Posted by sappnasty: Then I finish clearing the house until there is no longer a threat...maybe even check the perimeter of my house just to make sure. That's what I would hope we could do.
Well, that does answer the OP's question,
So how would you handle it?
...for at least one person, and we have seen that a few others do seem to agree.
However, it does not address this:
I'm trying to learn things here so if I'm wrong, please inform me of what to do differently.
This question is asked time and again, and there are
always those who seem to believe that grabbing a gun and going after the source of a worrisome sound is the thing to do, as if the gun will somehow prevent them from being ambushed, or make them invulnerable to gunfire. However, the overwhelming weight of informed opinion indicates that that is usually not the thing to do, after one's loved ones are in a place of safety.
In post #79, I referred to the fact that one's knowing the layout of his own home has not proven to offset the tactical disadvantage that one assumes when he leaves a position of safety.
In response to this,
But, my house that I live in, and know where I know every stick of furniture, every nook and and every cranny? That I've walked and rehearsed the scenario countless times such that I can do it literally blind folded, and that I own? Well that one I'm going to clear.
...hso posted this on THR last year:
I helped teach a defensive handgun course that involved a shoot house and simunition. I knew every little angle and hiddey-hole in the place because I helped build it and I "lived" in it over and over again as the BG in the scenarios. The lead instructor and I would sometimes act as home invaders in scenarios instead of BGs already in the house waiting for the homeowner to come hunting through the place. Even though it was "our" house we would find ourselves taking hits because there just is no way to cover all the angles by yourself. Regardless of whether you know the position of ever stick of furniture and every shadow there just isn't any way to pick LEFT and RIGHT at the same time as your FIRST direction to look. The idea that you can safely clear your own home by yourself is self delusion. Try running a shoot house sometime and then try to make it through with someone unfamiliar with the place in it. It's sobering.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=6569071&postcount=70
This is one of dozens of similar posts from trainers, people who have taken FoF training in the subject, and sworn officers whose duties have includes clearing structures.
One can find them by searching here on THR and on
The Firing Line.
Should one still insist that he knows better, or that his skills are far superior to those of others, and should he or she not want to invest in relevant FoF training using simunitions, an investment in a few Airsoft guns and some role playing should prove very enlightening.
That would be a lot better than finding out while using real bullets, I think.
The idea of putting in a video surveillance system is a good one. A properly thought out system could confirm whether or not there is anyone in the house and possibly identify them, allow one to communicate where they are to first responders, and provide a heads up regarding whether and when shooting is about to be required.