Are You Ready for the Bump in the Night?
Let’s break this question down into the classic Shoot, Move and Communicate:
Starting with Shoot: Is your go-to tool for home defense set up for a night fight? Do you have a light on the tool? Do you have a red dot or night sights? I don’t want to talk about which flashlight is the best or what premium optics we want on our guns. Technology is always improving. The super, awesome, great flashlight you buy today, with a large number of lumens will be replaced by the version next year with an even greater number of lumens. What we are talking about is the “Why” not the “How.” We need to be able to identify our targets. I live in a house with teenage girls. I need to make sure that the bump in the night is not one of my girls. Having a flashlight allows me to illuminate potential targets, to identify threat and non-threat. One of the most horrific stories I have ever heard is a man waking up to someone coming into the window, grabbing his Glock 19, shooting and killing the intruder, only to find out that it was his step-child sneaking back inside the house. This life-changing mistake could have been avoided by putting a simple pistol light on his Glock. That is “Why” we have a light.
Night sights or an optic? My go-to tool for home defense is my AR9. It’s my go-to because it has plenty of rail space for a flashlight and a red dot optic. Again, not wanting to talk about which is the best red dot, all that matters is that it holds a zero and that if I grab it in the middle of the night, I don’t have to turn it on. It’s already on and ready to go. There are many companies that are using the shake awake technology with long battery life. So, I know that I just need to check it every couple of days. The other thing that is important about this tool is that the ergonomics are the same as the M4 I carried for twenty years and it’s an old friend in the dark. Your go-to tool needs to be the same way. Whether it’s an AR platform, a pistol with a light, or a shotgun with a light, you need to be able to do everything on that tool in the worst of conditions. Every malfunction, load, and clear, all while you’re half asleep and with your adrenaline going through the roof.
Movement: Do you practice moving through your house in the dark? Do you know where all the obstacles are? Do have children that like to leave ambush surprises for you? These are all things we must think about and must practice in our homes in the dark with limited visibility. Yes, in the above paragraph we talked about the importance of having a flashlight on your preferred tool. Movement is probably the easiest as we can practice this at any time. This is OUR house. We want the intruder to realize that he has come into THIS lion’s den and THIS lion knows his den and has all the advantages on his side. Does your family know where they are supposed to move, and have you rehearsed it with them? This is an important thing for those of us who don’t live alone. You could think of this like a team sport. Does your significant other, children, or even roommates, know what they’re supposed to do during the play? Remember this changes and needs to be rehearsed often. And this leads us right into our third principle, Communicate.
Communicate: Do you have a commo plan with those you share a home with? It may sound silly to have named plays, such as Defense Plan Delta, but something that simple can communicate a lot of information to those residing with you. They now know exactly what to do with limited talking because it has been planned and rehearsed. Only you, the primary defender, are giving any indication of your position. And just think of the psychological factor for those intruders who broke into your home. Personal experience with this, I was rehearsing with my children what they were supposed to do if they were home alone and an intruder came in. They quickly sounded off with their duties and positions. Then my fifteen-year-old daughter, who was the primary shooter, explained her defensive position and then said, “Shooter ready!” I kind of laughed at that but, excellent job on her part, she is communicating with the intruder that she is ready and prepared to take necessary action to defend herself and her sisters.
There is another thing we need to think about communicating. We do live in a civilized society and we do have laws. If you have the ability or an extra person in your home, a courtesy call to law enforcement goes a long way. The person who is on the phone with 911, do they have a script or a list of things they need to convey to the operator? Example checklist; description of the event, description of the intruder if possible, number of friendlies in the home, position of all parties if possible, etc. Details matter and can speed up the response and safety of all. Make sure you are prepared to help them locate your home quickly and effectively especially if you reside in an apartment or a more rural area. Doing practice 911 calls with your family is also great training and builds confidence so that if they find themselves in that situation, they are prepared.
The moral of the story: rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. Make sure that you have equipment and you know your equipment. Make sure that you practice in your environment. It’s time to be a ninja -- blindfold yourself, walk through the house, and don’t jingle any bells. Plan and practice with those you reside with. You may be great, but that does not mean you can’t be greater. We always have room to improve. Practice makes perfect and perfect always practices.
Chris