Security

by Patrick F

Alarms are usually one of two types, audio, or visual, although some can be a combination of the two. Alarms are also a great resource if used effectively and acted upon when triggered. They allow an extra layer of protection/defense especially if one is short of personnel. Placed effectively alarms can enable a single person to monitor a much larger area than would normally be possible.

While there are many types of alarms and alarm systems available, many are expensive and often require a power source to run and operate. Some systems can even be custom designed and built for an individual’s specific situation and needs.

If you have the resources to obtain one of these systems that’s great. I, however, do not. So I have found and/or made other less expensive, yet still reliable setups. Now please don’t assume these less expensive or homemade setups are useless.

I have personally used these on my own property as well as using them in paintball and other more specific simulations, and I assure you they are reliable and effective.

So with that in mind let’s start off with some inexpensive alarms that can be easily purchased and then I will detail some homemade alarm systems. With both, I will begin with systems that can be used at a distance and then we can move to a shorter range setup. Also, I am going to make the assumption that you will be in a position to observe or hear the alarms when they are tripped.

One unit I particularly like is the wireless driveway alarm manufactured by Bunker Hill as well as others. These units run on batteries and usually cost around twenty dollars or less. The sensor unit takes a nine volt while the receiver unit takes three C Batteries.

The range for this unit is listed at 400 ft. with both of the units being weatherproof. The range is variable depending upon terrain although I have used these units at several hundred feet both insight and out of the line of sight.

Besides the advantages of the unit being wireless and weatherproof, they also work well at night and during the day. Also since the sensor and receiver are two separate units, anyone tripping or activating the sensor does not know that they have d0one so as the signal is sent to the receiver.

Although the sensor unit usually comes in white it can easily be spray painted to allow for better concealment. Although this next piece of advice is most likely unnecessary I add it just in case. When painting be sure to tape over the motion sensor before painting so that you don’t block the functionality of the sensor, and of course also remember to remove the tape afterward to let the unit function properly.

Additionally the box set, of one sensor unit and one receiver, function together on one channel which is often listed on the box and/or the units themselves. The advantage of this is that one is able to buy a different unit with different channels for use in covering separate approach routes.

For example, one unit (on channel 9) could be located on the driveway while another unit on another channel (on channel 17) could be placed on a walkway or trail. Depending on which alarm sounds, you would know which approach route the intruder was taking.

Another advantage I have often found useful is that the sensor unit is set off every time someone passes it. This allows anyone with the receiver unit to count how many intruders are approaching by that route.

I have only two drawbacks that I have experienced with these units. The first is when the receiver is first turned on it beeps to inform you that is on and active. This is normal and only happens when the unit is first turned on. So be sure to set up these units and have them on in advance of any needed situation.

The second is that one needs to understand that the sensor will pick up anything that passes within its range. This can be animals as well as humans depending on sensor placement.
On the positive side, these units are compact and can easily be deployed quickly as needed in almost any location or situation.

I have often used them when camping for a reliable early warning system. Also, I have had the units at my home run continually for a minimum of six months straight before a battery change was needed.

Another type of alarm that I have purchased and use regularly is the battery operated outdoor wireless motion sensor light. There are several companies that manufacture these although I have only used Mr. Beams brand. These units are almost all strictly visual alarms in which the light comes on when anything gets within range and triggers the motion sensor.

By being battery operated (usually three C Batteries) they can be placed anywhere, and the light they put out can be seen from a good distance away. Most also have a time setting for how long the light remains on usually as short as 30 seconds up to 10 minutes.

Some of the disadvantages of these units will be obvious. Such as requiring batteries, although how often they need replacing is dependent on often they are tripped and how long the light stays on. Another is although they light up once tripped allowing you to be alerted and possibly to also see the intruder, anyone who activated it will also know.

Finally, since it is a light that activates, the unit’s effectiveness is seriously reduced during daylight hours. Along with that is the fact that most of these units have a sensor that keeps them from operating during the day when the sun is out. Yet even with these disadvantages, I have found these units to be effective if properly placed.

Another type of alarm that I have purchased involves some type of motion sensor located in garden statuary. These could be visual in that they light up or audible in that they make various noises. They come in various styles and types; from flowers to animals. I have even seen some that were made to look like fake rocks. One of my favorites was a frog that croaked when someone passed within sensor range. Some, like said, were made to function during the day or at night, so if you’re considering purchasing one of these try to get one that will work during the day as well as at night.

Some advantages to these are that some are solar powered, so they need little maintenance and are almost always ready. Another is that they can be placed in more open locations, even inside homes, requiring little concealment. This is advantageous in the event that an intruder activates the unit it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are aware of its significance as an alarm.

The major disadvantage is that they need to be placed somewhat close for an observer to see or hear them clearly. Although some, like my frog croak, can be heard at a distance it is still closer than one would like, especially if one is hoping to be alerted in advance.

Wireless widow alarms are yet another inexpensive system available for purchase at most hardware or retail stores. While specifically designed for use on windows, with a little imagination they can be adapted for other locations. Constructed of two pieces, they are designed to alarm when the pieces are separated, like when a window is opened. Knowing this, with a little imagination, you can easily adapt the unit for use in other locations. Although small they do emit a loud alarm.

