues with emergency response and their lack of reply. I had contacted CHP once our daughter was able to get cell service. CHP said a 911 call works any where AND while only a vehicle issue, they considered any issue in the desert an emergency.
This may only work in CA, however until this thread i have not contacted verizon to see what they say regarding 911. Because well i forgot:(
I know any cell phone no matter how old and not activated, if there is power, dialing 911 will get you connected to an emergency responder or dispatch person.

I've heard 911 calls are supposed to work no matter what, haven't tried it personally though.

On a slightly related note to that, if we did have to dial 911 for anything it would typically be around 30 or more minutes before we'd see any emergency response of any kind simply due to our location. The pros/cons of living there I suppose.

One area that I never feel one can have "too much" training in however is of course medical. While I have a fair amount of knowledge, there's always room for improvement in the household. Ironically the wife's job of working with animals has also taught us several emergency tips for human kind too. Take knowledge from where ever it may come really.



Badger

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Originally Posted by Badger

I've heard 911 calls are supposed to work no matter what, haven't tried it personally though.

On a slightly related note to that, if we did have to dial 911 for anything it would typically be around 30 or more minutes before we'd see any emergency response of any kind simply due to our location. The pros/cons of living there I suppose.

One area that I never feel one can have "too much" training in however is of course medical. While I have a fair amount of knowledge, there's always room for improvement in the household. Ironically the wife's job of working with animals has also taught us several emergency tips for human kind too. Take knowledge from where ever it may come really.



Badger

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+1 on any medical. Today's small cut could be tomorrows major infection, if not properly treated.
IF a situation came up, the medical community would be swamped. Basic suturing, immobilizing a broken bone, dealing with someone in shock etc is something we can all learn.

Emergency calls do work no matter what.

even on a locked phone you can place an emergency call to 911. ONLY to 911.

However, if you lack reception it doesn't matter. No amount of pushing the buttons will connect you.

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Originally Posted by hollohas

How do you secure your window well covers from above access but allow easy emergency exit from below?

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mine are chained to a latch that's down in the well that only accessible from the window reaching into the well.

Recently had to reimburse a $1,000 winch-out by a guy that couldn't get cell service in the middle of nowhere near Hanksville, UT. He got stuck on a washed out county road and couldn't get cell service. He was able to briefly get through to 911 and they GPS located him and called a local tow service to go get him.

Jim, great timing on this thread. Just moved to a new place and have yet to do due diligence on security. We NEED to do so in this neighborhood, as there are break-ins and gang issues (from what the neighbors tel me).

My first issue is that I need to finish changing the locks on the doors. My back door already has a hole for the old lock, but it is too small for the new lock. Anyone know any tricks I can use to get this done since there is no where for the pilot bit on my hole-saw to go? I'd greatly appreciate some advise.