Had to clear the house this morning at 3AM

[Prometheus]

Train your wife/husband to clear the house with you... much easier with someone watching your back. I'm not kidding.

Government can't solve all your problems. Knowing there are bad guys downstairs and calling 9-1-1 vs hearing a sound and callign 9-1-1 are two totally different things.

Lets set aside the "boy crying wolf" aspect and look at it from the position of a person who believes in limited government and is always saying "leave me alone"... how pathetic is it that the same person should cower in fear in his bedroom because they heard a noise and BEG the government to come into their house... WITH GUNS DRAWN!

Given the past decade of cops screwing up and shooting home owners instead of teh bad guys, I'd rather take my chances confronting a platoon of armed badguys than one rookie cop trying to "have his day in the sun" while being scared $%^&less.

Next to your gun should be a light. This shouldn't even be a option.

Plan your response and what you will do. Strange noise vs obvious noise vs voices downstairs. Meaning, you hear something that sounds odd, you grab your gun and light and clear the house just to have some peace of mind and practice. You hear an obvious noise that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up, gun, light, get the wife and kids on page and then proceed from there. Voices in the house... for me, My wife and I secure the top of the stairwell, she retreats to the bedroom safe, brings me a long arm and TAC vest and NO ONE is coming up the stairs, we can figure out if it's a TV or what after the fact.

9-1-1 is WAY down the priority list on things to do under any conceivable scenario. My kids also know to get under their beds (they are still little enough) and stay put in the event of shooting or if we tell them too.

If you are going to take the security of your house and family seriously, you need to be serious about it and realize that as the protector, you must actually do that... protect.

How many people in LA or NO or dozens of other US cities over the years haven't been able to call 9-1-1 and left to fend for themselves for hours or days and wished they'd have taken a small amount of time to have a plan, know what to do and be able to do it.

Ps, don't clear your house with the light on all the time. Judicious use of lighting will save or cost you your life.

If you can't get training with firearms, this is teh best book I can recommend for this:
Amazon.com: Tactical Advantage: A Definitive...

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by DCR

I haven't yet seen the discussion where there might be TWO BGs.
What then?

Two, Three, Four a dozen... Doesn't matter. You should always assume there are multiple badguys. Most home invasions today include at least two people. A lone burglar isn't really going to be a threat because they will hit when you aren't home or if they find out you are home, they will run.

BG's traveling in packs feel they have something to prove to each other or get brave. You always have to assume you are dealing with multiple BG's and act that way.

There should be no need to 'speed clear' your house unless you think/know a BG has a loved one held hostage already.

Then you have to ask yourself, do you trust your skills to recover your loved one or the skills of an unknown road cop to do it? Personally I want to be the one taking that shot.

The variables are endless. Assume the worst and you won't be disappointed.

Your post also brings up the very solid point that giving 'warnings' to a BG in your house isn't always the best idea. Remove the threat and you can return to searching for more threats. Hold one at gun point while who knows how many are trying to out flank you to save their buddy. Lets say you think they are doing it... do you now shoot an unarmed (wo)man because their friend is sneaking up on you?

Also be prepared to encounter a female home invader. Be it a he or she, a home invader is just that. Genders don't matter.

[snojet]

I've had a situation many years ago where like you, my fiance (now wife) and I heard a noise at O-dark-30 and off I go to clear the house. This was all fine and dandy until I almost shot my fiance. She did not listen to me to stay put and wait. She waited probably 30 seconds and followed me out. When I was rounding a corner there she was and that's were it almost went bad. Thankfully there was enough moon-light that lit her silhouette up and I recognized her.

With that little story I wanted to advise you to gather family members in one room with clear instructions not to leave and call 911, then wait out the police. All the while you have your firearm trained on the entry to the room. Or, gather family in room with instructions to stay put and then you go and clear. In my life-time I done both procedures.

Lastly, I have for many years had a large dog that is sort-of trained to protect the house. If I go and clear my house the dog is always with me and usually leads and scouts. I'm a firm believer in having a dog for those applications.

Ultimately, I am glad all is/was well that night.