The major disadvantage of these small units is that once activated, or separated, the unit will continue to sound until manually turned off or the pieces placed together again. This, of course, requires that someone to physically do this task. Not the ideal situation if you are still dealing with intruders.

The other type of widow alarm operates by “hearing” glass break and emitting an alarm. I feel that this is a major drawback for two reasons: one most people would hear any glass breaking and two if an intruder is breaking the glass they are already breaking in. These are the major manufactured units that I have purchased and used effectively as early warning and alarm systems.

Now let me talk about some effective and often inexpensive homemade systems, again first discussing alarms that will work or be heard/seen at a distance and then moving closer. Once again I am going to make the assumption that you will be in a position to observe or hear the alarms when they are tripped.

Please note that the following alarms I will describe to you are single-use systems unlike most of the purchased alarms discussed above. This means that they will alarm once and then they need to be reset manually to be used again. Although this may seem a drawback at first, if they successfully alert you in advance of danger or intruders then they have fulfilled their purpose.

Also, most of these systems, when set off, will alert the intruder to the fact that they have set off some type of alarm or early warning system.

Let’s start with Rat Traps. Yes, you read that right Rat Traps.

With a little modification rat traps can be effectively used as an alarm system in a variety of ways. I must warn you though when using rat traps they are very sensitive as well as somewhat dangerous as they have the strength to easily break a finger or two. So use extra caution when setting. As a safety suggestion, attach the trip line to the trap trigger prior to arming the trap.

When using and setting rat traps I prefer to use thread as the trip or trigger line, rather than wire or fish line. Wire I find is too stiff, while fishing line is often hard to work with, especially when tying knots.

Thread is easy to use and easily strong enough to act as the trip line. If you feel you need to use something stronger you can also use upholstery thread. The thread has the advantage of being hard to see, or find before and after the trap has tripped, especially at night.

If you don’t believe that thread is strong enough to act as a trip line to trigger a Rat Trap, try it for yourself. I assure you that it doesn’t take much to trigger a Rat Trap. Also while you’re at it, set one and then trip it with a stick or something similar. You will see (hear) that when the trap goes off it is sufficiently loud enough to hear and distinctive, even at some distance, and especially on a quiet night.

There are many ways to set/secure the rat trap, limited only by your imagination. One of the best I have found is to attach the rat trap to a stick, or tent stake. Then you can stick the trap in the ground, which helps keep it secure while you run the trip/trigger line across the designated trail/path.

For use as a visual alarm, try attaching a light stick better known as a glow stick, to the trap. When triggered the rat trap is strong enough to break the internal capsule and activate the light stick. As an added benefit there are many types of light sticks in many different colors and sizes. Separate colors can be used to mark distances from the triggered traps to one’s position.

Also available are Infrared glow sticks, which cannot be seen by the naked eye but can be seen with Infrared or Night Vision devices. My personal favorite is the Ultra High Intensity orange five-minute glow stick. These are visible at a good distance and effectively light up a good area around the trap revealing any intruders.

Another easy to use alarm system makes use of pull string fireworks or pull string poppers. These are also sold under the name pull string perimeter alarms. They are relatively cheap and come twelve poppers to a box. Basically, these are small firecrackers but are not under restricted shipping, so they can be purchased and shipped by mail.

How these poppers work is when the string, which comes out of both ends, is pulled it creates friction inside the popper which sets off the small amount of gunpowder inside the popper itself. To use these effectively one will need to attach a longer string or better yet thread to the popper as the original strings are too short for most uses.

The best way to use these is to attach the thread to the string on one end and anchor this end to a secure location.

Then with thread attached to the other end string, run this as a trip line across the trail and secure it to an anchor. When setting these, the tighter or tenser the trip line/string is the better, although they will still work if somewhat slack, just not as well. They are set off when an intruder walks through the trip line pulling on the popper’s string and setting it off.

For added security, I would often place two or more of these popper alarms close to one another on the same trail. This is because due to the uncontrolled manufacture of the poppers they sometimes fail to go off or pop. By placing several on the same trail one increases the odds of the poppers working as designed.

Another nice place to locate these popper alarms is on a door. Simply attach one end of the popper to the doorknob and the other end to the doorframe. When someone opens the door the popper will go off alerting you.

The major drawback of these string poppers is that they are only made from cardboard and paper and so are easily affected by the weather. Wrapping the popper with a small amount of dark duct tape helps keep them somewhat dry. However be careful not to accidentally duct tape the strings, as this will render the popper useless. Also, the original strings that are attached to the poppers are white and will need a little camouflage help.

Now let’s discuss using trash as an alarm system. Yep, that’s right trash or more specifically empty soda, beer and/ or other aluminum cans. Don’t discount this system because of its simplicity. Empty cans, filled with small rocks or pebbles were often used and are sometimes still used in combat situations attached to concertina wire in defense situations. Enemy personnel would often end up rattling the cans as they tried to get through the wire, thereby alerting the defenders.

So the simplest system is placing some small rocks or pebbles inside the empty can, attaching thread to the pull tab. Secure the end of the trip line thread and then place the can on the other side of the trail. Preferably on something raised up, so that when the intruder hits the line the can will fall and rattle.

The can will still rattle if on the ground, but I find it better if on some type of raised surface. Placing the can in a small tree or bush with the line running down diagonally across the rail also works.

