Securing Grandma's House

K

Kurt

New member
Well, it's not really Grandma!

My wife has a friend who lives in a neighborhood that is part of the immediate suburbs of a New England city that has seen better days. We talked with her this weekend and she's suddenly become concerned about drive-by shootings.

This friend is not about to move and her neighborhood really is pretty sound. On the other hand, there have been some recent "incidents" that have given her cause for concern.

This woman lives on a main road and her house is not very far back from the street. She is concerned about stray bullets. I don't know that her fear is well founded; but it is genuinely her fear!

My question, her question, is: are there protective measure she might take to secure her home from potential stray gunfire? She has a picture window that looks out to the main street and has become afraid of sitting in the living room.

She likes her neighborhood, has no intention of moving, but would like to have greater peace of mind. She is not a "gun person"; but she would like to find a way to "batten down the hatches"! Are there any books on the subject of "hardening" a normal house?

I thought you guys might have some ideas. Any suggestions that might be of help would certainly set her mind at ease!

Thanks for the help!

Best regards,

Kurt
Any ideas would certainly be
 
Kurt, I'm not an expert - just a civilian who considers these things from time to time. I'm probably going to tell you things you already know, and some things that are not directly on point but I think she should review.

First, whether she wants to move or not, she should try to get a feel for how the neighborhood is truly changing. If the trend is bad, getting out earlier instead of later is smart, IMHO. At least here in the west, it's a good real estate market ...

But to take her at her word, she should first take some standard security steps. Double key deadbolts on all doors, secured with long screws that penetrate well into the supporting lumber. Peepholes on all doors, as appropriate. No clear glass next to the door - you can have it sandblasted so a BG can't see through when she answers the door. A security system, so if a BG enters during the night she has a chance to realize the threat and respond; and, the alarm obviously helps with burglaries during the day. Trim shrubs / trees aways from doors and windows - want any BG's to be obvious. Solid exterior doors - any weak ones should be replaced, and less secure places like side garage doors can even be replaced with commercial metal doors and metal frames. Motion detector exterior lights. Dowells in the sliding door / window channels, and screws in the tops of the frames to prevent the door / window from being lifted out of its frame. Get her utility box(es) secured so no one can cut her phone line or power - just in case, keep a cell phone in the bedroom. And, buy a dog or two - two keep each other company. Dog's do help, in my experience.

She should take a defense course - those specificaly for women in AZ cost around $150, take a Saturday and Sunday, and include firearms training as well as unarmed defense. And, of course, as long as she is comfortable with the decision to shoot to defend her own life, she should buy a good gun. One she can hit with, consistently. IMHO, if she is not comfortable with that decision, she should not have a gun.

If it's driveby's she's really focused on (which I think is too limiting), the ultimate is to sleep in a cast iron bathtub. No kidding - but if it's that bad, I'm back to asking why won't she move? In lieu of that, there are types of glass / plastic composite that are bullet proof / resistant. I saw them here in a security store called 'Spy Headquarters'. Very expensive - for a large picture window I would think you'd be talking in the thousands of dollars. Also, if the house is frame, she could have some masonry trim installed in the front to at least make the home's siding more resistant to gunfire. Finally, she can sleep in a back bedroom - more material between her and the bullets. She can make that room a 'safe' room as well. Perhaps some additional material (block) in the walls towards the street, solid core interior door, and a deadbolt on that door. I don't know of any books addressing the specific question of 'hardening' a home against driveby's. Her local LEO's can probably give her some tips, and they'll probably be willing to inspect her home as well, from a security standpoint.

I know I've covered a lot more that you asked, but I find the question somewhat puzzling. I gather you do too.

[This message has been edited by Jeff Thomas (edited 02-01-99).]
 
If the city your wife's friend lives in has a CPOP program, get the police involved. Some things they may be able to do for her:

1) help organize a neighborhood watch (this gives the neighborhood political clout when asking for more resources from the city);

2) Better lighting in the streets at night (criminals don't like to be seen - especially when fleeing from a drive by);

3) Make it difficult for vehicle navigation by use of speedbumps and barricades. The Independent Working Proleterian Peoples' Paradise of Berkeley, CA does that. Hard to do a drive by when you can't zip away at 50+mph or can't nimbly swerve around a crash barrier. I suppose it's Berkeley's way of encouraging use of bicycles for drivebys.

