There’s a lot of information to cover in this week’s must-read articles — from an easy way to test (and toughen up) your home security to what you should do if missile sirens sound.
Let’s get started.
1. Find out if Your Home Security Is up to Snuff
Having reliable locks for the doors and windows in your home is a simple, vital step in home defense. Unfortunately, most homes come with substandard locks that are easily compromised. How do you know if your home is at risk from poorly made locks?
One simple way to find out is to pick them yourself. (Then get new locks!) Even if you’ve never tried to pick a lock before, I can teach you how to do it in 30 seconds or less.
Not only does this skill come in handy to test your home security, but it will save you time AND money the next time you lock yourself out. I can’t count the amount of binds I’ve gotten myself, friends and relatives out of with this easy-to-master skill. Learn how to do it yourself by clicking on the link above.
2. How to Safely Clear Your Home
All right, let’s say you’ve got the most secure locks money can buy and a state-of-the-art alarm system and you’ve cased your home to eliminate any factors that would make it an appealing target. Now let’s say you wake up in the middle of the night and you know there’s someone there who shouldn’t be.
Check out this piece from The Art of Manliness. Contrary to the title of the site, anyone can follow these steps to safely clear their home in the event of a suspected intruder.
This article covers how to set up your home for successful clearing; how to hold your pistol when clearing your home; how to clear corners, hallways and stairs; and, finally, how to execute the master tactic of clearing your home (find out what it is by clicking above).
All that being said, you should only try to clear your home as a last resort. If you think there’s someone inside your home, call the police, wait for them to arrive and let them do their job.
3. For CDC, Reducing Flu Spread Takes Priority Over Nuclear Attack Preparedness
We are in the midst of a deadly flu season. A number of fatalities have been reported across the country and the rate of hospitalizations as a result of the flu has almost doubled — from 13.7 to 22.7 (per 100,000 people).
This year’s flu season is so severe that — despite the brief missile scare in Hawaii over the weekend — the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) “has postponed a planned Tuesday session on nuclear attack preparedness, deciding instead to focus the workshop on influenza.”
This is not a drill. The CDC considers this year’s influenza threat to be more urgent than a potential nuclear attack. If you haven’t done it already, get a flu shot. While the danger is ongoing, it can still protect you.
And be sure to visit your doctor as soon as you notice any symptoms or have a known (or suspected) exposure. You have 48 hours to get on the antiviral drug Tamiflu to reduce the severity of the disease.
4. How to Survive a Missile Attack: What’s the Official Advice?
Speaking of a potential nuclear attack…
On Saturday, Hawaiian residents received an emergency directive to take cover because a hostile missile was headed their way. It was a false alarm — but it revived decades-old fears and inspired fresh terror in the people of the island state. And they’re not the only ones.
Many of you probably remember doing “duck and cover” drills at the height of the Cold War. But is hiding under a desk and shielding your head the best thing to do in the event of a nuclear attack?
The short answer is no. Read the longer answer — including what you should actually do — in the article above.
5. 10 Self-Sufficiency Lessons From the Great Depression
In yesterday’s issue of Black Bag Confidential, Robert Boyd from 4Patriots discussed the importance of self-reliance and offered a simple solution to help you take care of yourself and your loved ones in the wake of a major disaster.
This post from the survival, prepping and homesteading experts at BeSurvival gives you 10 more ways to be self-sufficient by looking at the lessons we can learn from those who survived the Great Depression. Some of these recommendations are preventative so take a look and get what ducks you can in order now — before the SHTF and you’re forced to fend for yourself.
Stay safe,
Jason Hanson
