What would you do in the event of a home invasion? Would you know all the possible escape routes, the ways to alert the rest of your family to the attack and where to hide or how to escape?
Devising a plan to keep your family safe in the event of an attack is an important way to protect yourself against predators.
Easy Ways to Protect Your Family
The following list details how to keep your family safe in the event of an attack. These tips don’t cost much and are relatively easy to install. Even if you’re new to home protection, you’ll still be able to easily implement these ideas into your current home security measures.
1. Hollow Bed Post Gun Storage
Keeping a gun in your bedside table or in a hollow book by the bed is not only transparent—it’s downright scary. Children can open your bedside table or easily find a weapon in a hollow book; it’s just a book after all.
Creating secure hiding places for your weapons is important in case of an emergency and for the everyday safety of your family. A hollow bedpost is a great way to hide a gun while offering easy access in an emergency. To ensure no one accidentally finds your hiding place, ensure it is shut closed with a sturdy clasp.
2. Basement Trapdoor
In case your home is invaded, you need a back-up plan to keep your family safe. Installing a trapdoor that leads to a hidden crawl space in the basement can keep you and your loved ones safe in the event of a home invasion.
Just make sure you have a few safety measures in place for once you’re in your secret hiding spot. Keep an extra cell phone or an emergency call box in your basement hiding spot so you can contact the police while the invaders are still in your home—and before they’ve found your family.
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3. Home Security System
Set up a home security system that can detect any motion in your home, detect any breaches in security in your doors and windows and keep your family safe by emitting a loud noise and alerting the authorities.
Home security systems are set to go off when doors and windows are opened and closed during certain hours of the night (of your choosing) and can be turned off by punching a passcode into a keypad or by using a fingerprint on a keypad. When the alarm is set off, it emits a high shriek, scaring intruders. It also sends an alert to the authorities so you can rest assured help is on the way.
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4. Camera Apps
Keeping your home safe is easier than ever with plenty of smartphone apps that help you keep an eye on your home—and possible intruders. As long as you install cameras in your home, you can watch your property and your family from the convenience of your phone.
When motion is detected in your home, the app sends a text or an email containing a photo or video of your home. You can alert the authorities if you believe there is a reason for concern or simply ignore if you feel the alert was a false alarm.
5. Guard Dog and Signs
Some families feel better with a little live protection in their home. If that’s the case for you and your family, a guard dog might be a good option. The biggest downside to buying a guard dog is training the dog and making sure the dog doesn’t inadvertently hurt children or guests.
Another great option for people considering a guard dog is simply installing a sign that says “Beware of Dog”. This will give intruders pause before breaking into your home.
6. Frosted Windows
Predators are more likely to target a home when they are already familiar with the layout. This means you need to be aware of people you let into your home like repairmen and cable installation technicians.
Make sure you know your neighbors before inviting them into your home too. Make sure pedestrians or vehicles cannot see inside your home by installing frosted windows and doors that do not have windows.
7. Secure Hide-a-Key
You should use a hide-a-key sparingly. Many invaders will watch homeowners entering their homes to try to find their hide-a-keys. Most people hide their keys behind door wreaths or under conspicuously large rocks, planters or statues. Make sure you have a key that is hidden from sight—preferably in the backyard.
Also, try not to use this spot on a regular basis so if someone is watching your home, they won’t be able to find the key based on your movements. Instead of a hide-a-key use a garage door that has a secret passcode. This way, if you get locked out of your home, you can easily get in your house without anyone knowing how to replicate your entrance.
8. Motion Sensor Lights
Sometimes scaring a potential invader is just as effective as capturing him or her in the act. Installing motion sensor lights will keep your home safe, is cost-effective and will scare predators away—before they even get to the door.
The only downside to motion sensor lights is that pretty much all movement can set them off; just be sure your “predator” isn’t a falling leaf, a stray dog or your kids sneaking out of the house for the night before you call the police.
9. Post an Emergency Plan
Keep your entire family safe by devising an emergency plan of action. Post this plan in a place that your family sees every day—but potential predators like deliverymen and repairmen might not be privy to. Your emergency plan should have potential escape routes including routes that your family might not consider, like basement trapdoors, first-floor windows and pet doors.
If you have emergency cell phones stashed in your house, make sure your family members know how to find them. If you have an emergency callbox that can contact your home security company or the authorities make sure your family knows where it’s located. If you have pepper spray stashed in your home, make sure your family knows how to find it (and how to use it).
