Defending the Home
by Robert W. Lee
The plight of Wilmette, Illinois homeowner Hale DeMar shows both the importance of being armed and the unfairness of today’s gun laws and criminal-justice system.
http://www.thenewamerican.com/tna/2004/03-22-2004/defending.htm
Here’s some (not all, thankfully; some of the 911 dispatchers are great people) of what we have working for us at our American police stations these days:
Clermont, Florida police 911 dispatcher Lorraine Stanton was fired in May as the result of bad performance reviews, not counting an incident on her last weekend. A woman called to report seeing a man wanted by police. But Stanton was not helpful:
“OK, that person would have to come to the police station, and we would have to check. When they come in, they’d have to bring ID.”
When the caller asked why a wanted man might voluntarily turn himself in, Stanton replied: “Ma’am, that’s the only way we can check.”
Source: Chuck Shepherd, Universal Press Syndicate
So remember, if some dark night intruders break into your home and threaten you, 911 dispatchers like Lorraine Stanton are standing by, waiting to help you—if you can make the call, that is. If home invaders don't cut your phone line first before they enter your home. We can either put our faith in the invisible, in the “helpers” like Stanton, or we can learn our states’ gun laws, go to the local shooting range, take some lessons and learn to defend our own homes.
Defending The Home Against Nature
Home Can Be Built To Survive Disaster
There's a house in Deerfield Beach, Fla., that an insurance company designed to withstand a catastrophic storm. The house is fairly ordinary looking, and would blend into most neighborhoods, but it is built to be one of the best places to protect yourself during a storm.
"This home was built for a Category 5 hurricane," said Jim Mathie, division chief in the Deerfield Beach Fire Department.
All over the home there are reinforced walls and trusses.
"The nails are every two inches, (and the doors) have additional horizontal bracing," Mathie said. "What they've done when they built this is, they've added trusses, and we're not talking about a whole lot of money."
Window samples show which glass breaks easily and which kind doesn't. The impact-resistant glass in the house's window frames is modified glass made to stop high-speed flying objects.
"The advantage is, you don't have to worry about it if you're on vacation," Mathie said. "When (the storm) comes, you don't have to hurry back. It's already here."
Mathie shook his head in frustration at images on display showing poorly designed roofs and windows without shutters. Lack of preparedness and lack of preparation contribute to a disaster, he said.
"We can also have what we call 'hurricane amnesia,' where people just forget," Mathie said.
If you live in Florida or plan to visit there, it's possible to visit the disaster survival house. For information, call (954) 429-0830. Experts give tours and classes on weekdays to adults and children on how to prepare for a catastrophic storm.
http://www.nbc4.tv/houseandhome/3692522/detail.html
Losing Your Dream Home
In a federal lawsuit, Margaret Wragg says she was the victim of fraud and racial discrimination in a classic case of what's known as housing "flipping." Her opponents say that she was treated fairly and is blaming them for her mistakes, including taking a mortgage she could not afford. It is, in short, a case study in what many housing experts say is an increase in complaints of housing fraud, abusive and predatory lending practices, phony appraisals and even outright thefts of deeds, as home prices have soared and interest rates have fallen.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/17/realestate/17COV.html
Make Home Savvy, Secure
By Chris Madden
Scripps Howard News Service
Whether during the holidays or throughout the year, I believe our homes are the places we want to be. After all, our homes speak volumes about us -- our passions, collections, pastimes and pleasures.
Home is also the place where we feel the most comfortable and relaxed, where we love to entertain family and friends, where we keep our favorite things.
But our havens are also the places where we should feel the most safe -- secure in the knowledge that our family, home and possessions are protected from intruders, accidents, carbon monoxide and fire -- and that our homes are also safe for little people and the elderly.
Here are some important safety considerations for your home -- to help make sure you and your loved ones are not only comfortable but safe in your havens:
• Foil a thief: The National Crime Prevention Institute (NCPI) says that burglars will usually work no longer than 60 seconds to gain entry. That means, the longer you can keep them at bay, the greater the chance that they'll give up and go away.