A great advantage to this “can” alarm system is that the intruder may assume they have accidentally kicked a can rather than tripping some type of alarm. Experiment in advance and see what works best for your specific application and terrain.

A nice one that I learned from some good friends is to connect two cans with thread and then hang them from tree branches. One can on one side of the trail and the other on the opposite side of the trail. This can be placed at any height with the trip line across the trail. When an intruder walks into the line the cans will rattle.

Read this article for details on how to set a tin can trail alarm…

Finally, one of my favorites which may seem silly but it has always worked for me when placed properly is the use of a whoopee cushion as an alarm. A dark-colored whoopee cushion works best, but the lighter colored ones can easily be spray painted.

Placement is the most important part of this alarm because in order to operate effectively the whoopee cushion needs to be on a hard surface or hard ground. Also, you need to study the area and determine approximately where someone walking along would put their foot.

If you’re inventive you can alter the terrain in a way to make someone place their foot where you want them to. This is where you would place the whoopee cushion and cover it with some debris. Then when stepped on the cushion will expel its contained air and alarm you to someone coming. I can assure you that the sound from this alarm is sufficiently loud as well as being distinctive.

Well, that’s it for now; there are some easily affordable alarm/early warning systems for you to experiment with if interested. If you can afford and maintain better systems please feel free to do so. I just wanted to offer everyone some alternative systems.

As with any alarm system redundancy often adds an extra layer of protection. I would recommend using several different types of alarms with backups to be sure that you have enough warning in advance, in the event one system fails.

Also, understand that if an intruder manages to detect or trip one alarm then they will be wary of the possibility of others in the area. This could be either good or bad depending on your intent.

Experiment and play with these alarms now while you have the time before they are needed. If you come up with more ideas on some inexpensive and easy alarms or early warning devices please write them up and send them in for all of us to try and have in our toolbox.

by Susan B

The security at home essay reminded of something that happened to me a few years back. I was having another sleepless night a few months after my husband had passed away, I fell asleep around 3 AM, I woke up 20 or 30 minutes later to my back door being kicked in, a man screaming to let him in.

I was certain he could not gain entry as I’d replaced the door when I first bought the place with a metal door and I had every type of bar and safety feature on this door to make sure it could never be rammed in.

I told him I called 911, my dog was very old and he had hit her hard enough she was hiding from him but still barking. After the longest 15 minutes of yelling and pounding on my door the cops finally arrived and as they were hauling him away he reiterated I should have let him in, he was at a party gone bad and some guys were chasing him, so he said.

I certain as were the officers he was very drugged up. I told him if he’d been able to gain entry I would have had to shoot him with the 12 gauge shotgun I was holding and I certainly would have blown his F&^%ing head off.

My husband always said to keep the shotgun loaded where you can get to it fast, also a handgun, I tried to load the chamber of one of his .45 handguns but I was shaking so bad I couldn’t do it, not that I relished the idea of using it anyway, thankfully there was a shotgun ready to go and I have used one often enough before to be comfortable with.

I lived at the time in a low crime area in the suburbs, I/we were there 12 years and nothing had ever happened before.

Soon after I went and got my concealed carry and bought a new handgun I was comfortable using, a Glock 19. I have it next to me on my nightstand right now. I put it up if anyone is coming over. I have several hidden in other parts of the house as well. It did get me thinking about home safety. No matter how safe you think your area is you should be prepared.

It is a good idea to take a close look at your home from a viewpoint of how easy it would be for someone to gain entry. I think it is a good idea to make it so people have no way of knowing when your home, cover garage windows.

Don’t answer the door if you don’t know who is standing there, have a way to see who is there without them seeing you. Make sure to have an extra layer of protection at all doors and windows, I had alarms on everything and storm shutters on all windows.

The front door entry was gated. I now live out in the country and am working toward the same level of security here. Sometimes it isn’t someone from outside your area that is your biggest threat but someone living not very far away.

I have a yapper dog that keeps me aware of people pulling down my driveway. I have a gate and I intend to add another further down the driveway, it is a very long driveway.

You’d be surprised how easy the average door is to kick open, get some safety bars or other such gizmos to make it nearly impossible without a ramming bar from a swat team. They don’t cost all that much and are easy to install. Use long screws and make sure you’re attaching to the framing studs and not just the trim.

I have several driveway alarms as well, one for each side of the house; I have the beams set at different angles from the window and a few outside as well at a height that keeps them from going off from small animals. I find the dogs are the better bets as alarms.

The driveway alarms are always on sale at harbor freight and they are very user-friendly. I bought the other items online or at local hardware stores. Even a simple hasp for a back door with a sturdy padlock can help slow down an intruder. I also have door stop alarms.

There are new types of sensor alarms that will call 911 and tell them you have an intruder, these are stand-alone alarms not connected to an alarm company that charges you a monthly fee. They do need a phone line though. There are alarms that go off if someone outside puts their hand on your doorknob or handle. These are but a few of the multitude available these days.

Not many of us will have a well-trained law enforcement man in the house, maybe not even close by, so we need to eliminate as best we can the possibility of an intruder/robber etc by using the means we have available to make our homes less of a target.

There are all kinds of home security products one can utilize and install without the help of professionals these days that can add to our home security. Just as now is the time to prepare with food, water, energy, etc it is also the time to heighten security in our homes.