Admittingly, CPOP is nothing new and IMHO, it's just a natural part of normal policing with a new title. Putting a cop on a bicycle isn't CPOP. Having a cop work with the community in identifying resources to resolve a problem is. It's becomes a matter of helping the cop help you.

If there's an element which attracts unsavory types into the neighborhood with the collateral effect being unlawful ballistic discharges, identification and removal of that element is a goal of that CPOP officer.

Setting aside the community involvement bit and returning to hardpointing of the home, I suggest using plastic laminate film on window pane. While this won't stop a bullet, it'll reduce the danger of glass fragments. 3/4" laminate (ballistic) glass generally stops pistol caliber bullets, but it's expensive and the wall will probably need reinforcing to support the weight.

It's late and I must be babbling too much nonsense by now. G'nite all.
 
Off the top of my head consider this for the bay window : Steel louvered storm shutters !

Imagine the louvres being a bit like Tank deflective armour...hmmm...might work ?

------------------
"The Gun from Down Under !"
 
Agree with all previous entries & would add:

1) Be prepared for arguments against double-key deadbolts.
-- Fire Depts often recommend a knob on the inside deadbolt to facilitate fleeing in case of fire.
-- LEOs usually recommend double-key deadbolts so BG doesn't break in thru a window, unlock the deadbolt from the inside, and carry everything off.
-- I agree with Jeff & LEOs (double-key deadbolt) and satisfy the fire escape problem by leaving my keys in the inside deadbolt when I am home. That may not be an option for everyone.
-- IF there is a glass window in or near the door, leaving the key in the deadbolt may let BG reach thru by breaking a window. Therefore, as Jeff clearly stated, no glass in or near the door is wise.
-- Whether you leave the key in the deadbolt or not, you must ensure you have a system to wake you and warn you in case of fire as well as a practical means of escape in a smoky, toxic environment. (Include appropriate "alternative" escape routes, if needed.)
-- Remember to secure "doggie doors" and put re-bar (metal rods) thru studs between the vents near the floors in garage wall. (Believe it or not, a local group would tear off those little aluminum vents and shove their child thru the hole. The kid then opened a door or window to let "daddy-burglar" into the home.)

2) Properly trained neighbors can help. When I lived in the city, our elderly neighbor (widow, in her 70s), her son-in-law, and I worked out a rather thorough system.
-- He installed an alarm system (110v + battery back-up) that would respond to movement, heat (body heat and/or fire), or a panic button (battery-operated) that she kept on a chain around her neck. The system included loud alarms inside and outside the house and also a loud buzzer in my bedroom. (We lived next door. The buzzer wasn't really needed, but it gave her emotional support.)
-- Police response was slow at best in our neighborhood. They were undermanned and overworked and house alarms were a low priority because of too many false alarms.

3) We worked out the following system. If the alarms went off:
-- in case of intrusion, she would hide on the floor between her bed and the wall until I came to her bedroom window and called her by her first and maiden name (sort of a codeword). I would help her evacuate thru the window and we would wait (at a distance) for professional help.
-- in case of fire, she would just "get out" by the closest means (door or window).
-- if I saw no signs of fire and if she was not in her hiding place, I would assume she had a sudden, severe medical problem; use the spare key she had given me to get in, find her, render aid, & call appropriate emergency services.

BTW, the key to her house was on a key ring with a luggage tag showing her name, her address, and stating I and my family had proper access to her home. That was to show any arriving LEO that I was a GG (Good Guy)!

There was more to "our plan" (as we called it) involving identifying cars parked near our homes, visitors, etc. but you get the drift...

As you can see, this took a LOT of pre-planning and coordination. Luckily, her son-in-law (who lived far away) insisted that the three of us work out a viable plan.

The best news? We never had to use it. But she frequently told us of the "peace of mind" our plan provided.
 
Wow, thanks for some really great ideas! I've saved everyone's posts and will pass them along.

When I first said that my wife's friend lives in a neighborhood that has deteriorated, I may have "mis-spoke" and painted too bleak a picture. To be more accurate, the pocket suburb she lives in is doing pretty well; unfortunately, the city to which it is attached has truly gone to h-ll!

One of the main roads out of the city transits her area; which is what gives her cause for concern.

I think she saw an article in the paper about a "drive-by" and it really spooked her; particularly because of the picture window.
She was mainly interested in some type of ballistic glass; as some of you mentioned. She does have an alarm system and a cat!

