By Cecilio Andrade

With the intrusion already materialized inside the home, the alleged castle, we will consider two possible scenarios:

• The family is dispersed and separated
• The family is together or can meet quickly

Dispersed and separated

Without doubt the worst scenario to be in. This scenario depends to a large extent on the identification of intrusion, as well as the attitude of the intruders, which will allow us to propose an immediate and aggressive response.

The basic objective is to bring together each and every separated family member, securing them in a defensible zone or area, preparing to resist while calling the police or security agents.

Each member of the family must know and understand their roles in the event of this scenario. Likewise, the main defensive actor or actors of the family will have to possess the skills to execute an aggressive and immediate response with or without self-defense tools.

This is a very scary scenario, as the main effort is to quickly, effectively and aggressively reach to the separated family members as soon as possible. Tactical movements become secondary issues when you hear the screams of a child, spouse or other loved one.

Together

Given this scenario, the main defensive actor must gather family members in a safe area, usually a room, contact law enforcement and/or security authorities, as he prepares to wait for help while defending the safe area with available tools.

Once again, all family members should have designated roles; one person calling the police, another bringing the children or other family members together, and one of the head of household defends everyone with a home defensive weapon.

I do not intend, with these articles, to capture all that implies in an effective defense of our home and family, I try to create a basic and very general scheme, hoping to provide the readers with the basis to be able to generate their own home defense structure.

The effective defense of our castle and our loved ones requires planning, security mentality and proactive attitude; otherwise we will become one more statistic at the end of the fiscal year.