Home Security Tips from TBK Tactical, LLC.

TBK Tactical, LLC.

Home Security Tips

The following are just a few suggestions from TBK Tactical on things that you as a home owner can do to increase your safety. It is important to stop from time to time and think about home security, not just security in dealing with a human opponent, but also security in the setting of natural disasters. Take the time to educate yourself, be creative, think outside the box and have regular discussions with family members on how to react to an emergency. Always remember that just because it hasn’t happened to you yet does not mean that it won’t happen later today.

Lighting

1. Motion sensitive lighting; install the lights around doors, garages, alleys between houses and any areas that a person might be able to conceal themselves by your residence.

2. Decorative solar lighting along walkways leading to the front door.

3. If leaving overnight have at least one light inside on a timer to give the impression of occupancy.

4. Stage flashlights throughout your residence and vehicle(s). Test and change the batteries as needed. Avoid cheap plastic flashlights; good metal D-cell lights make an excellent impact tool if needed.

5. When pulling into your driveway turn your vehicle high beams on to illuminate any shrubbery or poorly lit area in front of your house before you get out of your car.

Doors and Windows

1. When you are not at home keep doors and windows shut and locked. Second floor windows are easily accessible via a ladder mounted in the bed of a truck.

2. If possible utilize a screen door in conjunction with front and rear doors. This provides a second layer of protection against unwanted entries.

3. A rubber “door stopper” usually used to keep a door open can be mounted on the back of a door, when the rubber foot is folded down it makes it difficult to push the door open.

4. Metal striker plates around door knobs make it harder for a person to use burglary tools to manipulate the door mechanism. Prying type tools can be forced past wood door frames, metal plates impede this process.

5. Decorative plants with thorns (i.e. roses) can be planted around ground floor windows; this will act as a deterrent against person(s) getting close to the window.

6. Consider keeping a Mag-Light within arm’s reach of the front door. If someone grabs the door from the outside in an attempt to force it open brace the door with your foot and strike the hand with the Mag-Light, broken fingers are not conducive to a successful home invasion.

7. If you have second floor windows have an egress plan in place. Emergency ladders are available commercially and are not very expensive.

Garage

1. Turn vehicle high beams on when pulling into your garage. When the garage door opens take a second and look around before pulling in.

2. If you encounter an intruder in your garage put your car in reverse and back through the garage door.

3. Keep a flashlight in the garage.

4. If your garage is attached to your residence consider making it a safe room and or egress point.

5. Have a fire extinguisher in your garage.

Walkways

1. Keep walkways lit using solar powered lighting in conjunction with motion activated lighting at the front door.

2. Avoid shrubbery or other points of concealment along the walkway that a person could hide behind.

3. Keep walkways as level and as un-obstructed as possible. If you have to move or address a threat you do not want to encounter a tripping hazard.

4. This is the place for signage stating the residence is alarmed, video surveillance, etc. If someone approaches the house during the day to “case” it they most likely will use the walkway so as not to draw attention from neighbors.

Residence

1. Stage flashlights throughout your house, check and replaced batteries as needed.

2. Stage fire extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors throughout your house.

3. Establish escape / egress routes and rally points with family members, discuss this regularly; under stress people, especially younger people will forget.

4. When you move into a new house test the phone’s 911 capability. Call the non-emergency number; ask if they can assist you with this. DO NOT CALL 911 WHEN THERE IS NO EMERGENCY.

5. Establish a first-aid / disaster kit. Make sure that all family members know how to use the kit. Make sure the kit is accessible by all members of the family, do not put it out of reach of children, they may need to access it should you become injured.

6. Record the serial numbers of valuables such as electronics, firearms, etc. Consider taking a picture as well. Store this information on a flash drive so if a burglary does occur and they steal your property you still have the serial number information.

7. Have valuable jewelry and other items appraised. This information will assist law enforcement as well as your insurance company.

8. Get to know your neighbors.

9. If your local Police Department offers a vacation house check service utilize it, this information can be found at the P.D.’s website.

10. When you are out of town stop mail and newspaper delivery.

11. DO NOT ADVERTISE ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT YOU WILL BE OUT OF TOWN!

Firearms

1. If you choose to keep a firearm in your house, train with it. A gun is a tool, if you do not know how to use the tool it may as well just be a paperweight.

2. Do not allow children access to firearms, even if you practice shooting with them. Children do not have the understanding of concepts such as serious bodily injury, wound ballistics or death.

3. Unless you train on a regular basis in topics such as re-loading, malfunctions and clearing drills we recommend a revolver.

4. Keep an extra magazine or speed loader if using a revolver, along with a flashlight next to the handgun.

5. If using a shotgun be aware of your ammunition choices (slugs will go through walls), think about over-penetration issues. If using a handgun consider hollow-point ammunition for the same reason.

Firearms Safety Rules:

a. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire

b. Be sure/aware of your target and beyond

c. Do not cover anything with the muzzle you are not willing to destroy

d. Do not fire on targets you cannot see (don’t shoot through doors!)

e. Always keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction

f. Assume that all firearms are always loaded

g. When checking a firearm to see if it’s loaded always look twice

h. Practice…..practice……practice.