Learn what guns may be best for your home or person. I gravitated to what I was comfortable and familiar with; it may not be a right fit for others.

To have things in order enough to eliminate concerns over a home intrusion to a significant degree gives me peace of mind.

Make sure to have a neighbor you trust most number on your speed dial in case you need their help. Often just a drive or walk by can cause a potential intruder to change their plans and leave. Fake or real cameras posted signs of security systems, and neighborhood watch signs all help. But most of all make it one of the most difficult homes to gain entry, without looking like you have much of anything worth stealing or being too obvious.

Here in the south it just looks like I’m more prepared for a hurricane or tornado, even still it makes my home less of an easy target than many of the other homes in the area. I don’t put out adornments to keep up with the Jones that would give anyone a clue to there being anything worth stealing behind my doors. I believe this to be a prudent future trend we’ll all see more of. You want to be as invisible as you can be. No expensive new cars or toys to draw attention to you will be the order of the day. Why advertise you have anything worth taking you down for?

I love this blog and I really enjoy reading what you all have to say about everything, many of you have an enormous amount of horse sense in a time when it is rarely found.

I’m looking forward to reading all your thoughts and ideas on home security for us women living alone and lay people…

Knowing how to defend your home from home invasion and attack is an important survival skill and one that you should master so you can protect yourself, your family and perhaps, your community from the roving bands of the unprepared after TSHTF (the shit hits the fan).

This his article is meant to be a crash course in home defense tips for preppers however the information is also vital for anyone living in rural areas where help from police maybe 30-minutes or more away or even non-existent because of a lack of phone service where you and your family will be the frontline of defense for your home and property.

Well, let’s get started…

OCOKA is a military term that stands for – Observation and fields of fire, Cover, and Concealment, Obstacles, Key Terrain, Avenues of Approach. When setting up retreat and home defenses OCOKA should always be kept in mind and each principle addressed when considering ideas for DIY home security for preppers.

Following these five key principles, you will greatly improve your home security and survivability. Let’s take a quick look at each in more detail.

Observation and Fields of Fire

You need to be able to see a potential threat at the earliest opportunity if you can see the threat early, and hopefully, before that threat see’s you, then you can make the correct decisions to either make contact, hide, or prepare to defend your area with force.

Can you observe all avenues of approach from your retreat? Do you have a full 360 degrees of view around your property? Are there areas that intruders could exploit to get close and possibly steal from, loot or attack you without being seen?

If forced could you fire upon an attacker from all angles without them being able to hide from view or without you possibly accidentally, shooting your neighbors or damaging key resources? If not then you need to get to work clearing obstacles that limit your view and ability to fire upon an attacker if you’re forced to do so.

Cover and Concealment

Cover is protection from bullets and concealment is something you can hide behind where an attacker cannot see you, but concealment offers no protection from gunfire. No matter what you’ve seen in the movies, car doors, kitchen tables, typical home entry doors, or the bed mattress isn’t cover and will not reliably protect you from being struck by bullets as they pass through.

If there isn’t any natural cover at your retreat, then you’ll need to get to work now constructing something that will protect you from bullets. You could build some decorative concrete or rock walls, tall raised flower or garden beds. These could provide effective cover and still allow your home to bend in with other homes around you and not look like a fortification.

It’s also a good idea to have a supply of sandbags on hand that can be filled with sand and/or dirt to provide an effective way to put up cover quickly in needed areas. Even unused trash cans that are filled with sand or dirt can work well if you have several to work with. Just remember that the area between the cans doesn’t provide effective cover, only concealment, no matter how close that you push them together.

Obstacles

Obstacles are meant to slow or stop an attacker or to force him to go in a different direction either away from you or into a position where he is more vulnerable to you; preferably, into an area that offers him no means of cover or concealment.

One of the simplest and effective obstacles that you can put up is a fence. Don’t wait until a disaster; get to work putting up a fence now. It will increase your security and probably, your property value. The key, to success here, is to take a look around at the other houses in your area and note what types of fencing is already in use and put up a similar type around your property. The key is to blend in with everyone else; this will help you to avoid becoming a target.

Obstacles can also be used to stop vehicles from entering your property or neighborhood. For example, falling several trees close together in an interwoven pattern can be a very effective obstacle that can even stop tracked vehicles, if done correctly.

No matter how strong the obstacles that you put in place are given enough time an attacker can work through and remove that obstacle if given enough time by being unchallenged, meaning that key areas and avenues of approach should be blocked by obstacles and covered by observation – this will give you and your group early warning and time to escape or mount an offensive attack against the trespassers.

Key Terrain

Key Terrain is any piece of terrain that offers an advantage to whoever controls it. Think the high-ground. If you can take the high-ground it can drastically increase your observation and offer an advantage if your area comes under attack. Take control of and retain that key terrain, you don’t want a potential attacker to gain control of that area and be able to use it to watch you, or worse use it to attack you or your area. One lone sniper could use the advantage given by such key terrain to wipe-out your entire family, group or community, with a few well-placed rifle shots.

Even if you’re in an urban area or the ground for miles under your feel is flat any taller than normal buildings can be viewed as key terrain or the high-ground. Control these and use to your advantage.