[Indecision]

Originally Posted by Prometheus

Train your wife/husband to clear the house with you... much easier with someone watching your back. I'm not kidding.

Government can't solve all your problems. Knowing there are bad guys downstairs and calling 9-1-1 vs hearing a sound and callign 9-1-1 are two totally different things.

Lets set aside the "boy crying wolf" aspect and look at it from the position of a person who believes in limited government and is always saying "leave me alone"... how pathetic is it that the same person should cower in fear in his bedroom because they heard a noise and BEG the government to come into their house... WITH GUNS DRAWN!

Given the past decade of cops screwing up and shooting home owners instead of teh bad guys, I'd rather take my chances confronting a platoon of armed badguys than one rookie cop trying to "have his day in the sun" while being scared $%^&less.

Next to your gun should be a light. This shouldn't even be a option.

Plan your response and what you will do. Strange noise vs obvious noise vs voices downstairs. Meaning, you hear something that sounds odd, you grab your gun and light and clear the house just to have some peace of mind and practice. You hear an obvious noise that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up, gun, light, get the wife and kids on page and then proceed from there. Voices in the house... for me, My wife and I secure the top of the stairwell, she retreats to the bedroom safe, brings me a long arm and TAC vest and NO ONE is coming up the stairs, we can figure out if it's a TV or what after the fact.

9-1-1 is WAY down the priority list on things to do under any conceivable scenario. My kids also know to get under their beds (they are still little enough) and stay put in the event of shooting or if we tell them too.

If you are going to take the security of your house and family seriously, you need to be serious about it and realize that as the protector, you must actually do that... protect.

How many people in LA or NO or dozens of other US cities over the years haven't been able to call 9-1-1 and left to fend for themselves for hours or days and wished they'd have taken a small amount of time to have a plan, know what to do and be able to do it.

Ps, don't clear your house with the light on all the time. Judicious use of lighting will save or cost you your life.

If you can't get training with firearms, this is teh best book I can recommend for this:
Amazon.com: Tactical Advantage: A Definitive Study Of Personal Small-Arms Tactics (9780873649759): Gabriel Suarez: Books

Excellent post, i don't hand out much rep, but you have one coming.

[U.S. Patriot]

I agree with staying with your family. Especially if your spouse, does not like guns or does not know how to properly use one. To me my life is not work anything that can be stolen and replaced. If you go at it alone, and something happens to you your family may be left defenseless. If you have a bathroom attached to your master bedroom, in my opinion the best thing to do is have your spouse take the kids and stay put. With a phone ready to call 911. I would stay in the bedroom, finding cover and staying out of the fatal funnel. If you prefer you can yell, that you are armed and the cops are on the way if you really feel there is an intruder. Also having two people to clear, is deffently more safe. That way you have someone to cover your six, and when you enter a room one can clear left and the other right. I'm trying to set up a room clearing class, see my post in tachtics and training. It would be great to have as many people as possible come.

[public servant]

Originally Posted by Prometheus

Train your wife/husband to clear the house with you... much easier with someone watching your back. I'm not kidding.

Government can't solve all your problems. Knowing there are bad guys downstairs and calling 9-1-1 vs hearing a sound and callign 9-1-1 are two totally different things.

Lets set aside the "boy crying wolf" aspect and look at it from the position of a person who believes in limited government and is always saying "leave me alone"... how pathetic is it that the same person should cower in fear in his bedroom because they heard a noise and BEG the government to come into their house... WITH GUNS DRAWN!

Given the past decade of cops screwing up and shooting home owners instead of teh bad guys, I'd rather take my chances confronting a platoon of armed badguys than one rookie cop trying to "have his day in the sun" while being scared $%^&less.

Next to your gun should be a light. This shouldn't even be a option.

Plan your response and what you will do. Strange noise vs obvious noise vs voices downstairs. Meaning, you hear something that sounds odd, you grab your gun and light and clear the house just to have some peace of mind and practice. You hear an obvious noise that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up, gun, light, get the wife and kids on page and then proceed from there. Voices in the house... for me, My wife and I secure the top of the stairwell, she retreats to the bedroom safe, brings me a long arm and TAC vest and NO ONE is coming up the stairs, we can figure out if it's a TV or what after the fact.

