By Tom Ginevra

Well, you might think that the answer would be simple but, no it isn’t. It depends on the jurisdiction (who administers justice in your country) and it depends a lot on the circumstances. Nevertheless, this can be a life changing moment for all parties involved, you, your family and the intruder. Here are some basic guidelines for this very difficult question.
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​Self-defense
In order to demonstrate that shooting an intruder is legal, you need to show that shooting was:

• Necessary; in that, if you didn’t shoot them then something terrible would have happened to you, i.e., the intruder would have shot you, inflicted serious bodily harm, rape, robbery or kidnapping
• Imminent; something terrible would have happened immediately. What is meant by this is, you can’t shoot someone who says they are going to rape you next week!
• A reasonable response; compared to any other response like running away from the danger

As a defense, it seems that there is no compulsion to run away if the intrusion is in your own home and most intrusions in your own home would give rise to an urgent situation, meaning it must be dealt with now.

​If the intruder is armed and threatening you, then it would be considered ok to shoot first. If the intruder is unarmed it may still be ok to shoot first, especially if he or she is behaving aggressively and is physically bigger and stronger than you. If the intruder is not being aggressive then you are faced with deciding not to shoot but to threaten them with your firearm and calling the police. This sort of action requires a strong and confident personality which many of us do not possess. If the intruder is running away, then shooting them in self-defense is less acceptable.
Generally, if you feel that your life is at risk, then shoot, otherwise don’t. But, of course, it is very difficult to make rational decisions under such stressful and possibly terrifying circumstances.

Protection of property
At no point is it considered legal to shoot an intruder for mere protection of property. Using deadly force would only be legal if it could be proved that the intruder had further violent intentions and that they were actually trespassing.
 
Castle doctrine
So called because it is based on adopted 18th century common law wording “And the law of England has so particular and tender a regard to the immunity of a man's house, that it stiles it his castle”.
In certain states in the US, the castle doctrine or castle law is a legal defense. This is a legal doctrine that designates that a person’s home or any legally occupied place (could be a vehicle) is a place in which that person has protections and immunities permitting the use of force including deadly force as a defense against an intruder, free from legal prosecution for the consequences of the force used.

A person my have a duty to retreat to avoid violence if it is reasonably possible to do so. This duty to retreat does not apply in the person’s home where that person has a right to be. Deadly force may be justified as a defense in cases when the person fears in imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm to themselves or another. The castle doctrine is not a defined law but rather a set of principles that can be incorporated in some form in the law of many jurisdictions.

In practice
You should always go to a safe place like your bedroom or a bathroom, lock yourself in and call the police. You can only use deadly force when your life or the life of another in your direct vicinity is in life-threatening danger beyond any doubt. When you decide to shoot an intruder in your home, there must have been no alternative – a last resort.

For you to justify the use of deadly force, the intrusion must be unlawful, the attack must be imminent or already happening, the intrusion must not be complete, the defense must be against only the intruder or attacker and defensive action must be proportionate to the circumstances.

Bear in mind that your property is not worth more than the life of an intruder.

​Possessing a firearm at home gives you a huge responsibility to use it wisely in difficult moments. Should you get woken in the middle of the night to the sound of someone breaking in, then your heart is sure to start racing while you try to work out what to do – stay calm, breathe deeply and ensue you make the correct decision.

Related:
15 Affordable Ways to Protect Your Home in an Emergency

​by Douglas Brooks

Many people within modern American society no longer feel safe and secure out in public and within their homes. The issue of self- defense is very important for many individuals especially when it comes to protecting the lives of their loved ones and their possessions.
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Choosing the right type of gun for the purpose of self-defense can be a difficult thing for people to do, especially when they’re unfamiliar with the use of firearms. However, there are certain types of weapons which are best suited for close combat fighting and personal protection.

By Dennis Diaz

​Most emergencies bring the possibility of putting your and your family's lives at risk. Most people will take shelter in their home, because this is where their emergency supplies are stashed and the place where they feel safe. It is where they feel the most comfortable. Even though a home will provide basic safety from the elements, it may not be safe from those who don't have the same supplies and safety net you do.

​Those people could become a real threat and may be willing to do you serious harm to take what you have, including your home. You have to be able to protect your home and ultimately, the people sheltering inside. The supplies you have in your home are going to be extremely valuable. Having food, water and first aid supplies will be critical to your survival, which is why it is important you guard and protect what you have. Imagine being tossed out into the street without nothing more than the clothes on your back. You can stop that from happening by finding ways to protect your home. 
​
Protection doesn't have to cost you a fortune. There are plenty of ways you can protect your home in an emergency that are very affordable and fairly simple.

1-Sheets of plywood can be purchased new for under $10. Each sheet is typically 4x8 feet which can cover a door or a couple of windows. Have these sheets cut and stashed and ready to put over the windows and doors that are susceptible to be broken into. Use long screws drilled into the window frame to hang the wood as soon as disaster strikes. Nails are too easy to pry up. Short screws can be removed fairly easy as well by a determined person who wants to get inside. The wood will be a good thing to have in the case of a natural disaster or other scenario that can result in windows being blown out and leaving your home seriously damaged.

