The 4 D's of Homestead Security ~Epi-45

Today we are talking about homestead security.

It's a topic that is left out of a lot of "mainstream" permaculture design books - and really its hardly mentioned at all as a design consideration. We live in a weird time, when for just a few short generations, and then only for a select few people, we've been able to delegate our security to "the authorities" (911, the cops etc).

We are quickly heading into disruptive, turbulent and hard economic times - with that comes an increase in crime - we are already seeing it, and have been for quite a while in urban areas. Even if you're out in the sticks, perhaps even more so, you need to be in charge of your own homestead and home security.

Security is something that some people can go their whole life without ever thinking about - amazing but true. But when you NEED security, you NEED IT IMMEDIATELY. Far faster than any emergency responder can get there. So it has to come from us - by our own design, mindset and environment.

Today we discuss the 4 D's of Homestead Security as I'm calling them - Deter - Detect - Delay - Defend. I did not make this up, but I don't know where or if I heard it from someone, but it is the framework I am using as we fix up our current old farmhouse, and it is the framework I recommend to all of my clients when thinking about homestead security from a design perspective.

Deter
- OBJECTIVE: To decrease the likelihood of being attacked/invaded/intruded or aggressed upon.
- METHODS:
  - Relocation - MOVE somewhere where this is less likely!
  - Appearance - make your homestead uninviting to criminals
  - Awareness - let the criminal know that they are being monitored - signs for cameras, beware of dog, home security monitoring etc.
  - Access - fences, gates, walls and what goes on them and plantings around the house the deter someone from even trying to get sneaky.
Detect
- OBEJCTIVE: To be alerted sooner rather than later when someone enters your property or approaches your home.
- METHODS:
  - Dogs
  - Motion-activated cameras, doorbell cameras etc. linked to your phone.
  - Peep Hole - cheap and effective!
  - Acoustic warnings from various access points:
    - Bells on gates, doors
    - Loud vegetation around perimeter of property or home or barring easy access through windows etc.
  - Window Monitoring Alarms - generally call out to a monitoring company if a window is broken.
Delay
- OBJECTIVE: TO slow down an intruder once they have made the decision to enter your property or home - to buy you more time to respond effectively!
- METHODS:
  - Distance - from road, driveway or publicly accessed area - paired with early detection!
  - Gates & Fences - locked gates, sharp fences, electric fences
  - Doors
    - Amored Door Jambs - we used ArmorConcepts.com
  - Anti-Kick Plates
    - HavenLock
    - Night Lock
  - Windows
    - bars or security film (we used the 8 mil film from BDF)
      - Demo, demo, installation.
  - Safe Room: Have a plan and rehearse it that makes you an even harder target within your home.
Defend
- OBJECTIVE: To neutralize any threat to life or property.
- METHODS:
  - Owning a firearm and equally important being well trained in safe and effective operation and maintaining that skill regularly.
  - Dogs - if you get a dog that is purpose-bred for protection you have a human-seeking fur missile!