How has the Covid19 virus affected our lives and what are we doing in Preparation
This is part 2 of our discussion on what I’m doing to prepare for a more self sufficient lifestyle. In the past, it was just a fad that paranoid preppers entertained, but now it’s become a real issue. What are you doing differently in light of this virus having us quarantined to our homes?
Part 1 – Start your own compost & Grow your own food
The first part of our discussion we spoke about Food, Shelter and Security. We discussed growing our food supply. I made another post about step 1 in preparing your soil. Bad soil can kill your plants, but you can add vital nutrients with compost. It’s essential to have your own compost, if you don’t want to buy your dirt.
Part 2 – Security
Security starts with protecting your perimeter, then fortifying your house. Next is having a unit plan, and an individual plan. After that, is your 5 point contingency plan if your primary plans fall through. This would include having the proper tools, communication and training.
Securing the Perimeter
It’s important to actually walk your perimeter line, and know all of the hidden and dead spaces within your property. Know where the ground dips, and that dead space falls out of your line of sight from your house. Don’t just make a mental note, actually mark it on a layout that you would keep in your possesion or command center/office.. Invest in some technology to help, maybe cameras for surveillance, but you still have to know where the dead areas are on your property. Once you know the layout of your property, and have properly annotated it for your reference, next step is to secure the line.
Secure your property with any means you can. A wall, a fence, a hot line to zap an intruder, some sharp material like glass or nails at the top of your fence/wall. Perhaps another 10ft. security barrier inside your parimeter with a hidden booby traps, or danger zone of some sort.
Fortify your Home
If you have ever visited Mexico, you will see many homes with fortified bars on the outside of windows and doors. That’s because these are good practices to keep intruders out. It would make sense to apply an extra barrier of security by putting up bars and gates, you can even do it so that they are stylish! I think adding another couple dead bolts help, but even adding door support makes illegal entry more difficult.
Tools – The right tool for the right job
We keep our gardening tools in their area, maybe in the shed, or in the garage. Because we use them outside, the tools tend to be close by. Self defense in a home invasion, the tools need to be close by if not on you. It makes sense to have self defense tools in your bedroom, and even hidden in secure locations throughout the home. It’s wise to use a safe if you have children, or an unstable significant other..
Self defense typically comes in 3 forms – Guns, knives and hand to hand combat. All 3 require training, and are topics for another day.
7 P’s – Prior Preparation & Planning, Prevents Piss Poor Perfomance
So we need a Unit self defense plan, an individual plan, and then a 5 point contigency plan. Assuming that outside of your perimeter has been comprimised, and defending your territory is the primary plan and retreat is not an option. Then we plan to fight as a unit, until there is only one of us, and if our perimeter has been breached, then we retreat in, and up to the more secured location.
So if the house has been breached, then we move up or down. A lot of properties don’t have a basement, so we move upstairs, or out a window and on to the roof. Taking the high ground, while trying to block the path behind us. Taking the stairs up, we can move furniture to block the stairs and retreat to the room where we have a surplus of cached tools/weapons.
We use the ammo till we run out, then our blades, and eventually our hand to hand combat. Be prepared, and good luck! Oh, and don’t for get your Med kits to save each others lives!