Are You Ready to Hunker Down in a Crisis?
When people talk about dealing with a crisis, there are usually two possible scenarios they discuss.
One is that you and your family will have to bug out because the disaster has made your home unlivable, while the second is you will stay put and very possibly have to defend your home and your supplies.
We’ve spent plenty of time trying to help you prepare for the first option. We’ve provided advice about which items to include in bug-out bags and why, the importance of having secondary locations for your stockpiles and knowing exactly where you’re going and how you’re going to get there when you bug out.
Not to mention how to best care for Fido and Fluffy in this type of situation.
Hunkering Down Requires Preparation
Now we’re going to focus on hunkering down. Generally speaking, this is the more preferable of the two scenarios. Neither is a walk in the park, but bugging out presents a whole new set of problems you won’t encounter with defending in place.
You definitely will have more control over your circumstances if you’re staying home to ride out a crisis, especially if you’re prepared for it.
Another advantage to getting ready to hunker down is that many of the preparatory activities you will engage in are things that can help you now, even before there is an increased threat.
The best example of this is securing your home and we’ll get to that in a moment. Robberies and home invasions occur on a regular basis in this country, so doing everything you can to keep an uninvited guest out of your home could help you now as well as later during an emergency when a break-in attempt is even more likely.
So, let’s take a look at some of the steps you can take now to be better prepared to stay home to endure a possible disaster:
Defensive Perimeter
Perception is reality. We’ve all heard that phrase and it’s especially true in this situation. The more your house looks like it will be difficult to break into, the less likely a burglar will choose it among the houses in your neighborhood.
So, start with the perimeter of your home and make it as “unfriendly” to potential thieves as possible.
Having a fence is a good start and electric fencing is even better. Hedges with thorns are a way to at least slow down a potential thief. Security cameras in plain view let would-be robbers know you are looking for them.
Clearly marked alarm systems let burglars know that you and probably the local police department will be notified if they open any of your doors. Don’t forget a “Beware of Dog” sign at each entrance, even if you don’t own a canine.
Home Fortress
The first step in turning your home into a fortress is having doors that are extremely difficult to open. You might have the strongest door in the universe, but if the frame and the hardware holding it together are not top notch, someone will be able to get it open.
And thieves would much rather come through a door than they would a window. Here’s what you want to do after making sure you have solid doors:
- Replace the screws in the door hinges and strike plate with 3-inch long, case-hardened screws.
- Install a second deadbolt, far away from the primary deadbolt, preferably higher up on the door.
- Replace the standard door striker plate with a strike reinforcement plate. This is a longer plate that will spread the shock of an impact over a larger area.
- Install a door edge reinforcement around the locks to help prevent the door from breaking.
- Install a floor attachment system that will secure the door even if all else fails.
As mentioned, robbers aren’t crazy about entering a residence through a glass door or window, but if that’s the only way they can get in, that’s what they’ll choose. So, take some of these precautions:
- Cover glass with security film. This should withstand several hits with a hammer or baseball bat, but probably won’t stand up to repeated abuse.
- Make plywood covers for the glass and use it if you are expecting violence.
- Attach a layer of Plexiglass over the glass.
- Attach burglar bars over the glass.
Extreme Measures
It’s highly unlikely that more than a few readers of this publication will want to go to the following extremes, but I thought I’d mention them anyway. They include an impenetrable bunker, trenches, moats and a large arsenal of weaponry.
A bunker is a self-contained shelter that is virtually impossible to breach. This could come in handy if a tornado is headed your way, a nuclear weapon is detonated anywhere near you or a pandemic is wreaking havoc in your area.
A bunker could help you and your family survive for a few days, weeks or maybe even months. But the costs range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Trenches and moats will make a potential thief have to work hard at getting close to your home, but they require considerable landscaping work.
A large arsenal of weaponry might help you keep intruders a respectable distance from your door and might come in handy if you have hundreds of zombies approaching on your front lawn. But it will also put you on a watch list and again will probably cost more money than you’ll want to spend.
Sticking with the basics – securing the perimeter of your home and your home itself, stockpiling plenty of long-lasting and nutritious food and water, and being prepared to make wise decisions about who can go in and out of your home – will probably be enough to help your family ride out an emergency situation in the comfort of your home.
Conclusion
In an emergency, hunkering down will be easier to deal with than bugging out, but only if you’re prepared. Get your home – and yourself – ready for a disaster.
Wisdom is the rarest of gifts found theses days. The answer you gave to
Kristi was very good and sound. Not only will she find the resources for her family, but unlike Goverment agency she will find a community (Church) that will accept her were she is in love.
We know some of us were/are there right now. It’s not our place to judge we are not the court system but are in the forgiveness and rebuilding side of life. I worked as a Federal Chaplain and know the good our Government can do when the right personnel are responsible for the projects.
But I would always send a person to a local faith group because they alone have the decency and respect towards each member of the family unit as part of their own family, not a case number. Each person has value in the eyes of God. Many Government programs can be good but only when they have proper leadership. That’s why I say every one should vote.
I’ve noticed very much activity prep-ing for the up and coming two ter’ed event of the American economy threat. Their are a lot of options and many unobvious considerations as to the magnitude of that kind of occurrence and response focused primarily at the public at large. The gov. is prepared and will force public amenities with undesirable conditions and loss of independence using the vast military and interior contractors and also some assistance from other vested country’s will over-site shadowing deadly enforcement and seizures under emergence confiscation laws of regimen declaration already postured and readied for changes. Also the actions of this country over a set of years has made power-full enemy’s all over the market trades world beyond even the ringing count of money and their postured and poised as well. (I would fight that last mentioned group even if we had a bad changing of guards) but not to change the subject. I’d mentioned two ter’ed those who have it and those who don’t is already a growing battle field in America and is seemingly getting worst as the population has risen. I’m not trying to dampen the light on prepared but I thought it was worth mentioning and I’d left a trove of mentions out…..And I was a former Boy Scout whom joined the service at the age of 17 and worked primarily interior at premises comprised secretive for new experimental weapon’s testing’s north to south American vested facility’s. ..p.s. Never trust a fly on the wall and never talk to dog out loud-1973
I would like advice for those of us who are living alone with children, all three of us disabled in some way, mostly mom with spine. Upstairs apartment, medication you only receive once per month that will kill you with missing dose and is controlled substance, so no stocking up. Very little room for stocking anything, and little money. Have some of patriot things, but, people like us don’t really stand much chance w/no other family or help correct?
Kristi, The best thing to do is to find like minded people like yourself. People that are willing to band together when a crisis hits. Usually, a church group comes to mind. Those in a church group usually band together when one member is in distress, injured, or in need of help.
There are other organizations that are willing to help or come to your aid, but, you must make the first move and ask for help. You need to put yourself out there and let it be known what it is you want to do and that you are willing to help yourself and others in any way necessary too.