SHTF: Defending Suburban Home

I have been reading a SHTF fiction piece which takes place in an upscale neighborhood in a major metropolitan area.

Defending a neighborhood described in the story is near impossible. I can think of more than a few reasons why.

1) You have to depend upon your neighbors.

I don't know about you, but I don't think many of my neighbors even own a gun, at least not as far as I can tell. I have one neighbor who I know is an avid hunter and owns some sort of a "security supply company" which sells bullet proof vests, body armor, helmets and that sort of thing. Besides what he does, I don't know if anyone else has any other useful experience or supplies.

I would not want to depend upon my neighbors. How many of them are anti-gun? Or believe the "authorities" should handle the problem? Or might report my having "stuff" to the authorities? Or might feel sorry for those willing to steal or kill in our neighborhood because they were "economically distressed"? You can't count on everyone believing and acting the way you do.

I add to this the common line I hear from others about their neighborhoods "Most of my neighbors are vets/blue collar/like minded. I am sure we will stick together". My advice is to guess again unless you have a plan and pseudo-organization in place to defend the neighborhood.

2) Too much property

Most neighborhoods are spread out. They border other neighborhoods full of people you do not know. A high rise, strip mall or apartment complex might be next door to a neighborhood which changes the dynamics in multiple ways.

Are there creeks, woods, fields, or empty lots adjoining your neighborhood? Can you and a handful of other homeowners honestly patrol and effectively cover this type of territory?

Just watching the four sides of your home is enough for one home owner, now try watching all sides of your neighborhood.

3) You say no, the neighbor says yes

So you have a group of neighbors who agree to watch the neighborhood 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You and the guy next door are on sentry duty for the front of the neighborhood. A car rolls up and some young guys says he and his two friends are home from college and want to see his girlfriend. You say no, go home. Your friend wants to get along and says "we didn't discuss this happening. What say we give the kid a break?". While you two are arguing, College Boy and his homies pull 9's and fill you both full of lead.

How about this? A car load pulls up and they are friends of yours. "We know you are prepared, John. Can the family double up with you?". Other guard says "no way", we have enough to deal with. You say its my house.. blah blah blah.

And so it goes. Neighbors who have a casual nod and hello relationship while getting the morning paper are suddenly co-survivalists in an urban compound with nothing in common or plan in place. Recipe for disaster.

4) Too many liabilities

A gang of 10 or so bangers show up and try and raid a few homes. The neighborhood patrol goes out to meet them and when the bangers are surrounded one grabs a little girl as a shielf and hostage. Maybe it is your daughter or your next door neighbors.

Or maybe the bangers go out in a blaze of glory? They fire wildly into the nearby homes, all made of brick and wood, and the rounds tear into whoever and what ever is in their path.

Or maybe they just decide to start burning the close together homes until everyone comes out to get shot or captured?

Regardless, there are too many variables to go wrong in an all out defense.

Answers?

The only home I would defend would be my own and maybe a few next door neighbors I know very well.

I would also follow my Suburbia Defense Strategy outlined here. It is a longshot but it is better than walking patrol with a bunch of middle aged Rambos on Wisteria Lane.

Other than that, your best bet is to get out of dodge when the time permits.

SHTF: Raiders

The house was well off the beaten path, but with things being the way they were, it was only a matter of time until the vermin fleeing the cities found their way here. There were 7 of them and only one was injured from their last raid. That was another remote farm a few miles away. When the food ran out, the raiders moved on. The raiders spread out and moved in quietly. The evolution of their occupation taught them hard lessons and they adapted quickly. The family dog was first to go. Then the front door kicked in while other attackers moved in simultaneously against the back door and through two windows. A man, the father no doubt, barely had time to lift his shotgun before he was gunned down. A boy no more than 12 went for a .22. rifle on the wall, but he was overpowered before it could be put to use. The mother and a teen aged daughter clung to each other in the corner. Benefits of the job thought the raiders as they closed in...