Avenues of Approach

This goes hand-in-hand with observation and fields of fire – look around and note the most likely avenues of approach that an intruder or attacker would take to reach you. Watch roads, pathways, waterways and open areas that lead up to your property, key terrain as mentioned above will offer a huge advantage here. And remember the father you can see the threat the better, the distance will give you more time to decide what needs to be done and how to do it, depending on the threat presented.

OKOKA: Observation and fields of fire, Cover, and Concealment, Obstacles, Key Terrain, Avenues of Approach. Memorize it and use it when setting up your retreat defenses. Now let’s look at a few more key defensive strategies and points.

Staying Hidden

No doubt about it; the surest way to survive a fight is to avoid getting into one in the first place. Too many preppers have an offensive mindset when it comes to retreat defense. Sadly, many will suffer for it. Forget about the macho BS, there is no shame in hiding until a threat passes by, in fact, it’s the smart thing to do.

As a family, or small survival group you cannot afford to risk injuries or worse casualties because you let your ego driven Rambo fantasies to guide you into taking offensive action when it could have been avoided it. However, you should be ready to violently, defend your area and retreat if a confrontation cannot be avoided.

Combat Multipliers

A combat multiplier is anything that makes you and your group more effective or more difficult for an attacker to defeat. You should amass as many combat multiplies as possible now, before the time of need. You don’t want to wait until the marauders are coming through the window to start thinking about it, then it will be too late – don’t put off until tomorrow what should be done today, your life depends on it.

Things like knowing your terrain, improvised alarms and boobie traps, holding key terrain, having long-range weapons, night vision equipment, body armor, two-way radios, semi-automatic weapons, putting in obstacles or reinforcing natural ones, camouflage, mobility, trained guard dogs etc. are all combat multipliers and should be considered in your retreat defensive plans.

Funneling the Attack

Funneling the attack in the simplest terms means using roadblocks (both natural and man-made) to “guide the attacker(s) into a place of your choosing and where you have a definitive tactical advantage.

Ambush and the Element of Surprise

An ambush can be used as both an offensive and defensive tactical maneuver, for example, an ambush could be used to attack a convoy in an offensive maneuver outside of your perimeter, and also to defend against an attacker or attackers, that have entered your property or home. Hide and wait until the attackers have reached a predetermined position where they are most vulnerable, then spring the ambush.

An effective ambush doesn’t always mean shooting and killing those being ambushed, while gunfire is an option depending on the circumstances, you can also us an ambush to capture potential attackers and then make a decision on what to do with them after you’ve gained more knowledge through questioning or interrogation.

Early Warning is a Must

The sooner you know an intrusion is going to happen the better, time will allow you and your group to make a decision to stay and fight or make a speedy get-away. If you decide to stay and fight, early warning will hopefully allow you the time to get into the best possible defendable positions, or to plan an effective ambush.

Early warning for trespassers or attackers can come from a number of different options. For example; informants, lookouts placed in key locations that lead up to your retreat, dogs, motion activated lights, improved alarms, spotlights, security cameras etc.

It’s best not to rely on just one type of early warning device because it might be bypassed or could fail. For example, you could have a lookout a mile or two away with a two-way radio overlooking a road or trail that leads into your location, and then improvised alarm devices a little further in, and then guard dogs on the outskirts and perimeter of your property or retreat location.

Layered Defense

You should divide your area into three layers of defense – the outer layer, intermediate layer and the inner layer. The outer layer could be the area as far as you can see out past your property line, the intermediate layer could be anywhere inside your property-line and the inner layer would be your home. With each layer providing increasing levels of security and protection.

You will have a plan of action for each layer of defense. For example your outer layer could be a watch and report area only with no action being taken against anyone that wonders inside that layer – unless, of course, you know that they are planning to attack and loot you at your location, then defensive action could be taken to prevent them from ever reaching your second or third layer of defense.

Your second layer would probably be your property line; this would preferably be marked by a chained link or barbed wire fence. Anyone crossing into this area is probably up to no good and should be dealt with aggressively; the extent of your aggression will depend on the depth and length of the disaster.

Your third layer would be inside your home and in most cases, deadly force can and should be used here.

The key to an effective layered defense is for you and your group to know where each layer begins and ends and to have a predetermined plan of action for each layer when that layer has been breached, and to practice each scenario until it can be done effectively, even when you’re tired and hungry.

Misinformation

Misinformation is simply, leading anyone your group to believe something that you want them to believe that isn’t true. Let’s say for example that you know or suspect that someone or a group is listening in on your two-way-radio communications, to gain Intel before they loot or steal from you. You can use this fact to your advantage, by feeding them false information via your two-way communications or through know informants.

For example; you could make them believe that your group is larger or better armed than you are or lead them to think you’re going to be in one place but in reality, you’re setting an ambush, or planning your escape. The key is to make it believable and have a workable plan where you can use their response to your false information to your tactical advantage.

False or misleading information could also be used to make your neighbors think that you are worse off than they are. For example; you could show up at their door begging for food, when in fact you have a well-stocked pantry.  Just don’t be too aggressive by demanding that they share whatever they have with you because you might get shot if they mistake you as a threat.

Official looking signs can also be used to good effect when planting seeds of false information, for example; you could post official looking “Food and Water 5 Miles” with an arrow pointing down the road and away from your location. Use your imagination and I’m sure that you can come up with other ideas for signs that will mislead and confuse strangers that wander into your town or onto your property.