Jeff, your excellent exposition covered a lot of ground and got me thinking about my own house. I've been meaning to replace a broken wood exterior door with an insulated metal door and you got me motivated.

You offer a lot of good advice and I think considering some masonry should be considered, in addition to the glass.

As for the general condition of the neighborhood -- I think she would tell you that the trend is up even though she has concerns that us country dwellers don't share.

Gary, I don't know about shooting from mountain bikes; but the best restaurant I ever went to is Chez Panisse in Berkeley - at least they've made it safe for food!

Dennis, your preparation and contingency planning was fascinating reading. I'm sure the neighbor and her son appreciated your dedication!

HS, louvers? Might work - but I think a tough sell esthetically!

Thanks for everyone's input. Please pass on any other ideas concerning "bullet-proofing" the glass -- I wish there was a "peel and stick, see through, bullet-proof mylar" that would be perfect for her!

Best regards,

Kurt
 
I have seen houses in my moms' 'hood with these really neat electrically-operated roller covers which come down and cover the window with a double walled metal cover. These units don't look bad, and one would be ideal for such a window. The lowered cover, plus the window glass, should greatly reduce a bullets' velocity. The vast majority of 'bangers are going to be firing their stylish "Nines" (9mm) or likely smaller calibers. But you do what you can, you know. Maybe a .45 or rifle-round will be fired, maybe not. With other windows (at night), make sure that a light source is closer to the windows' shades or curtains than are the people in the room. NO SILHOUETTES (sp) or projected-shadows! A solid-core door will stop most handgun rounds or greatly reduce their energy. An external glass/screen type door added-on would improve stopping-ability and make one more obstacle for a "critter" to overcome. A trick my mom uses at night is to CLOSE the doors to rooms she's not in, and to insert a light-bulb between the knob and door-frame. If the door is opened from inside, the light-bulb falls and breaks. Only the opening of the door will do this! Yet another option might be to have key-lock doorknobs which would allow "mom" or whoever to lock the unused doors at night or when away. You can have all of these locks keyed the same, with a key on a cute or stylish wall-hook right by each door. You'd have several keys on-hand, each fitting all of the inside locks. Just be sure to have a fire-escape plan and not lock-up too tight to prevent escape in time - regardless of the security measures employed! My own mom locks the doors to just the rooms in the "back" part of the house - those most likely to attract a burglars' efforts. She has attractive, yet very spiky, plants at key-spots by windows, and has assorted knick-knacks on window sills so that an intruder would make noise by knocking them over or trying to move them. Yet one more idea is to arrange bedroom furniture (if possible) so that a dresser or other object is between the "streetside" wall(s) and the bed. With such an arrangement, a sleeper is likely even-with or below the furnitures' top-surface. Sorry for the long post, but home-security doesn't need to cost a fortune. Remember, too, the critters want easy targets. They want the most stuff with the least risk or effort. Just the sight of some basic protective measures will clue the vermin that the target is WARY. Most will then seek prey elsewhere.
 
My parents love windchimes. It just so happens that two very lound ones are right next to the exterior doors. Open the door, the chime starts and goes for a minute or so...loudly.

That way they have time to get a sight picture and take the slack off the trigger...
 
For securing the glass in the house take a look at Shattergard, this is some impressive film that can be applied to the windows and it stops all kinds of stuff. They have a web site you can search for under shattergard, take a look very interesting and probably cheaper than polycarbonate windows or steel shutters.

BMB


[This message has been edited by BMB (edited 02-02-99).]
 
Sorry about the double post happened when I was correcting the original. ShatterGard is correct.

[This message has been edited by BMB (edited 02-02-99).]
 
BMB and Douglas in CT, thanks for the idea regarding Shattergard. They've even got ballistic tests on their web site. A little hard to believe, but I'm going to check it out further. Any direct experience with the company? They seem to be from Atlanta, GA - any of y'all in the south know these guys - is this for real?
 
Their claims seem to be true. I saw their products demonstrated in a magazine article and the results were good. I live close to Atlanta but have not been to see them yet, I have worked with other window films (not bullet proof but they were shatter resistant ) and believe they could do what they say with theirs.
 
3-M does sell a product that sticks to existing windows. All I know abuot this product is it's
advertised as a shadder resintent film.
 
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