Survival guides · Disasters

Secure Your Home

WHEN TO USE THISA long crisis, and you're staying put. Deter and get early warning — never confront.

1. Lock it down

   • Every door and window locked. Garage too.
   • Brace outside doors: a 2×4 or a sturdy chair wedged under the knob, at an angle to the floor.
   • Sliding door: a broom handle or dowel in the track.
   • Board ground-floor windows if it's that bad — 5/8-inch plywood and screws.

2. Early warning

   • Cans or bottles stacked inside doors — they fall and make noise.
   • Bells or wind chimes on gates.
   • A barking dog is one of the best alarms there is.
   • Cars in the drive say someone's home.

3. Stay low-profile

   • Cover the windows at night — light shows you have power and supplies.
   • Lids on pots; cook earlier in the day.
   • Keep supplies out of sight.

4. Your neighbors are your security

   • Check on the people around you.
   • Share what you know.
   • Take turns keeping watch.
   • A few households working together are far safer than any one house alone.

Sources: FEMA Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) · DHS Community Preparedness

General information to help in an emergency — not a substitute for training or professional care.