Locally the past few months there have been an increase in violent attacks. There have been a few home invasions, one that has stuck with me. I want to dedicate this Blog post to the memory of Caelen Bosisto,, and a speedy recovery to her husband, Stanton. We will also keep their young son, Tanner in our thoughts. If you aren’t familiar with this very sad story, I will give a brief overview and point out the importance of preparation. A few weeks ago early in the morning I saw a news report about a violent attack on a family that lived rurally. The intruder was a wanted fugitive from Michigan, he entered their home, shot Caelen in the chest killing her. Stanton was in the shower when he heard the disturbance, once confronted he was shot in the face. Fortunately their young 2 month old son was unharmed. When law enforcement arrived the murderer hid in the bushes. After a brief stand off he was taken into custody. It was such a tragic story that really hurt my heart. A tragic and important reminder about preparing your home is critical. Preparation could mean the difference between life or death.
It depends on where you live, but the response time law enforcement could vary. Being able to defend yourself and your family until help arrives is key. Understanding your vulnerabilities will help prepare a defensible space. It is possible to set up your “castle” to help make your ability to survive and thrive in a violent encounter. Being able to notice a potential threat as early as possible will help you get the tools necessary to save your family. Long driveways and sensors will help alert you to someone that has no business being on your property. They could have made a wrong turn or they could be there to do you harm. Typically these are drug addicts looking for property that can be easily sold to continue to fuel their habits. A dog can be great early warning, motion lighting can help alert you as well. Security cameras can help increase your field of view. All of these systems working together will help increase your survivability. Advanced awareness gives you time to identify the unwanted guests intentions. Low cut shrubbery around your home is also a good idea, this lowers the chances for intruders to be able to hide near an entry or exit point of your home. They will use the element of surprise to attack. Most violent attacks will be quick, violent, and overwhelming.
Most drug addicts looking to invade your personal space will most likely violently and abruptly kick in the door. They know that statistically, people who live rurally will most likely have a firearm inside of the home. In a rural setting a firearm is a tool that serves many purposes. It could be for protection, varmint control, or hunting. When entering the home they have to get control of the firearm inside of the home fast! Being able to deploy your firearm safely and quickly is imperative. Most quick access safes will give you the opportunity to keep the gun secure yet readily available in an instant. This helps protect your kids. Check out our 501(C)3 nonprofit, the Kids S.A.F.E. Foundation for more information about how to keep your children safe from an accident in the home. Depending on you budget is what firearms and gear you should have to defend your home in an invasion situation. Quality firearms can be expensive but if you buy right you will never lose money. As society devolves arms are a key component to the safety of your family. If I was new to firearms or didn’t want to spend a small fortune. I would have only 3 guns. A quality handgun that I could conceal. A pump action shotgun and a AR-15. Depending on the threat those could handle every situation.
When looking for a handgun, buy one that is high quality that has good magazine capacity. My personal preference is the Glock. I have many different models that fill different gaps. I have a Glock 48 MOS for EDC and summer carry. EDC stands for Everyday Carry. My EDC consists of a handgun, (2) extra mags, a flashlight, a blade, tourniquet, and other misc items. The weather and type of clothing I’m wearing impacts the size of the firearm that I carry. In the winter, bulkier clothing breaks up the outline of a larger framed firearm, like my Glock 17. Both guns would be more than adequate for home defense, typically because it will be faster to deploy. When it comes to shotguns Remington 870’s and Mossberg 500’s are good choices as well. Both would serve you well. I would recommend either double 00 buck or a slug. Each round has its benefits and its detractions. The only thing that concerns me is the over penetration of the slug. A 1 ounce slug at 1300 FPS can do a lot of damage. I worry about where the slug could go after impact? Especially in an urban environment where neighbors could be close by. I also would be concerned on where my children sleep inside of the home. You have to have a zone that will be a NO SHOOT zone for their safety. It is really important to know what is cover and what is concealment around your home. Cover is something that will stop an incoming round. Concealment is something that will hide you from an attacker. There is very little true cover inside of your home, just to be aware. Adding armor to your home defense kit might be a good thing to think about. Plates are designed to stop rounds aimed at your vitals. Rounds on the plates will still hurt you but, it will help your survivability. You can also have extra mags on your plate carrier. On mine I have rifle and pistol mags as well. I have a fixed blade and medical supplies. Lastly is the AR-15, this is a great defensive tool depending on your situation. Mostly because of its versatility, magazine capacity, and effectiveness. The AR-15 is a great choice for those that live rurally because of the fact that they might encounter multiple attackers or their might be heavier cover that you will need to penetrate to stop the threat. The rifle will always trump every other platform for your home defense.
It is always important to have a plan. Know what the weak points in the security of your home are and plan for the worst. Planning will ensure that in an emergency that you end up on top. It is important to know how to operate your firearms effectively and know what you would do just in case. A lot of the preparation that goes into your home security plan is mental. The rest is equipment and kit.I hope this post gave you important information to think about to help keep you and your family safe. Please say a prayer for the Bosisto family. Let’s hope the family gets the justice that they deserve. While this story is horrible tragedy, it is an important reminder about the evil that we face in our society. Being prepared is the only thing that triumphs over evil. Until next time. Be Safe!