2-A preemptive approach will go a long way to keeping your home safe. Using large boulders in front of the home looks attractive and relatively normal while it makes it impossible for a vehicle to ram your front door. The boulders will also create a fence that will make it difficult for someone to get into the yard with a way to escape quickly.

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3-Planting thorny rose bushes and barberry bushes under the windows on the first floor will help keep intruders out. Planting these bushes in between the giant boulders around the perimeter of the home will add another layer of protection.

4-Window alarms can be purchased at any hardware store for under $10. These alarms work similar to electronic security systems. When a window is opened past a certain point, the alarm will go off. You can put these small, inexpensive alarms on your doors as well.
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​5-A dog is an excellent deterrent. A large breed tends to look scarier in general, any dog will offer some form of protection. You don't have to buy a pure bred German shepherd or similar protection dog. A mixed breed will be just as effective. If you cannot have a dog, you can fake out would-be attackers. Have some large chew toys and bones in the front yard area. Post a “Beware of Dog” sign on your fence or front door. Take it a step further and borrow large piles of dog scat to strategically place in your yard. You can even buy fake scat! Other paraphernalia like a leash, studded collar and heavy chain strewn about to really sell the guard dog idea is also helpful.
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​Here is a Method That is Helping Thousands to “Bullet Proof” Their Homes 
and Keep Their Families Safe in a SHTF Scenario Click Here
​​​

By Dennis Diaz

When it comes to home protection there are several things that will be effective whether you’re protecting against intruders under normal day to day circumstances or against looters under a larger scale crisis.

However there are many aspects that would be much more ineffective in a larger scale crisis.
In a previous article we touched on some of the basics of home protection against intruders under normal conditions. 

However in this post we’ll focus more on recommendations for a larger scale crisis
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​Deter

How to make your home less of a target? This area occurs before you are aware that there’s a threat. The idea is to implement elements that will affect the potential intruders psyche and make them choose a different target.

There two main ways to do this

1. Make yourself and your home seem to strong and protected that a potential intruder will choose to target someone else. The problem with this is that it takes a great deal con resources to appear this strong. And it’s just a matter of time before someone figures out that, if you’re protecting your home that hard, there must be something very valuable inside and chooses to attack. Its almost like putting up a "Preppers Live Here" sign.
2. Pretend you are worse off than you actually are. This will cause potential intruders to not really want to target you because the risk might not be worth the loot. This is achieved by blending in and making your home the Grey home.
   A few ways to do this is

• Dogs
• Cameras – In a collapse power might be out, but the sight of a camera will always put doubt in an intruders mind (Can they see me?)
• Fences and barriers
• NRA or Armed Group stickers or signs - Make them think there is a chance they will get hurt by looting from your home

 

​Delay

How can I make my home harder to loot or buy me time? Once you’re aware of the threat this area is designed is to give you as much time as possible and also funnel the threat to apposition you are able to defend.

This is where the layers of security element actively engages with the potential threat. You want to have as much separation and as many layers between you and the intruder as possible

You want to start with the outer perimeter

• Fences
• Thorny bushes
• Razor wire
• Trenches
• Lookouts and Snipers     
• Alarms  
• Barricades & Obstacles  
• Old cars and other junk  
• Natural barriers
• Traps

 
Then you want to harden your home        
 

• Reinforced your doors - One simple and cost effective way of making this harder is to reinforce the jams and door-frame with something like the EZ Armor Door security kit
• Install brackets, slide in 2X4 board at doors, Charley Bar for sliding glass doors
• Replace glass on windows with high strength plexiglas or add security films
• Reinforce walls and entry points with sand bags. –a well configured sandbag barrier will give you ballistic protection in case

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At the same time, if the delaying layers are being defeated you want to design your system so it funnels the threat if it continues to defeat your delaying layers.

What is "Funneling"? – It basically means, directing attackers into the positions that you want them to be in. This can be by implementing the use of, barriers such as fences, logs, rock walls, ditches, ponds, pools, heavy brush, etc., can all be used to keep people from hiding and force them to a location where you can defend. 

In this interview I spoke with one of the leading experts in emergency preparedness, home defense & security and survival.

Jim Cobb is the owner and lead trainer for DisasterPrepConsultants.com. His articles on preparedness have been published in national magazines such as Boy's Life. You can find him online at SurvivalWeekly.com. His books include Prepper's Home Defense, The Prepper's Complete Book of Disaster Readiness, and Prepper's Long-Term Survival Guide. Jim lives in the Upper Midwest with his beautiful wife and their three adolescent weapons of mass destruction.

See Jim's books here

​Here is a Method That is Helping Thousands to “Bullet Proof” Their Homes 
and Keep Their Families Safe in a SHTF Scenario Click Here

Arming oneself for home defense is nonnegotiable among many safety-minded Americans. If you choose not to arm yourself and your family, there are plenty of other things you can do to keep yourself safe. If you do choose to take up arms, your choice of weapons is an important one.

