This isn't very fun to think about, but home security is a concern even when things in the world are going well, so it stands to reason that after shit hits the fan it will be an even bigger issue! As a liberal prepper I am pro gun control and NOT a fan of the NRA. There are clearly MANY measures that can be taken before we even THINK about taking up arms. That said, here are some ideas for improving your home security both now and after a disaster strikes: 

SECURE YOUR DOORS & WINDOWS

• Install deadbolts to all of your exterior doors
• Reinforce your door frame
• Don't leave keys outside where they can easily be found
• Lock your windows
• Consider securing your ground floor windows with decorative  security metalwork

ALARM SYSTEMS

• Motion activated outdoor lights are handy for you AND can scare away prowlers.
• Home security alarms can be affordable, and some can run on solar or battery power
• Get a dog -- they LOVE to let you know when someone is on (or near) your property. Plus they're awesome company. We have two!

KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS

• Making friends with your neighbors is good for you and good for them.
• Good neighbors can look out for each other, and will often recognize when unusual activity is going on.

CONSIDER A SAFE ROOM

A safe room is a secure room in your home/on your property where you and/or your family members can retreat to avoid interacting with an unwanted intruder. 

Here are some important safe room characteristics

• Locking, reinforced door with secure door frame
• No exterior windows
• Ventilation
• Thick/reinforced walls
• Food, water and a toilet
• Space for all of your family members
• Easy to get to from inside your house

Some possible safe room locations include:

• Walk-in closet
• Master bedroom
• Basement room
• Storage room
• Any interior room with no windows
• Inside an attached garage

​Supplies to keep in your safe room include:

• a cell phone charger
• food 
• water
• a camping toilet (if not a real toilet!)
• books (and/or coloring books for kids)
• first aid supplies
• a fire extinguisher
• weapons for self defense (if desired)

Consider camouflaging your safe room! This can be pretty fun! Ideas for hiding your room include:

• a hidden door at the back of a closet behind the clothing
• a trap door under an attached throw rug
• a secret book shelf door (they even sell these on Amazon!)

A possible closet safe room

A bookshelf door

SELF DEFENSE

This is the section I've been kind of dreading to write....

​I'm a liberal democrat and a mom, so weapons, especially guns, are a subject I've always been told I should despise. My kids weren't allowed to play with toy guns (at least until my son got older and eventually wore us down begging for a pellet gun). But you know what I mean, right? Nobody in my family was into hunting. My parents don't own a gun, and neither, as far as I know, do my aunts and uncles on the more liberal side of the family (the ones we hung out with, growing up). Some grandparents did, but they were of the older, more Republican generation. We are pro-union. We are pro-choice. We are anti-NRA. Gun violence is an epidemic. There are too many weapons in the hands of too many Americans. Something has to be done. That's just the way things are. 

But...

You don't have to be a massive Walking Dead fan like me to know that when SHTF and society is falling apart self defense will become an issue. If you have people, livestock and things that you need to keep safe and secure it's pretty hard to imagine being able to do that without weapons of some sort. When the power's out your home security system (if you have one) won't work for long. And it's unlikely the police are going to come racing over to check out your situation when they've got other, major stuff going on. 

SO --- what's the plan?

It's time to be realistic.

​I'm not saying we all need guns. ​Calling 9-1-1 and getting the heck out of any sketchy situation you run into right now when things are "good" is definitely the best bet, in the current world.

But we do need to be able to protect our loved ones in times of societal unrest.

And it doesn't matter how much food, water and supplies you save up if some desperate man/woman can just march up to your home and take it away. You can't help others if you can't help yourself. 

We all need to figure out for ourselves what we're willing to do to protect our loved ones - how much we're willing to compromise and how far we're willing to go. 

I'm not telling you what to do, and I'm not going to tell you what, specifically, I've done to protect my family's security in the case of emergencies. What I will do is share with you some resources and information that I think are well worth looking into:

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The mission of The Liberal Gun Club is to provide a voice for gun-owning liberals and moderates in the national conversation on gun rights, gun legislation, firearms safety, and shooting sports. They serve as a national forum for all people, irrespective of their personal political beliefs, to discuss firearms ownership, firearms use, and the enjoyment of firearms-related activities free from the destructive elements of political extremism that dominate this subject on the national scale. They also actively develop and foster a variety of programs for the purpose of firearms training and firearms safety education, for both gun owners and non-gun owners.

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Operation Blazing Sword is a project launched in order to provide firearm familiarization and basic training to anyone, but especially those in the LGBTQ community, who wish to learn more about gun ownership in the wake of the Orlando tragedy. 

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There are numerous choices for women when selecting a self defense course. Realism is often at the top of the list. Model Mugging self defense is the leader in applied research for training women to protect themselves.  Model Mugging began in the summer of 1971 after a woman who had earned her black belt was unable to defend herself against a sexual predator. There was a gap in practicality and expectations related to personal protection and self defense training. This incident inspired the development of a self defense system based on  martial arts science.

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This list looks at ten of the best martial arts for if you are especially interested in defending yourself against attackers.

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