Shelter ....your last Alamo during an emergency.

Basic duplex.

   OK your house or apartment is the last part of the emergency puzzle. When the lights go out or some other disaster strikes there is no place like home. You have made some preparations for food and water but now is the time to focus on your own personal Alamo. When fear and uncertainty set in your home could be a great sense of security and place to feel as comfortable as possible. There are a few things that increase your safety as well as help keep your food and other preparations out of the hands of others.

Emergency's come in many ways and levels of severity  .

    During an emergency you CANNOT depend on the police or other rescue services to show up and save you at the first sign of trouble. When you hear a banging at the door in the middle of the night it will be up to you and you alone to keep your family safe from those who want your supplies or worse wish your family harm. With some simple preparations and planning your home could be one of the safest place to be.

1) Have a plan. Nothing crazy just some rules and job duties for everyone in the family. When your busy doing what needs to be done to a written plan you are less likely to panic and more likely to be better prepared.

Type of protection is your choice but have something!!!

2) Identify one room to retreat to if necessary. This room should have only one door and one window with a way to cover and secure both. If needed some rope or ladder to to escape out the window if needed. Some form of defense and offense should also be stored in this room(Bat,Knife,Mace,Spear,Pipe,Axe,Firearm or other weapon) along with some ready-to-eat and drink supplies. A noise maker such as an air horn. Many intruders are not going to be sticking around if they think you have a way  to call for help or draw attention to what they are up to. And remember " 3 of anything is a symbol of help"  such as 3 horn blasts. A fire extinguisher would be a plus.

3) Don't make it easy to enter the home or look inside. Plant roses ,holly's or other prickly plants near first floor windows. Use small pieces of wood to reinforce windows and sliding doors. Keep folding ladders and other tools locked up and stored away.  Make your home the path of most resistance not the least.

4) Noise can be your friend. Place tin cans on your doorknobs. Put a snack tray with items on it near windows or doors. Basically put things where they wouldn't normally be and if someone should enter the house they will be more likely to bump into something or knock something over to alert you of their presence. Noise making traps can take away the element of surprise and give you time to react.

5) Stay together. Use the buddy system. Camp out at night in the same room. If you have younger children they will think its fun for everyone to be together at night. There is a reason for flocks of birds,schools of fish and herds of cattle and that is "safety in numbers". Even when leaving the house try not to go it alone. Remember people do crazy things at times of distress or when they think they can get away with it.

6) Heat. A source of heat will be very important depending on the climate you live in. A simple kerosene heater and a few gallons of fuel should be in your supplies.

This post was intended to aid in your decisions to prepare and take responsibility for safety of your and your family. During an emergency help maybe days away SO WHAT WILL YOU DO??????