What do you think of the advice in this video Lee? I watched the full-length version and found some of it useful. To wit, I now always put my fully charged cell phone next to bed and I didn't used to.
Overall, this is somewhat standard advice for these situations. As I've been pondering my planned thread on this topic, I find that the generic information here is fairly safe, but largely incomplete. Since over 99% of home alarm signals are false, they actually receive low priority from responders, unless you've contracted a private armed response service. Regardless, an intruder can kill your whole family and take some valuables before most quick responders arrive. Therefore, it does make sense to have a plan. The cell phone idea is excellent, and I was going to include this in my thread. Where we have a gap in information on this video is discussing the presence of kids or other family members in other rooms. Since this is not an unusual situation, it's vital to include this factor in our planning if we have others in the home. Barricading ourselves in the bedroom leaves our children unprotected and alone, unacceptable. Even without any training, most all parents would brave the exposure and move to protect/acquire their children. So, the tactics involved should be considered in the "home invasion planning" process. You'll notice the "defend yourself as well as possible" leaves a great deal to the viewer (perhaps purposely beyond the scope of the short video, but also because self defense is still quite a hot button despite castle doctrine laws). I would include a high-quality flashlight capable of at least 200 lumen output. You can find a huge selection at:
www.batteryjunction.com
I have no affiliation with this company, but have purchased and received good service from them. The flashlight can blind an attacker and ruin his night vision for several seconds, allowing you to move toward escape or move to attack him while he is fairly defenseless. Some excellent flashlights offer "strobe" capability, which can disorient the intruder even more and make it difficult for him to pinpoint your location. Many modern tactical squads use strobes effectively in structure clearing.
If you do barricade yourself in your bedroom, you must understand that calling 911 will bring police to your locked door (unless that is the entry point). I recommend having a glow-in-the-dark keyring with a key to your front door in your bedroom. In this manner, you may throw the keyring out the window and tell the 911 operator where the key is located. This will save police from smashing down your door and also save a great deal of time. Be sure to tell the 911 operator your exact location in the home, the number of people they are coming to protect, the number of intruders if you have an idea, and whether you are armed. Stay on the phone with the operator (or your spouse, etc. if you are armed and covering a doorway or hall) to alert them to any movement of the intruder(s) and if they have left the home. It has been a positive defense for use of deadly force for the entire event to be audible, such as when the intruders attempt to enter the bedroom and are fired upon, etc.
Have an escape plan. Not only is an escape plan from your bedroom at night necessary, but also plans that cover your other typical locations in the home: watching TV, cooking, etc. You know your own home better than anyone, so view your home from the eyes of the criminal. How would you get in? If a criminal is detected entering via any of your identified points, have an escape plan that doesn't involve crossing paths with them. Think about objects in each room in your home that you could employ as makeshift weapons to strike the intruder, throw at them, barricade doorways to give you more time to escape, etc. Once you've done this planning, you'll have these thought-process skills that can assist you in any location at home or away.
I hope this short discussion has shed more light on this challenge. Home invasion is a serious deal, and as responsible citizens, we should be prepared to deal with such eventualities.
Lee