Make your barriers secure; always --
1. Lock doors and windows. Doesn't everybody? Not according to the NCPI, which says that 89 percent of residential burglaries are through unlocked doors or windows.
2. Make sure door locks are adequate with dead bolts that extend at least 1 inch.
3. Install motion-detector lights around your property and keep shrubbery low -- the old, "no place to hide" strategy. (Editor's note: Romans and other ancient peoples made sure the shrubbery by windows was thorny to deter thieves.)
4. Get a dog. We have two Westies, Winnie and Lola, who bark whenever anybody approaches the house.
5. Stay alert and never let anyone into your home unless you are completely comfortable with him or her.
6. Ask your neighbors to keep "an eye out" when you're away.
7. Don't hide your key in your mailbox, under the mat or above the door frame. Never leave keys, cash or valuables in obvious places. The longer thieves have to search, the greater the chance they'll just give up.
8. They're not for everyone, but if they'll make you feel the most secure, install an alarm or a camera at the door.
• Carbon monoxide -- the silent killer: A byproduct of combustion, carbon monoxide is present whenever fuel burns, so it can be a hazard in any home with a gas or oil furnace, water or space heater, gas oven, clothes dryer or wood-burning stove.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends annual furnace checkups, installation of a CO detector, and if the alarm sounds and anyone in your family is experiencing symptoms of CO poisoning such as headaches or nausea, call your local emergency number and evacuate the premises.
• Fire protection: According to John Viniello, president of the National Fire Sprinkler Association, more and more residential homebuilders are installing sprinkler systems -- they're not just for public spaces any more -- and in many cities, ordinances are making them mandatory.
"When you're building a home, for about the same price as a carpet upgrade you can install a sprinkler system," says Viniello. "The added cost is about $1-$1.50 per square foot."
Check out the Web site, http://www.NFSA.org for a list of certified residential sprinkler installers in your state.
If you're not ready for a sprinkler system, install a smoke detector -- the minimum requirement to help alert household members before they become trapped or overcome by smoke. And the next essential step is to plan with your family what each is to do if the alarm sounds.
Draw up an escape route for each family member, discuss alternate routes, how to open windows and rooftop evacuations. Have rope window ladders handy. Plan a meeting place for when everyone gets outside.
Make sure the family knows that if there is a real fire, they should take these precautions: Close doors behind them as they exit. If trapped, they should stuff towels, sheets or throw rugs at the top and bottom of doors to keep out smoke.
• Baby steps: Take a close look at your home from a child's perspective and consider all potential hazards -- objects that can go in a mouth, sharp corners, steep staircases, exposed electrical outlets, lamp cords, unlatched cabinets, poisonous plants, top-heavy shelves. Try to think one step ahead of your little one or young visitors -- no easy task -- and use common sense:
Remove drycleaning bags immediately, keep all chemicals, cleaning supplies and medicines locked up, put away the potpourri, install bath mat and spout guard in the tub. And remember, nothing takes the place of close adult supervision in the home.
• Keep a first-aid kit handy; a kitchen drawer is usually a convenient spot, and be sure every family member knows the location and how to use the products within. Replenish or renew supplies as necessary. Add a list of doctors' phone numbers and emergency numbers, or post them by all phones in the house.
http://www.cincypost.com/2005/01/01/safe010105.html
Taser Said To Target Home Use
Taser is planning to market its stun gun for home use -- an idea garnering criticism from human rights groups and others concerned about the product's safety, according to a report Feb. 14, 2005 in the Chicago Tribune.
More at http://www.rense.com/general63/taser.htm
A Lesson on the Need for a Home Inventory
http://millennium-ark.net/NEWS/06_USA/060131.home.inventory.html
http://www.latimes.com/business/investing/la-fi-perfin29jan29,1,6753957.column?coll=la-utilities-business-money