77 How can I defend my home in a rural area under survival and disaster conditions?

In survival manuals, much attention is given to home defense and survival for urban and suburban areas. But the rural homestead or farm is not immune to raiding and looting by criminal groups and desperate refugees during a truly massive and extended catastrophe. Constant alertness, preparation, and proactive intervention are key elements.

Alertness

• Once it is evident that law and order have broken down and the possibility of assault is evident, the survivalist must establish an around-the-clock watch schedule.

• Long continuous watch shifts are difficult to sustain, and alertness tends to dwindle after three to four hours. Try to set up watch schedules with no more than four hours on and at least twelve hours off. This can be maintained indefinitely without overly fatiguing anyone.

• If at all possible, have two people on each watch to ensure that no one falls asleep. That makes for a total of eight able-bodied lookouts.

• If you do not have enough people for an effective around-the-clock watch, you should hide away from obvious targets such as cabins or tents so that you are not trapped or surrounded.

• Consider having one member pack up and sleep in hiding about fifty to one hundred yards away from the main camp, at a location where he or she can alert or rescue the others from intruders.

• Night-vision equipment is an excellent investment for rural defense at night. Acquiring this gear should be a high priority.

• The sentry’s duty is to give warning of the presence of a threat and its nature, direction, and distance as soon as possible. It is preferable that a radio or other silent method is used to alert the group of the threat so that the intruder is not aware of being detected.

• Dogs and alarm devices can greatly enhance warning capability.

Defensive Preparations

• Intruders will probably come from roads and trails from the direction of high-population areas, so be especially observant of these routes and directions.

• Remove mailboxes and signs from roads that may attract intruders.

• If possible, camouflage access roads and driveways with branches and debris.

• Preestablish well-camouflaged defensive positions with trenches, sandbags, and logs.

• Rural defense requires the possession of effective, long-range rifles with high-capacity magazines and a large supply of ammunition.

• Maintain fencing around the close defense perimeter, but do not depend on it alone.

• During times of danger, keep vehicles out of sight from the road, and keep lights off or blanket windows at night so as not to attract attention.

• Plan for various scenarios including single assailants, group assaults, and nonaggressive refugees, and know how to withdraw and evacuate as a last resort.

• Of course, your basic survival preparations should already have stocked enough water, food, and other supplies for a prolonged stay at home.

• One of the most effective preparations you can make is to establish a mutual defense arrangement with neighbors in advance. Such cooperation would confer a huge survival advantage against aggressive looters and gangs in a prolonged catastrophe.

Proactive Intervention

• The group must have preplanned actions for each intrusion situation.

• If it appears that the intruders intend to just pass by without approaching your location, let them do so without exposing your defenses and numbers, but be aware that they may double back or circle around to assault from a different direction or after dark.

• If the approaching group does not appear aggressive, they should be challenged from a concealed and protected location. They should be told to go on their way and that you are armed and will not permit harm to yourself or your family. Do not expose your entire group or weapons. An unknown force is much more likely to discourage aggression and is much better able to fight if necessary.

• Warning shots and threats show weakness, may initiate an unnecessary battle, and may even attract more trouble.

• If the intruders are armed and deploy for an obvious assault, you are justified in executing an ambush before they can besiege your home or camp. A preemptive surprise may be your only chance against a superior number.