Defensive Positions

Most homes were not built to defeat gunfire and bullets will pass right through the walls and riddle anyone caught in between. It is best to defend your home from the outside where you have more visibility and mobility. This is where your early warning devices come into play, by knowing when someone is approaching your location but before they get there, you and your group have time to get into a defensive or ambush position.

Sandbags are very useful and effective when setting up defensive poisons that offer ballistic cover. They are cheap enough (or can be improvised) that you can stock up on hundreds of bags for under $100 and can be filled with sand or dirt that you dig up from your property.

Although; you don’t want to defend your home from the inside it’s still a good idea to build up the area around and near the windows with filled sandbags. This will offer cover if for some unfortunate reason you were surprised and trapped inside the structure.

Lining the area inside your pouch up to the railing with filled sandbags is also a good idea. This will offer a protected shooting position that can be occupied quickly if an attacker or trespasser were to get inside your second layer of defense before you have time to man your main defensive positions away from your main living structure.

Your main defensive positions should be set up in key locations around your property and can range from hardened pillbox type structures with thick reinforced concrete or rammed earth walls to simple spider holes, or a mixture of both.

Don’t Look Like an Easy Target

Don’t be an easy target, and even if you are, you can use misinformation to make would be looters or attackers think that you’re far stronger and better armed than you really are. If they think you are a hard target hopefully they will think that going up against you is not worth the risk and move on in search of an easier target.

OPSEC – Operational Security

We hear this all of the time in prepper and survivalist circles, OPSEC aka operational security and it is very important now and will be a major factor toward keeping you and your group secure after the balloon goes up. The number one rule of OPSEC is to keep your mouth shut – everything should be done on a need-to-know basis and most people don’t need to know anything about what you and your group are doing.

A Plan of Retreat

No matter how well prepared or strong our defenses, we could be faced with a superior force that greatly outnumbers and outgun us, where staying and fighting would be suicidal. You need a plan of retreat, preferably, a way to retreat without being seen or confronted by the superior force. An escape tunnel from your home that leads to a hidden and safe evacuation point would be ideal. But most preppers don’t have the room or the resources to put such a plan and tunnels into place.

Again; this is where early warning by lookouts with two-way-radios and alarms can save your life. If you know a threat is approaching you have time to evaluate the threat and make a decision of whether to stay and fight or retreat. You should have a predetermined destination where everyone in your group knows to meet up if you’re forced from your retreat area.

Also having caches of first-aid, water, food and ammo along the way and at the safe location is a good idea. Get those into place now, before the time of need. Also, each member of your group should have an escape or “bug out bag” that can be quickly grabbed as the escape plan is being put into action.

I know many survivalists/preppers will resist the thought of retreating from their retreat, preferring to stay and fight even if defeat and death are certain. You know; take out as many of those SOB’s as possible before they take your location and while this is admirable, it isn’t the best decision.

The escape can be used to buy you time to get better organized and plan for a counterattack where you can ultimately, take your property back from the aggressors. I’ve talked to several preppers who have their main food caches hidden on their property while having a separate smaller cache out in the open for looters to find if they make it that far.

But the surprise is that those preppers have poisoned their “decoy cache” of food items ( I don’t advocate doing this but it is what some preppers are doing). So they plan to retreat, wait, then come back and remove the looters/attackers after they have died of the poison.

Well, folks, there you have it… my best ideas for DIY home defense tips for preppers when the shit really hits the fan…

by Jarhead 03

In the event of an economic collapse or other unknown situation where you can no longer purchase pepper spray, you may come upon a situation where the firearm is not needed, conserve ammo, keep animals and pests away from plants or you just don’t like guns. You may have to make it yourself and thankfully it’s easy to make the best pepper spray at home.

Please note: Making your own pepper spray involves risk of injury so don’t accidentally spray yourself and use caution. If you have breathing difficulties have someone else make it for you or make it in a well-ventilated area.

Making your own pepper spray can be as simple as stocking up on dried pepper/chili or growing your own and a delivery system. You can make it to carry on your person or make a wide dispersal device for groups. You can buy them at most department stores, nurseries, garden centers or on Amazon and do a search for any of the following peppers/chili.

Selecting the Pepper/Chili:

The following are types of peppers/chili recommended and the rating heat index of each pepper/chili:

The Scoville Heat Unit is the rating or “hotness of peppers” that measures on a scale of mildest to hottest. I am going with the hottest and easiest to acquire. If you know a hotter pepper/chili and where to get it please let me know.

The lowest heat index recommended is the Red Cayenne pepper at 30,000 SHU to 60,000 SHU.

The middle heat index is the Thai or Thai Bird Chili at 50,000 SHU to 150,000 SHU.

At the top of the are the Scotch Bonnet chili and the Habanero chili at 100,000 SHU to 350,000 SHU, the Red Savina Habanero at 350,000 SHU to 650,000 SHU and the Ghost Pepper or Naga Jolokia Pepper which is considered the hottest at 800,000 to 1,500,000 SHU.

The 10% Capsaicin pepper spray issued to LE can vary from 2,000,000 SHU to 6,000,000 SHU compared to store-bought pepper spray containing 2% to 10% Capsaicin vary from 500,000 SHU to 2,000,000 SHU.

You are capable of using the oil you could deliver a greater amount of Capsaicin but what I’m presenting is an effective means of delivery without having to own a pepper farm.