For the purposes of this post, we will be talking about firearms. They are the most convenient and effective way to arm yourself for self-defense purposes. Keep in mind that there are many different varieties and hundreds of models to choose from. The question is what is the right choice for you?

For all intents and purposes the three main types of guns you can arm yourself with are:

1. handguns
2. long guns
3. shotguns

Each individual has his or her own preferences in this area. Some prefer handguns because they are smaller, easier to conceal and provide for higher magazines. Others prefer shotguns because they allow for self-defense at greater distances. Still others prefer long guns for their accuracy. It has been said that purchasing a gun is a very personal decision. The pros and cons of all three types is proof of that.

A Gun You Can Handle  

Perhaps more important than the type of gun is to choose one you can properly handle. If you are small framed without a lot of upper body strength, for example, you may not be able to control a shotgun well enough to use it effectively. If you do not have the ability to hold your hands relatively steady, a handgun might not be the best option.

It is a good idea to try out a few before you purchase a gun. Most gun shops will have access to a local shooting range if they do not have one on-site. Make a point of visiting the range with experienced gun owners and a number of different models you can experiment with. Most of all go with an open mind. Do not settle on the type of gun you want before trying all three types at the range.

Also keep in mind that home defense involving firearms typically take place in close quarters. You are not likely to be firing at someone from 100 yards in a home defense situation. Therefore, whatever gun you choose is one you will have to be comfortable enough with to adequately control it in tight spaces.

Know How to Use It  

The next step after purchasing your gun is to learn how to use it safely and effectively. There are right and wrong ways to fire a gun for self-defense purposes. If you do not know how to use the gun you bought, you could be putting your own life in danger. You could also inadvertently harm family members as well.

Learning how to properly use your weapon includes regular practice in drawing and firing. Let us just say, for example, you have chosen a .38 caliber revolver for personal defense and a shotgun for home defense. Both operate distinctly differently. You need practice drawing, aiming and firing both so that you are prepared for any situation. The more you practice, the more natural it will become. The goal of practice is to be able to safely discharge both firearms without having to think about it. In the heat of the moment, you will likely not have time to think.

Arming yourself for home defense is one of many things you can do to keep yourself and your family safe. When combined with a home security system and high-quality locks, taking up arms could mean the difference between surviving and becoming a victim.

Sources:
1.      GunOwners.org - https://www.gunowners.org/sk0802htm.htm
2.      Monitronics.com - http://www.monitronics.com/home-security-packages

Building An Urban Survival Kit
Urban Survival Kit Planning Factors
Via The Bugout Bag Guide

Bug out situations that occur in urban centers have a number of unique factors to consider when building your Bug Out Bag packing list.  These urban survival factors include:

• Having to deal with building debris and glass in the wake of the disaster event
• Increased likelihood of opportunities to scavenge water and food from abandoned buildings
• Possibility of finding supply caches in abandoned buildings – looting is not endorsed by this site but if abandoned supplies mean the difference between life and death, go for it
• Increases likelihood of encountering humans – This can be both good and bad based on the disposition of the people encountered and how you handle the situation.  Other survivors can be bartered with and be valuable sources for information as well as dangerous criminals.  Approach them with caution in mind.
• Less need for emergency shelter as there should be many buildings around and debris available to cobble a shelter together if need be.

Some urban survival kit gear that will help you deal with these factors:

• Crow bar/pry bar – For scavenging and removing barriers and debris as well as hammering out glass.
• Tool for Fire Hydrants/Gas Mains – This is useful if you find yourself in a house with gas leaking or if you want to access a fire hydrant for some clean water.
• Work Gloves – If you have to break glass or move debris these will save your hands and keep you working and moving much longer.  These can be picked up in any hardware store.
• Dust Mask – If there are collapsed buildings in your area this will protect your lungs from airborne debris particles.  These can also be picked up in any hardware store.
• Permanent Marker – The nature of the urban environment will give you opportunities to leave markings or notes for yourselves or others in your party.
• Can opener – In an urban survival situation there will be many more opportunities to scavenge food than in a rural locality.  A can opener will enable you to easily access preserved food that you come across.
• Metal Spork – Scavenged food will need a way to get to your mouth.

•  

By Survival Ready Blog Team

Booby traps are devices intended to threaten, disable, or kill a person by using the element of surprise to your advantage. These devices are usually unknowingly triggered by the victim.

Booby traps typically operate for these purposes:
1. Delay the enemy.
2. Channelize the enemy.
3. Harass and demoralize the enemy.
4. Supplement firepower.

Here are some of our favorite creative booby traps that will almost guaranty to neutralize your enemy when things go wrong:

(See full instructions at DIY Ready)

Here is a Method That is Helping Thousands to “Bullet Proof” Their Homes and Keep Their Families Safe in a SHTF Scenario Click Here