While at a class on safety my course instructor said that we should designate a room in our home as a safe room. We were told to add a deadbolt to the door to the room and ensure that you have a flashlight in there, a knife, a gun and a safe place to put your family while the intruder(s) come to you. He said that bullet proof fabric could be used to make a safe place for your family while you defended them. I have no problem with this advice but I think that a deadbolt on a hollow-core door is useless. If you have solid doors then make sure the door hinge screws go into the wall framing rather than just the door frame. Also there are striker plates out there that are large and are used for the door knob and the deadbolt. Make sure this is installed with long screws too. Probably 3 inch screws should do the trick.
I would also put some 72 hour kits and water in there. Also add a 5 gallon bucket and some plastic bags in case nature calls. If you build one, make it a family secret---if your kids tell the neighbor kids, you lose the benefit of no one knowing about it, which is just as important as a deadbolt!
A couple years ago, safe rooms (a.k.a. panic rooms) were the “buzz” around the water cooler with the release of the movie “Panic Room,” starring Jodie Foster. Now again, with the recent mid-west tornadoes, safe rooms are making the news.
Safe Room Construction – How secure should it be?
These rooms are built to provide security for families in the case of terrorism, natural disasters, intruders, or any other type of personal danger. Building a new safe room is a wise DIY home improvement, providing the homeowner some added peace of mind. Panic rooms are often thought of as impenetrable rooms with indestructible walls and doors. Realistically, it only needs to be structurally sound, and secure enough that your family can hide in, make some emergency phone calls, and keep intruders at bay. If you think about it, unless someone is purposefully out to hurt you, their intent is to get what they want, and out of the house as fast as possible. So, as long as you build the room strong enough to be a deterrent, you’re generally safe.
What to consider with safe-room construction:
• You will want the door and walls to provide as much resistance as possible. Certainly drywall attached to wood studs does not keep someone from putting their foot through it, but concrete would. You could add metal mesh in the walls to make them much more difficult to get through.
• A logical place to build your panic room is in a basement. Basements are notoriously good protection during natural disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes. The one downfall to a basement panic room is that in a chemical or biological attack, chemicals are heavier than air and would move to lower ground.
• It’s also wise to build a panic room without windows. A safe room with a window only provides an additional point of access. Don’t forget that without a window your safe room will need some form of ventilation.
• The door should be a solid material (steel would be best), and it should open outwards to make it more difficult to kick in. Most importantly, be sure that the door jamb is made of steel too. A couple dead bolts should do the trick, and be certain that the keys are kept inside the room where no one outside the room could find them.
• Another issue to plan for is sound. Your panic room should act as a good hiding place and sound proofing to keep burglars from hearing you while you call the authorities is essential.
What should I keep in my new room?
Be sure to think about what you want to store in your panic room, especially if you are in an unfortunate circumstance that requires staying more than a day. The following list is a good place to start:
• Water and plenty of it (The rule of thumb is one gallon per person per day. 5 gallon water containers for camping work well.)
• Food, non-perishable (canned) meats, fruits, and vegetables and be sure to include a can opener. You may also want to include some comfort foods such as candy, especially if you have children.
• First Aid Kit, including prescription drugs
• Bedding, such as sleeping bags and at least one change of clothes
• Hygiene supplies – including a 5 gallon bucket and plastic garbage bags to act as a substitute toilet (A room air sanitizer comes to mind here too.)
• Other tools and supplies such as a phone, battery operated radio, and flashlights
• Toys, books, and games
• Defensive weapons
• Telephone – preferably a land-line that won’t need re-charging
All of your family members should be made familiar with the room including when, and how it is to be used. If you have children, stress the importance of the room, and that its only function is for safety during an emergency, not for fun and games.
If you prepare you could also make this room your isolation room in case of pandemic, chemical, or biological attack. If it’s made to nuclear protection standards then it can cover all emergencies. If you want an all in one room, do some research to ensure it covers everything.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
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