Recent observations of the home invasions here in Atlanta are in my opinion, becoming more aggressive. This mornings news article of a woman shot and baby beaten are only a few of the bazaar-twist of aggressive behavior of recent home invasions. This comes right behind yesterday's home invasion from multiple individuals that threw bleach on the home owner, then shot him as they attached him. He had to jump from a 2nd story window in order to escape. Evidence would indicate taht his life was probably saved because he exited the home.
The ability to exit a home in the event of life threat events is nothing new. Every home owner needs to have an exit plan if the threat to stay in your home is greater than that outside the home. You can do several things to insure your survival in the event of a home invasion or fire.
- Security System a MUST! 1st, you receive a deduction on most home owner insurance costs. Insurance companies know that you are less likely to have a claim if you have a monitored security system. You do not need to have a land line in order to have a monitored security system, we use cellular burst reporting.
- Cellular burst technology is faster in reporting events. Usually 30 seconds faster and more information is reported during events. The underlying technologies of land line and power are no longer the boundaries for equipment functionality. If you are still using a land line to report burglary intrusion, time to upgrade.
- 2nd keypad in the bedroom may save your life. If you have any issue that restricts you from access to the home having that second keypad will not only alert you better, but gives you access to the keypad for duress code entry.
- Fire exit strategy, do you have one? You definitely need to have a fire exit strategy, it might just save your life. As a side note, you also need to have them connected to monitoring as well because you only have seconds to react if you even are conscious enough to smell the smoke.
- Make sure you have a fire extinguisher in the bedroom area. If you do not have a weapon to defend yourself, you may be able to use the fire extinguisher as a defensive weapon. Having access to one if necessary could save your life.
- Know what window you will jump from and make sure the window is not painted shut! Test the window or windows when you test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Exit ladders from the 2nd story could benefit here as well, although when someone has entered your home, I do not think you would have enough time to work a ladder nor think about it. Most people usually jump, know where you could exit if need to.
You also need to consider "hardening" the exterior of your home. Fences, better exterior doors and other measures need consideration to shore up the perimeter of where you live. Since it does not appear that aggressive home invasion or crime will decline in the future, it necessitates for us to have a plan and consider our response and reaction ahead of time.