In the post-SHTF world, raiders will be as common as roaches in many place. They will prowl the torn cities, patrol the highways and roads and sweep through small communities and farm towns in their quest for food, supplies, weapons and victims.

Authorities will be non-existent, only found in certain locations or for hire as mercenaries. I would not be surprised to see some authority groups break down into raiders themselves justifying their actions as necessary.

The post SHTF raider
Early raiders will evolve from a few demographics.

- City dwellers while escaping starvation in their former urban homes see the country side, suburbs and small towns as refuges and supply stations while they move from one location to another. Groups will form, break up and reform as authority figures establish themselves over others.

- Convicts, criminals, and gangs which continue their activities unabated.

- As noted above, authorities cut off from a central command or realizing the futility of their original mission will raid and establish territories to "protect" the local populations. Also, some governments, local and otherwise, may find their raids as "resource allocation and procurement".

Emergency Preparedness and Ambushes
The only defense is to wipe them out before they do the same to you and yours. A good defense is the first priority.

Location is everything

Don't give raiders a chance to attack you if they cannot find you first.
You can hide almost anywhere, but remote and rural is the best bet. Your retreat should be hidden from main roads with nothing (a big gate with Barnes Ranch on top is not advised) alerting passerby's to its identity. A dirt road can be made to look unused and less traveled.
Keep vehicles hidden and off the roads. When traveling from and returning to the retreat, take roundabout ways and alter them frequently.
Keep trees and brush heavy nearest the road to your retreat. Don't let them see a cozy house on top of a bare hillside 100 yards from the road.

Use natural landmarks to your advantage


A nearby hill should be modified with a hidden and camouflaged observation post with views 360 degrees available. The best and most able marksmen should occupy this spot with emergency communications equipment 24/7.
Rocks and trees should be marked around the retreat with ranges and setup as defensive positions. Remember, a raider will be using defensive positions facing the retreat - don't allow them any assistance.
Movement outside of the defensive parameter should be done through below ground or ground level paths (tunnels or ditches) and travelers should be in full camouflage or "gilly" suits.
Distances from the retreat in all directions should be measured and appropriate weapons assigned to the measurements. A shotgun is useless on a target at 400 yards.

Home preparation

The home should have stout doors with cross bars.
All windows should have shutters (metal preferred) and bars.
There should be at least three means of leaving and entering the home.
An escape route (a tunnel is best) for retreat should be in place with a meet up place nearby assigned.
Bug out bags should be maintained in the event some or all of the retreat residents have to escape.
Caches of supplies should be stored off site as well.
Call signals will be in effect for all communications even for the youngest members of the retreat.
Firearms will be worn by all adults and responsible teens at all times. The worse situation is to have guns locked up or in a central location. Needless to say, firearm training is mandatory and ongoing for all.
Have a 6 inch painted PVC pipe running along the ridge of the roof. Put 1 inch holes spaced a few inches apart in the pipe and connect a hose to each end. In the event of firebombs, the water can be run through the pipe to water the roof. Keep extinguishers, sand and buckets handy inside for the same purpose.
Obviously keep plenty of water and food inside the home in the event of a siege.

Attackers will use distance and stealth

Attack doctrine calls for one or two long distance shooters to "pin the defenders down" while others move in close.
Spread out your defenders using your Observation Post and hidden travel paths to work behind the attackers. Attack them and put their plans off.
Be prepared to use less than orthodox means to repel an attack. Historically defenders have used mines, booby traps, chemicals, fumes, flames and liquids against attackers successfully.
Have an early warning system in place of the observation post, communications with other nearby residents, trip wires and noise alarms.

Safety in numbers

Our scenario above might have been different if the family had joined up with two or three other families and shared resources and defense. Raiders are like any other predator; they look for weak and lone victims to attack. Give them a target which is more than they can chew off.

Tell me what you think!

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