Posted on 08/15/2014 11:47:52 AM PDT by Vendome
Maybe she's like my navigation lady, who drinks heavily and has psychotic episodes.
Vendome said he figured AFTER THE FACT that it was the fire alarm went off first.
Regardless, house alarms go off you don't go patrol 'em with nothing but a quizzical expression.
First, I would suggest you have distinctly different alarms for fire and break in, since your response should be entirely different. If it’s a fire you obviously want to get your family and pets (if practical) out.
If it’s a break in, charging through your house is probably a bad idea. You don’t know what the tactical situation is. There could be more than one intruder, let alone a SWAT team gone to the wrong house. Some alarm companies put cameras around the house so you can monitor it from your cell phone. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to get some.
You didn’t say if you have children at home, and that makes a huge difference as well. If you have kids, your priority is obviously to keep them safe. You should first get you family together in one room, behind furniture, with a gun trained at the door. If it’s just you and your spouse, you’re better off doing that straight off, and calling 911. It’s too easy for someone to shoot you as you come through a doorway. Better for you to shoot them coming through your doorway.
I would seriously consider different tones for your fire and burglar alarms. Both are potentially life threatening emergencies requiring very different actions. If you do and they went off simultaneously, I’d have that checked. Beyond that, if you’re in an area where a police response can be expected in a “reasonable” amount of time, I prefer a safe/panic room (on each floor) with family and even dogs assembling inside. If need be you’ll be in a better defensive position than prowling around the house. Even the most justified shooting is going to cost you dearly in legal bills these days.
i’d beef up your door security, put deeper screws into the hinges and striker plate. if you have hollow core doors maybe upgrade them too.
not to stop rounds but to give yourself a few’more’seconds to get’your gun and get ready, or to get a vest on.
and have a vest handy and ready to go. also a bright tactical light.
one thing people may not realize is effective peper spray is in enclosed areas. even before going into a room or area you can unleash some’spray.
i know it’s your house but life or death situations it might help.
That only works in movies or when two cops have a guy cornered. If it's just you and the perp, he'll locate your voice and shoot you. If these lowlifes had a sense of 'fair play' they wouldn't be criminals in the first place. Lots of good people get shot trying to be 'fair'. It's a mistake.
Always be on the lookout for suspicious white guys.
Well, no children.
I never heard the alarms go off in a series and never heard that alarm in any case.
as for running through the house, I followed my protocol checking each turn and corner from cover.
IF, it were SWAT is my issue. There shouldn’t be a reason for anyone, much less a badge, in my home and it is my indespeible duty to repel them by what ever means necessary.
Further, my training, as well my brother(army) prove that man sitting still is dead.
Man on the move lives.
I shouldn’t be thinking “Gee, what if the people in my home are LEO? Why, I should wait an find out”.
Not a good option, as far as my concerned.
As for barring myself behind a door our tactics proved time and again how to defeat that.
If LEO wants to contact me, they can easily call me or send a letter. I will respond in suit and tie(I’ve been called or mailed a request to discuss a few issues).
Having read numerous stories on this and other sites of the tactics used by American Police during a House entry, a serious floor has become apparent.
The tactic used in the UK may prevent a Householder v LEO encounter at gun point.
They announce the the fact that they are ‘Armed Police’ and they are ‘Entering the property’,as the door hits the floor.
This is shouted continuously as they proceed through the building, not by one officer but by all of them. The noise is impossible to mistake for anything else.
Your response was correct as a householder, it is the Police tactics that are in error.
I look at my board first which will tell me what zone has gone off. If it is a fire, the voice will say so, no need to look. I have my defense weapon and I eyeball my wife. I don’t go willy nilly looking about the house. I wait to hear what is going on first. By then the security company is on the line and I tell them my problem. Unless sure it is a false alarm, I tell them to send in the coppers. Till then we are safe and that is what counts. Someone makes off with the TV, so be it.
Anyone approaches the bedroom, we are home alone, they will think they landed at Normandy. I’ve had 2 false alarms in 15 years so we got the drill down well.
I actually can’t figure out what happened.
Alarms went off, in succession, through each room of a 3,900 square foot room.
I also don’t recall hearing that particular alarm and certainly not in a series.
I did hear the fire alarm. I tested them a few minutes ago but, the other alarm I never heard before.
My initial thought was fire alarm but, when I heard a very different alarm I responded in a manner that I believe was correct.
I have two dogs, one is down right now with pancreatitis and nearly deaf, due to his advance age(14).
It really bothers me that I would think or consider my response ought to be different in the future and it seems like a death sentence for my roomies and dogs.
I can’t accept that, anymore than I can accept just waiting to take it.
Like I said, I am well trained, have drilled for my own home and feel confident I did it exactly as it ought to have been done.
Death or injury to my loved ones, in particularly, my dogs is not something I’m going to allow
And that is what bothers me.
I shouldn’t even consider “Hey, maybe the cops are here and they really want to help me”.
Got no problem with cops, except the 10% who really should be in another profession, like maybe being a bouncer or in the military.
But, too many mistakes are happening with bad intel or worse no intel when invading someones home.
If judges are handed a defective paper and authorize a warrant that really isn’t their fault and other times they just rubber stamp. It happens and I don’t believe judges just sign on warrants without proper “Probable Cause” presented.
Thing is, I never heard the alarms go in series and one of them was unfamiliar to me.
Sadly, little four legged alarms are getting old.
One is in the hospital for pancreatitis. Brought him home last night because he’s never, ever spent the night without someone he didn’t know and there is no way I’m letting him stay overnight anywhere were he isn’t supervised or being watched over.
They did stark barking once the alarms went off but, that would be a bit later than I wish.
Still, lil babies need to be taken care of I won’t put em down.
We could wire the entire house but, to my thinking, I’m late if I have to turn on a monitor, much less go to where that monitor is.
We do employ a monitor system that is backed up and redundant but, it’s not for a break in.
It is for monitoring while away and storing on site, as well offsite.
Man on the move lives.
In combat, yes. In the situation of intruder(s) in your home you are far better in a defensive position where you have the only entrance covered, preferably by both you and your spouse. Hiding behind furniture makes it difficult for someone coming through the door to locate your position quickly. It's highly unlikely that any intruder is going to be trained on door breaching tactics and equipped with body armor and flashbang grenades. And if they are, they will still have an easier time picking you off as you charge through the house. Like I said, you don't know how many of them there are or where. Most likely they want to steal some stuff and get out. They probably will run as soon as the alarm goes off, but putting yourself at risk of material stuff that's insured anyway isn't smart. Call 911 and wait for the cavalry to arrive.
The alarms went off and at 6 in the morning, after being up for two days taking care of sickly dog, “Fire” was a consideration. But, that they went off in series and one of the alarms was unfamiliar.
So off I went.
Hopefully, I can pick the lil guy this afternoon, as he is on an IV for fluid, Tramedal for pain and a few other things.
Both bad guys and cops are likely to shout “Police” as they kick in a door, but real SWAT teams always enter with flash bangs.
If you arent hearing “Warrant” and exploding flash bangs, commence defending yourself...which is why I keep my body armor vest on top of my nightstand gun safe.
I like having an edge. Im also entirely likely to toss a dozen caltrops down my hall to deny ground to a perp. You’ll never go to jail for caltrops on your house floor. Easy to sweep away with a broom after the threat is gone.
BTW, you didn’t mention roomies before. I assume they are armed as well? Moving around could lead to one of you shooting each other as well. Whatever you do, you should have a plan that all of you agree to ahead of time.
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