Delivery System:

Homemade delivery systems can be effective although you may not get the same results as the LE brands I’m showing you how to make.

Delivery systems are as simple as a one to three-ounce spray canister you get in the travel section for toiletries and up to 32-ounce spray bottles reminiscent of the glass cleaner bottles where you squeeze the trigger in a spray mist or stream. You can also make a delivery system with Garden hand pump pressure sprayers as well as the one to four-gallon hand pump pressure sprayers used for gardening, pest control, and weed control. Of course the larger the container the more pepper/chili you will need.

The Process:

Step 1. Container preparation.

Inspect your spray bottle or pressure sprayer for leaks by filling it with water. If the device leaks when tilted, lying on its side or after excessive spraying then choose another container. You don’t want it dripping or leaking in your pack, vehicle, purse or hand.

We will be making enough for a pint of pepper spray.

Step 2. What you need.

• Six peppers or chili’s, the hotter the chili or pepper the better. You can use more pepper/chili if you like to get it as potent as possible.
• Garlic, two medium or one large-sized bulb or two tablespoons of minced in a jar or powdered if you don’t have it (the odor repels some bugs and people)
• A method of drying the pepper/chili (dehydrator, stove, solar oven or sun-dried)
• Rubber gloves (to handle the pepper and oils)
• Safety glasses (to keep it out of your eyes)
• N95 mask or another respirator (prevent inhalation especially if you are sensitive)
• Vegetable chopper or knife and cutting board to break it down.
• Blender, grinder or coffee grinder (crush the pepper/chili and garlic)
• Two sealable containers (I used a 32 oz. sports drink bottle and a16.9or 20 oz. bottle)
• Strainer or cheesecloth (to remove the pits and seeds that will block the flow to spray)
• Funnel (allows it to flow in the container saving as much as possible and prevent a mess)
• A well-sealed container for storing unused pepper spray. Keep it in a cool place or fridge.
• Vinegar or Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol (this is used as the delivery system and it keeps the pepper and Capsaicin intact longer than water would as well as already contains an irritant to the senses)
• Baby oil or mineral oil (this is used to latch on to the body or clothes)

NOTE: If you are using this around plants, trees, and vegetables to fend off pests and animals or don’t have it, you can substitute the vinegar, alcohol and baby oil with water. If you are running low on vinegar or alcohol you can add water to make up the difference in measurements.

Step 3. Preparing the pepper/chili.

I am giving instructions for those with and without a blender or grinder.

1. Dry the peppers/chili by means of a dehydrator, sun-dried, solar oven or set in the oven at a low temp.
2. a. Place the peppers/chili in the blender.
3. b. Cut, chop or grind the peppers/chili as fine as possible then place in a bowl.
4. a. Place the garlic bulb or bulbs in the blender.
5. b. Mince, chop or grind the garlic and place in the bowl.
6. a. Two tablespoons of baby or mineral oil into the blender.
7. b. Two tablespoons of baby or mineral oil into the bowl.
8. a. Add twelve ounces of alcohol or vinegar into the blender. Blend on high for two to three minutes until purged.
9. b. Add twelve ounces of vinegar or alcohol and mash and grind until it’s as close to being as smooth as possible. You can slowly add the alcohol or white vinegar as you blend it to avoid splashing.
10. Pour it into the larger bottle with a funnel to let it sit overnight in a cool place to react and increase the effectiveness of the solution.
11. When ready get your funnel, strainer or cheesecloth and water bottle. Place the funnel in the smaller16.9 oz. to 20 oz. water bottle then place the strainer or cheesecloth over the funnel.
12. Pour the pepper/chili mixture into the water bottle using a funnel and strainer. Any leftover remnants from the strainer can be used in the garden or trash area to keep pests and animals away.
13. You now have pepper spray and can store it in the refrigerator or a cool place and it’s ready to pour in your sprayers at any time. Since it is sitting in vinegar or alcohol it should last anywhere from a month to three months. I sprayed an opossum in my trash can with a garden pressure sprayer and he darted out of there. I haven’t seen him in two weeks. I used a solution around my garden and the neighbor’s dog won’t go near the fence.

Step 4. Cleaning the container and blender/grinder after use.

A solution of bleach and water will counter the oils left behind in the container. Mineral Oil and soap and hot water can be used to clean out the blender or grinder. Use caution when cleaning the containers by wearing safety glasses and gloves.

NOTE: You can make pepper spray with powdered/ground pepper instead of home-grown or store-bought dried peppers/chili but the intent is to get the maximum use of the pepper/chili and garlic. If you do store Cayenne or hotter pepper/chili powder here are the instructions:

1. Take eight tablespoons of Cayenne pepper or four tablespoons of habanero pepper and pour it into a 32 ounce or 1L bottle
2. Take two tablespoons of powdered or minced jars garlic and pour it into a 32 ounce or 1L bottle.
3. Add two tablespoons of baby or mineral oil and pour it into a 32 ounce or 1L bottle.
4. Add 14 ounces of alcohol, vinegar or water and pour it into a 32 ounce or 1L bottle.
5. Shake bottle well and let it sit overnight in a cool place to react and increase the effectiveness of the solution.
6. With a funnel and cheesecloth or towel, you can pour it into the 16.9 oz. to 20 oz. water bottle and you are ready to store or place it in your dispenser.

