Did I do the right thing?

[Spec ops Grunt]

I'm home alone on valentine's day. My parents are out eating and my brother is at a friends house. So it just turned dark and I'm watching tv in the living room.

I then hear a loud banging noise from around the back door, and the dogs start barking, at first I briefly take note of it and think nothing of it. It happens again, and then, a third time. At this point I am extremely unnerved. I go to my room to retrieve my shotgun, knife and flashlight.

While loading my shotgun I hear it again. I then go and let the dogs out and I go around back with them to investigate.

The wind had caught the screen door and was slamming it against the wind. But at that point the thought enters my head that someone entered from the back door while I was in the front.

I proceed to go in the front door and do a room-by-room clearing of the house, nothing.

My question is did I do the right thing or am I paranoid?

 

[Keegan]

If you were nervous that someone could be in the house and you know you're home alone, there's nothing wrong with making sure the house is empty. As long as it's just to calm your nerves, and you know there's probably no one there. If you had real reason to believe that someone entered the house and could still be there, it would probably be wiser to leave the house and call the police.

 

[Stirling XD]

Sounds like you're just being cautious. If something gets my dog's attention, it get's my attention. Just make sure you excercise good judgement when you're clearing the house. You may be alone now, but there are family members that could come home any time. If you really think that someone is trying to break in, leaving your castle is probably not the best stratagy. You may not know what is waiting for you outside. Inside, you have the home field advantage and possibly the element of surprise. But I don't think you are paranoid.

 

[Eyesac]

While loading my shotgun I hear it again

That I wouldn't leave for an emergency....

 

[Treo]

Only Two Things I'd Do Different

Really three I guess
First I'd check the noise the first time I heard it.
Second skip the knife.
Third an unloaded gun is useless the shot gun would STAY loaded .
other than that you did good.

 

[chris in va]

I tell you what, people may call you paranoid in this world, but until something like that happens, they just don't KNOW how scary it can be.

You did fine. I'd suggest getting those door jammers for a little more peace of mind.

 

[Devonai]

Feeling a little silly is better than feeling a lot of shot. I might not have cleared every room in my house after that, but I'd definitely put my pistol on my belt and kept the lights on for a couple of hours.

 

[Fred Fuller]

We believe in 'using enough dog,' and our dogs stay in the house much of the time. Dogs you have to 'let out' might not be much help in the portable alarm sense or in the bite-the-intruder sense either. Keep your dogs handy.

Searching a house alone where you really believe there are intruders is not a good plan IMHO. Try it again with a friend or two and a couple of Airsofts (with proper protection of course). The experience will be educational.

Paranoid? No. Better safe than sorry, but safER is better. Get the most out of your dogs, and use your house to its best advantage in the defensive sense of the word. Watching Louis Awerbuck's Safe At Home video and taking the NRA Personal Protection In The Home course (or watching the available course DVD) will help you in that regard.

http://www.paladin-press.com/detail.aspx?ID=1500

http://www.nrahq.org/education/training/basictraining.asp

http://www.nracentral.com/nra-personal-protection-training.php

Stay Safe,

lpl/nc

 

[abrink]

Well what if you'd heard it and there actually was someone there?

It's better to be safe than sorry!

 

[Devonai]

I took his name to be a clever moniker seeing as there's really no such thing as a "spec-ops grunt." If you're that sensitive about "Chairborne Rangers" I suggest you stay off the internet.

Even if he was a high speed, low drag serious operator with filed down teeth, it never hurts to run an After-Action Review.

 

[Keegan]

His user name is explained in his signature.