2020 has turned a lot of new people onto Prepping as most of the population has learned just how fast things can go south.
A global pandemic that left store shelves empty and tens of millions of people unemployed was distressing enough; but now race wars have been reignited and rioting and looting are spreading into both cities and suburbs. And it’s only June.
If you haven’t started stocking up on canned goods and picked up a few firearms, now might be the time.
We are edging closer and closer to a SHTF scenario that leaves those that are desperate to fend for themselves, and turns the prepared into targets.
If you are one of the people that have geared up for a worst-case scenario, you need to start turning your attention to drawing attention AWAY from your home base. If/when conditions deteriorate; you need to protect your family, your stock, and your way of life.
Your next purchases should serve to safeguard your home and make it into a fortress. Here are 9 ways to stop rioters, looters, and thieves in their tracks.
1. Fortify the Entrances
Trade your wooden doors for steel ones. Invest in deadbolt locks. Swap standard strike plates for those with enhanced security. Be sure that fence gates, garage doors, and sheds are all visibly padlocked.
And this should go without saying, but always lock your doors.
2. Use Landscaping to Your Benefit
Common advice is to keep landscaping low and minimal so that you can spot perpetrators as they approach, but the landscaping you select can work even more in your favor.
Choosing bushes or trees with thorns for beneath your windows can make entry painful for uninvited guests, as well as blocking them from seeing what you have inside.
3. Install Fencing
If you don’t already have a fence, install one. Privacy fencing is preferred, but chain-link is inexpensive.
You can add barbed wire to the top of chain-link to enhance the security of the fence.
4. Arm Yourself
Owning a firearm is just the first step in being able to use a gun in self-defense.
Keep a loaded firearm either on your person or within arm’s reach throughout your home. Know how to use the gun and have ammunition on hand.
5. Keep the Appearance of Your Home Neutral
Just say no to bright colors and elaborate exterior upgrades to your home.
Don’t draw attention to your home or broadcast your level of income. Stay well within the average appearance of the neighborhood.
If you drive an expensive or flashy car, park it inside a garage.
6. Be Aware of What’s Visible Through Your Windows
Walk around your home and look in the windows: what do you see? If electronics or expensive art are clearly visible, you will quickly become a target for anyone browsing.
Rearrange as best you can, and invest in blackout curtains or shutters that you close each night.
7. Install Motion-Sensor Lighting
Especially near exterior doors and windows, install motion-sensor floodlighting to deter anyone from getting too close.
8. Be Prepared to Board Up
Pre-cut and label plywood that will fit over all of your windows so that you can easily board up in times of unrest.
Keep the plywood accessible and organized, along with the supplies you’ll need to install it.
9. Add Spray Paint to Your Tool Kit
When the time comes to board up your windows and doors, your house will appear vacant to anyone on the outside. Leave them a message: “Looters will be shot” is direct and to the point.
Planning for the worst is about more than making sure your family has food and water; it’s also about defending your home from those who want your food and water. Reinforce your home to make it impenetrable so that it is truly your haven when SHTF.
Up Next:
- How Can You Protect Your Family if You Cannot Purchase or Own a Gun?
- Fight or Flight? When to Protect Your Property and When to Flee
- Evacuate Your Home Quickly and Efficiently | Detailed Evacuation Plan
