Average Joe Survivor
Average Joe Survivor Home

Step One: Air  

Step Two: Water   

Step Three: Food   

Survivor Links   

Non-Food Items        

Recipes                                                                                                                                                                         
                         
Cooking
Post-TEOTWAWKI                                                                                                                                             

Home Defense
























Back to
Average Joe
Blackjack
Home and Personal Defense

Evaluate your home for weaknesses.
Almost every home has it's weaknesses. Modern homes were built based on the premise that
there would be law and order.  In the future that may not be the case. A way to evaluate your
home's weaknesses is to walk around it and imagine if you were the criminal, how would you enter
the house.  Where could you hide and surprise the owner.  
It has been said that burglars avoid homes with alarm systems and big dogs.  It might be prudent
to have both.  In a grid down system, the alarm system will have about 72 hours  before the
battery dies, so you will need to have a way to charge it.  Even if the phones and monitoring are
down, it will still alert you and the neighbors there is a break-in occurring. If it alarms, hopefully the
thief will run and go find easier prey.  
As you walk around your house, evaluate the following:

• Front door - What's it made of? Steel is best followed by heavy wood. It is only as strong as the
locks and plates. Also, the hinges need to be strong and have longer screws instead of the short
ones.
• Other doors - The back door may be the thief's best bet because he is hidden from the street.  
If the door is glass, or has windows on either side of it, the thief can break the glass, reach inside
and unlock the deadbolt.  You must have a keyed deadbolt inside.  That way they will be slowed
down longer.  
• Glass Doors - Consider replacing glass doors. Although thieves prefer to not break glass. If they
do, they can simply step through and bypass your alarm system unless you have a glass break
sensor.
• Wood doors - Strong but an axe will do them in.  Yes they're prettier than steel doors, but it is
more vulnerable unless they are 3 inches thick.
• Windows - Window locks are cheap and easy to install.  Although not aesthetically pleasing, a 3
inch screw drilled into the window frame will be a deterrent.
• Hiding places, shrubs, corners - Where could a robber or thief hide around your house?  
• Thorny Barriers - These are a great way to prevent entry. Rose bushes thorny shrubs, holly, all
of these will deter a criminal.
• Fencing - Chain link is good. If it gets bad, add razor or barbed wire to the top. Make them pay
for entry.

Grid Up - As long as you have power, the thief has to work in the light. If you were about to
break into a house and the lights suddenly came on, what is your first thought? RUN!  You
envision a shotgun cocking next. Purchase and install motion detecting floodlights.  Even though
it's battery operated, a Dakota Alert Transmitter will alert you of an intruder without alerting him.  
This will allow you to get the jump on him and ruin his evening. Below is a list to consider.  There
are some new products like security screens and films that are impenetrable.
• Lights
• Security System
• Motion detection lights
• Switched lights
• Working Shutters
• Deadbolt, key inside
• Window Locks
• Peep Holes
• Bars
• Storm windows
• Security screens
• Glass film
• Plexiglass
   
  
Grid Down - If the grid goes down, homes with a lot of lights on and perhaps a generator
running are going to stand out.  They are going to say you are prepared and you probably have
other comfort items such as food.  Below it says consider blackout.  Blackout will allow you to have
bright lights on undetected.  Passers by will think of you as being unprepared and sitting there in
the dark.  If you blackout your house, go outside and make sure it is complete.
• Consider "Blackout"
• Black Plastic
• Lined curtains
• Aluminum coated Bubble wrap
• Shutters
• Boarding up

IR Floodlights for NV goggles

Consider Barbed wire, Razor wire, etc.

Chain Linked Fence

Big Dogs outside, Small "Yipper" inside

Fence in vulnerable areas.  A fence around a part of your house that has a lot of glass and
vulnerable doors may be a viable alternative.  Barbed or razor wire and a big dog could be on the
other side of the fence.

Dakota Alert - The alert could cover the fenced area instead of a dog.  Although they may never
enter if there is a dog there.  On the other hand, you don't have to feed the Dakota Alert a bag of
dog food every two weeks.

Sand Bags

Safe room

Heavy duty Gun Safe

Precious metals safe

Hiding places inside and outside.  Bury food, guns and ammo.  Then if a thief takes the gun safe,
or your food in the house, you've got a cache they'll never find.  Just be sure to let someone
whom you trust know where it is buried in the event of your demise.

Fire proof safe for important papers

Keep a low profile - Don't draw attention to the fact that you are prepared. If it looks like you have
it just as bad as everyone else, you will be safer.  Grow a beard (the men that is), lose that extra
weight like everyone else, and no one will be the wiser.

Neighborhood watch - even to the point of a roadblock to keep non-residents out.




Firearms

There are two purposes for survival firearms: Defense and Hunting

You may be called upon to defend your family, yourself, your home, or your community. You may
need to hunt small and big game to supply your family with meat.  Because the uses of the
firearms vary, there is no one gun you can have for all uses.  For big game hunting, deer size and
larger, a caliber near .300 will be needed.  For small game, a .22 Long Rifle or shotgun will work.  
For birds, the shotgun is preferred.  For coyotes or wild dogs, the .300 will work, but a smaller
caliber such as a .223, 22-250, or .243  may also be effective at a lower cost per round.   For
personal defense, you may choose a revolver or pistol in .38, .357 mag, 44 mag, 9mm, .40 or .45.
calibers.  For home defense the pistols and revolvers may be backed up by a short barrel shotgun,
preferably in 12 ga.  Another gun which you could use for home protection and use to patrol your
neighborhood is an AR 15.

So as you can see, you will need several guns for the many purposes they will have.  If I could only
own five guns, the following list is what I would have:

  1. .22 LR for small game - Ruger 10-22 is probably the best.
  2. AR 15 for varmints and main battle weapon/home defense
  3. .308 Bolt action for big game and a sniper weapon
  4. .40 or .45 pistol for home defense and concealed weapon
  5. 12 ga shotgun with interchangeable barrels/chokes - short tactical, Improved cyl, and full choke

Keep in mind this is my opinion and the main thing is to have one weapon in each category.  For
instance, a .270, 30-06, or 300 Win Mag will substitute for the .308. If you prefer revolvers, then
a .38 or .357 magnum might be your choice. The shotgun could be a double barrel, pump or auto,
and if you are too small to shoot the 12 ga, go for the 20 ga.  If you want, you could substitute
an AK-47 for the AR 15.

You may also want to accessorize, especially if it gets rough.  Some items in the "nice to have"
category are:

  1. Laser sights
  2. Flashlights
  3. Night Vision scope
  4. Night Vision Goggles
  5. Bulletproof vest
  6. Kevlar Helmet

I hope you find this list helpful.  Don't wait too long to get your weapons.  We are at the mercy of a government
that is slowly taking our freedoms away.  God Bless America.