9-1-1 is WAY down the priority list on things to do under any conceivable scenario. My kids also know to get under their beds (they are still little enough) and stay put in the event of shooting or if we tell them too.

If you are going to take the security of your house and family seriously, you need to be serious about it and realize that as the protector, you must actually do that... protect.

How many people in LA or NO or dozens of other US cities over the years haven't been able to call 9-1-1 and left to fend for themselves for hours or days and wished they'd have taken a small amount of time to have a plan, know what to do and be able to do it.

Ps, don't clear your house with the light on all the time. Judicious use of lighting will save or cost you your life.

If you can't get training with firearms, this is teh best book I can recommend for this:
Amazon.com: Tactical Advantage: A Definitive Study Of Personal Small-Arms Tactics (9780873649759): Gabriel Suarez: Books

Originally Posted by Prometheus

Two, Three, Four a dozen... Doesn't matter. You should always assume there are multiple badguys. Most home invasions today include at least two people. A lone burglar isn't really going to be a threat because they will hit when you aren't home or if they find out you are home, they will run.

BG's traveling in packs feel they have something to prove to each other or get brave. You always have to assume you are dealing with multiple BG's and act that way.

There should be no need to 'speed clear' your house unless you think/know a BG has a loved one held hostage already.

Then you have to ask yourself, do you trust your skills to recover your loved one or the skills of an unknown road cop to do it? Personally I want to be the one taking that shot.

The variables are endless. Assume the worst and you won't be disappointed.

Your post also brings up the very solid point that giving 'warnings' to a BG in your house isn't always the best idea. Remove the threat and you can return to searching for more threats. Hold one at gun point while who knows how many are trying to out flank you to save their buddy. Lets say you think they are doing it... do you now shoot an unarmed (wo)man because their friend is sneaking up on you?

Also be prepared to encounter a female home invader. Be it a he or she, a home invader is just that. Genders don't matter.

After it's all over with...I'd still call 911...but that's just me.

[ihateiraq]

that line of thought could very easily get people killed. some people havent been doing w/e it is youve done your whole life to gain this plethora of knowledge. i could only afford to rent the movie SWAT once, and then i had to return it. clearing a house is one of the most dangerous things you can do. even your own. so if no one is threatenting you, why not call the people that get paid to do it? bc youre some hardcore bad *** that would rather take on a whole platoon than have a rookie cop come help. is your estate in order?

[Mgderf]

Originally Posted by Indecision

Excellent post, i don't hand out much rep, but you have one coming.

I concur!

[goColt]

I've heard over and over by many SD experts and police to NEVER try to clear a house unless you've had training. They say get get your family safely covered and concealed, call 911 and wait. If the BG comes into your safe room and you have ALL your family with you...then shoot. This way, you have the advantage. If you go looking for them, either they have the advantage or it's a level playing field and you have a 50/50 chance of coming out on-top.

Many bad things could happen if you go looking for them:
1) You could end up shooting a family member (as mentioned)
2) Have multiple BG's to deal with (as mentioned)
3) Get shot by the police that either you or a neighbor called
4) Many other things

The BG's often have the upper hand because they can hear you coming and lie-in-wait for you. Plus you are still groggy from sleep and are going into an unknown situation.

One other thing you might wanna consider, send the dog down first. If it is as big and bad as you indicate, then maybe that will be all that it takes. I know dogs can be true members of a family and if killed would be traumatic, especially for kids. But it'd be worse if you were killed.

[Armed-N-Ready]

I've made the 3:00 AM house tour after a few loud noises. Always with a light and always after arming the wife with a cell phone and a 9mm. We have two German Shepherds with fantastic "muzzle awareness" and better hearing than I could ever hope to have. I doubt anyone would ever even get in the house but if they get past my welcoming party I'll be waiting to greet them. A dog is one of the best alarm systems money can buy. The K-9 patrol always clears the path when checking the house.