Home Defense

Everyone thinks about home defense. We lock our doors and windows, turn on the security system if we have one and call it good. I, however, won't settle for good when it comes to the safety of my family. A puny door lock just isn't enough to keep out a determined criminal. Of course we can't all have bars on our doors and windows or have a moat outside our homes nor would we want to. We can, however, improve the security of our homes. Some simple things to do is keep bushes and shrubs manicured to eliminate blind spots around the home. We can portray a "hard target" to deter criminals from our home. Putting up security cameras even if they're fake, installing motion lights or creating a community watch program are all good ways to deter criminals. Another way to reduce the risk of a break in is to look plain. Don't flaunt your possessions or money. Of course you don't have to make your home look like a shack, but keeping the blinds closed so people can't see your 60" LCD TV would be a good start. The last home defense measure you can take is having a home defense weapon. I prefer a firearm but a bat would work well too. Anything to disable or immoblize the assailant is what you want. For those that choose a firearm I suggest that you pick one that is easy to operate, one that you are comfortable shooting and one that you can have near you when you need it. Personally I keep my conceal carry pistol, a Taurus 709 9mm, loaded in my nightstand. This is the only firearm I have loaded in my home. I carry it every day away from my home and have it near me while at home. One thing to be aware of is depending on the caliber you choose it could cause collateral damage to others inside and outside the home. Always be aware of what is behind your target. I won't get into what the best home defense weapon is, because I believe any weapon is better than no weapon. You must rely on yourself to defend your home and your family. None of this will totally eliminate the threat, but it will minimize it. Your families safety should be the top priority for everyone.