There are many things you can do in order to make your home less attractive to intruders. The truth remains however, that there are times when nothing you do will affect whether or not your home will be invaded. It could merely be a moment of chance and your home happened to be in the wrong place on the wrong night of the week. In moments like these, it often doesn’t matter whether anyone is home or not. The intruders are going to take what they want and do not care who is harmed in the process.
In larger homes that have a lot of ground to cover and many amenities to tempt invaders one increasingly common safeguard is the installation of what is known as a panic room. These rooms are designed as a safe retreat within the home in which the family can meet and be protected from the intruders until help arrives.
The idea of a panic room, while relatively new to the average household has been a common theme for homes of the wealthy and famous for quite a while. We are seeing more and more ‘normal’ homes in America that have these rooms installed however in recent years and the primary reason is the safeguarding of family members in a ‘worst case scenario’.
Unlike the recent movie “Panic Room” starring Jodie Foster, the average home panic room isn’t designed to hold off intruders for an indefinite amount of time but merely to delay them from harming the family until help could arrive. Phones are a necessity in these rooms or at the very least a cell phone that has a signal and can place outgoing calls is a necessity.
Most panic rooms are very basic and not meant to hold a large number of people for more than a small amount of time. They are essentially safes that are built inside the home that can hold people (as well as some valuables though the purpose of the protection of life rather than property).
For those who are handy or in the process of designing their own homes, it is quite possible to incorporate a safe room within your home if you are willing to sacrifice some space in order to do so. The average low-tech version of a panic room does not require copious amounts of money or technical knowledge. You are not creating a fortress merely a safe place within your home where your family can hide in the event of an emergency intrusion.
Plans can be found online for those who can do the work of building a panic room themselves and should be closely followed. It is amazing the amount of protection and security that a room such as this can provide for your family. The peace of mind alone is well worth the investment in many cases.
If you incorporate a panic room into your home security plans then you should also take the time to make sure that it is stocked with essentials. Those essentials would be some sort of seating or cushioning, water, non-perishable snacks in case you need to be in the panic room for quite a while, and blankets. You should also make sure that a cell phone makes into the room along with family members.
Try to escape the home if possible. If escape is out of the question your panic room should be a safe alternative for the family. Make sure whenever possible that police are called immediately as they will do more to deter or limit the amount of time invaders are willing to spend within the walls of your home.
Remember to try to keep your calm despite the need to panic. The cooler you keep your mind in this situation the more likely you are to make it through the moment safely and, more importantly, keep your family safe.
Panic Room
You may have seen the movie Panic Room and you may have wondered if people really have these rooms in their homes. Surprisingly, you may find that some homes do in fact have a panic room, and many of them have had them for a long time.
They may have started out back when people tried to build their own bomb shelters in case of nuclear attack, but I’m really not sure. For the most part, people how have them today have them for reason of security, but they would never tell you that they have one.
If you live in a large house, and have a lot of money, you may fear that you are a target for home invasion and burglary. Though I am not one of these people, I can understand the need to have a panic room, and the feeling of security it might give.
For the most part, these rooms are near the sleeping area and are hidden from view with a door that is virtually impenetrable. The size may vary, and they are sometimes not included in the blue prints for security reasons.
You don’t have to be rich to have panic room, because there are other reasons why people have them. Some live in a crime-ridden area but don’t want to give up their homes. A panic room can help them feel a little better about having a place to go if something were to go wrong.
The main appeal of a panic room is that there is a place you can go to be safe if someone is in your home, and you don’t have to worry about them finding you when or if they search your house.
If you want to have a panic room, you should talk to a contractor about having one built. At the very least, the room’s door should be the most secure you can buy, and should be able to be hidden in some manner. You want to have food and water in your panic room, along with a telephone so that you can call if you need help.
A source of electricity might be a good idea so you can keep up with the news if there is something happening in your neighborhood. If you have children, make sure they know where the room is and what to do if something where to happen so they can get there quickly and safely.
Hello, lovely readers! I’m Sheila Collins, and I’m delighted to be your trusted guide on this exciting journey of home improvement, design, and lifestyle. As the founder and editor-in-chief of Home Guide Blog, I’m passionate about all things related to homes, and I’m here to share my knowledge, experiences, and insights with you.
