Home Invasion Survival Tips by Home Security Expert Jordan Frankel

If an intruder broke into your residence while you and your loved ones were home, what would you do? This is a question that most residents don’t know how to answer, partly because they’ve never taken the time to entertain the possibility of a home invasion. As scary as the thought may be, today’s news reports reveal the importance of having a plan in place should an intruder ever break into your home. 

In a recent home invasion in Ocean Beach, California, a 34-year-old man was hospitalized after attempting to fight off his intruders. According to the Fox 5 San Diego news report, the man was with a woman in his home when two male intruders came knocking at the door. The woman answered the door and the intruders forced their way inside; one had a knife and the other a metal baton. The man and the woman were ordered down to the ground. The man, however, began to fight the intruders and was badly beaten with the metal baton. 

While there is no way to know what an intruder will do to you or a family member in the heat of the moment, having a few basic survival tips in your knowledge base can increase your chances of surviving such a terrifying ordeal. The following are a few recommendations by home security expert, Jordan Frankel.

Victims of home invasions experience enormous levels of fear. As a result, they often react out of fear, not logic. While some may run away in an attempt to escape their intruders, others may become frozen by fear. In other cases the person may attempt to fight their intruders. Actions such as these are related to one’s natural fight or flight response. While these instinctive reactions serve as protective mechanisms, they can sometimes cause one to make a tragic mistake.

Because every home invasion is different, there is no “right way” to respond to an intruder. For example, in some cases complying with the demands of an intruder may be all that is needed to survive the ordeal unscathed. In other situations compliance may lead to other terrifying events, such as physical assault, rape, and even death. 

According to Jordan Frankel, surviving a home invasion depends on several factors:

• Level of danger
• One’s ability to maintain their composure and think logically
• One’s physical abilities/skills
• Family members present and their responses
• Realistic and available options

Educating yourself and formulating a plan ahead of time is imperative to surviving a home invasion. Here are some essential elements Jordan Frankel recommends to include in your home invasion survival plan:

Tip #1: Secure your home against intruders. The more you do to prevent an intruder from gaining entry into your home, the better the chance of preventing a home invasion. Important home security measures are as follows:

• Treat all vulnerable windows with glass protection film. 
• Replace entry doors with hollow cores with solid wood or metal doors.
• Reinforce standard door hinges with 3″ steel screws.
• Equip your main entry doors with a heavy-duty deadbolt.
• Install a quality security door brace at the base of entry doors that swing inward. Look for one that can withstand at least 1700 pounds of pressure.
• NEVER open the door to a stranger and ensure every member of your household follows this rule. Educate children about the potential dangers and provide specific instructions on what to do if they hear the doorbell ring or a knock at the door. 
• Set up an outdoor wireless surveillance camera so you can see who is at your door or on your property at any given time. 
• Speak to delivery people through your locked door and ask that they leave packages on your doorstep. 
• Place solid wooden dowels or metal bars in the tracks of windows and sliding glass doors to prevent them from being slid open. Install anti-lift devices in windows that slide up and down. 

Locked doors and windows are not enough to keep intruders out of your home. That is why home security devices such as a security door brace and protective glass security film is so important. These devices are specifically designed to make breaking in through a locked door or window extremely difficult. Breaking through such barriers requires multiple kicks and blows, increasing the level of noise as well as the time required to gain entry. For the intruder, this extra noise and time equates into increased risk of being seen or apprehended, giving him reason to abort his plans. For residents like yourself, that extra noise and time serves as an intruder alert and provides a window of opportunity to call 911 and seek safety.

You can also install a security door brace on doors to rooms or closets that you’d like to use as a safe room in emergency situations. This can help protect you and your family from an intruder while you wait for law enforcement to arrive. 

Tip #2: Decrease your risk of being targeted by home intruders with a few strategic crime deterrents. Criminals look for homes that appear as easy targets, which are often those homes that appear unprotected. Some of the most effective ways to deter criminals from targeting your home are as follows:

• Install wireless motion-activated surveillance cameras around the perimeter of your property. Ensure the system has a portable LED monitor that allows you to view video feed from any room in your home.
• Display signs that communicate your home is monitored by an alarm or surveillance system around the perimeter of your property.
• Display “Beware of Dog” signs (even if you don’t have one) near property entry points. The bigger and fiercer the breed the better. 
• Install outdoor motion-activated LED security lights around your home. The brighter the light the more effective it will be at startling intruders and invoking their instinct to flee the scene.

Tip #3: If ever confronted by an intruder, stay calm and think logically. This is one of the most difficult things to do during an emergency situation, which is why securing your home to prevent a break-in is such a critical first step. However, should your best efforts fail and you find yourself face-to-face with an intruder, keeping a level head can increase your chance of surviving the ordeal. Some of the things to keep in mind during a home invasion are as follows:

• Look for windows of opportunities. Whether it be to escape, dial 911, or physically overcome an intruder, keeping a level head can help you better identify these life-saving opportunities. 
• Dialing 911 does not mean you have to speak to the operator. Simply dial the number and maintain an open line for as long as you can without the intruder knowing. If you are able to dial 911 on your cell phone, place it in your pants pocket or under a nearby sofa, pillow, or bed. Even if the operator cannot hear anything, the operator is required to dispatch a deputy to the scene of the call. Saying things like “Take whatever you want” and “Please don’t hurt us” will communicate important information to the dispatcher about the situation. If calling from a landline, your address will automatically appear on the 911 call screen. Calls from cell phones can also relay your home address if properly set up. Ensure everyone in your home knows how to dial 911 and setup an auto-dial button for 911 on any landline phone.
• Do not fight with an intruder over personal possessions. Nothing in your home is worth risking your life over.
• Never pull a gun or another weapon on an intruder unless you are placed in a life-or-death situation. There are numerous stories about intruders overpowering residents and turning their own weapons on them. If you own a gun, take a gun safety course to ensure you know how to properly use it.
• Never willingly go to another location with an intruder, as chances are it will be the last place you ever go. 
• Never follow or attempt to apprehend an intruder that has left the scene. Immediately dial 911 and let the police deal with the perpetrator.
• If you find yourself in a situation where your only chance of survival is to fight, then FIGHT!

A home invasion is a terrifying crime that no one wants to experience. Yet, there will continue to be many residents that fall victim to these violent criminals every year. The best defense against becoming a victim of a home invasion is having multiple layers of security. If you have yet to develop a home security or home invasion plan, follow the tips of above. Your survival and the survival of your family may depend on it one day.