Disclaimer. The content that is posted on here is for general information purposes only – see our full disclaimer here.

This is a quick approach that will help you get started, it is not meant to replace common sense or the rational use of intelligent approaches in your daily life. There are a few simple realities that must be understood and accepted with regards to our modern lives and the ability to stalk, track and or find people in general.

• Everyone has an internet presence ¹ (some less than others, some slightly more secure)
• The United States, Great Britain, China, Japan, South Korea, South Africa, Brasil, Chile, Columbia, France, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, and most other nations all have active agencies that specifically filter, track and trace online activity as well as any and all use of signal based traffic from phones through Ham Radio. ² (the benefit is with over 5 billion people using any number of devices daily, it is physically impossible to direct action against everyone all the time)
• If you monitor current political, religious etc., trends and avoid causing waves in areas of current interest, most surveillance will simply roll right over and never see you. (every time I hear someone blame their self-importance for issues, I laugh, honestly unless you are a true mover and shaker in any arena no one cares what you do.)

So what habits can be adjusted, and which habits should be adjusted to better suit a life lived avoiding complications? This is the easy part, the hard part is continuing these beneficial habits and never countering them. Once you institute better life decisions specifically to optimize your safety as an individual and that of your attached family and friends it is absolutely essential to avoid changing back.

What habits/ behaviors do we change, here is a short list of habits/behaviors necessary to adjust, change or otherwise switch to ensure a safer tomorrow for yourself and those you care about.

• Physical awareness of our surroundings or our situational awareness³.
• Travel habits, eg., work commute, run/ walk route, school route, shopping route.
• Time management, how we approach our daily lives.
• Physical demeanor, how we present ourselves physically through our face and body. Dress habits, what we wear and how we wear it.
• Where we go, do you frequent clubs, bars and or restaurants?

The linked article for situational awareness goes into depth regarding what and how we should live to promote individual safety.

Travel habits are the next important behavior we need to look at. Every day we go to work, school or social engagements; if these are regular events in our lives it is almost certain we travel specific paths to get to each one. Change your travel approach every time you do anything. Be in the beneficial habit of constantly learning and taking new paths, routes, and approaches. This leads directly into time management.

Our time management is one of the simplest items to change while being one of the most beneficial for our overall safety. Consider what occurs when you are “in a hurry” how much do you miss and have you ever considered your route while in a hurry? Manage your time in a manner that will ensure you arrive early to engagements which by default helps you be more proactive in your approach to physical monitoring of your surroundings. And maintaining your situational awareness! This leads directly into your physical demeanor, you show stress with your face and nothing increases stress more than bad time management!

Physical demeanor, the goal here is simple, maintain an outward appearance that is relaxed and aware. This is done by following some extremely simple rules,

• Dress for the environment, this means you should understand your local culture, social norms, and dress habits and do your best to maintain a similar approach – standing out is bad for safety
• Maintain a calm, alert demeanor at all times, to do this you should practice calm speaking and AVOID getting excited when in public your demeanor is your safety.
• Colors of what you wear are almost as important or more so than what you wear. Red and other bright colors attract the eye, the spectrum that involves red is hardwired into our psyche as an alert.
• Size is everything, having clothing that fits is almost as important as color or type of clothing. Close fitting clothing ensures attention will be directed at you whether beneficial or not is your decision.

Physical demeanor as we see is more than just our face or body language it is how we dress, act and are perceived by others! This, of course, leads to what we do when we are out.

Where we go is as important as every other aspect discussed above. All of us have at some point in our lives gone bar hopping, to concerts and or festivals where our ability to monitor and control our individual environment is impossible to maintain. If you really want to maintain as safe a life as possible, avoid venues where you cannot control your environment or where you may be kept from the use of protective approaches. What I am saying is simple, in public places you are MORE likely to be engaged in a negative manner than you are at home. Simply be safe and smart in your approach!

That is it, for now, I plan on writing a few more articles with more in-depth approaches. I would like as much feedback as possible, what are you interested in? What would you like to read about? While I will not be able to give you instructions in some areas, in those I have experience in I will gladly share! Additionally, I can offer more links and information if you so desire.

Free the mind and the body will follow…

¹ Madden, M., Lenhart, A., Cortesi, S., Gasser, U., Duggan, M., Smith, A., & Beaton, M. (2013, May 21). Teens, Social Media, and Privacy. Retrieved April 11, 2018, from http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/05/21/teens-social-media-and-privacy/

Zomorodi, M. (2017, March 29). Internet Privacy: How Much Information Do You Give Away? Retrieved April 11, 2018, from http://time.com/4673602/terms-service-privacy-security/

² Aziz, Y. (2018, February 23). Mass Surveillance Program Around the World. Retrieved April 11, 2018, from https://www.privacyend.com/mass-surveillance/

Khazan, O. (2013, June 06). Actually, Most Countries Are Increasingly Spying on Their Citizens, the UN Says. Retrieved April 11, 2018, from https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/06/actually-most-countries-are-increasingly-spying-on-their-citizens-the-un-says/276614/

³ Mathewson, J. (2018, April 06). Training Your Situational Awareness or Dying: Which do you prefer? Retrieved April 17, 2018, from https://mdcreekmore.com/training-your-situational-awareness/