House clearing

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There is an old saying, "Never Ever Go to a Man, Always let a Man Come to You, the First Thing the Eye sees is Movement!" With that in mind it is best to wait for the Bad Guy to enter the Kill Zone of Your Ambush, this is where my shotgun comes in. I have cleared some of the houses my wife and I have lived in and one my sister in law lived in, Glock 34, 33 round magazine, mostly because I am stupid and was alarmed but not that alarmed, as I was not positive there was an intruder. It is very dangerous work, unless you isolate the sound, you clear not only rooms, behind and under furniture, but closets and attics and gargages and basements, and we all know what our basements look like! Plenty of cover and concealment everywhere to hide! Now YOU! are possibly walking into the kill zone of the bad guys ambush!
 
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I do not have a tactical house--it's a 1.5 story Cape Cod, so my kids are upstairs, while the master bedroom is on the first floor. I have no training in room clearing, but I'm not sure I'd have much choice in the matter, since I'm not inclined to abandon the kids to their fate.
 
Training.

There are some very reputable schools that will teach clearing techniques to non-mil and non-leo. They recognize that there is a need for it by those in situations when waiting for the cops isn't always an option. You may find yourself seperated from your family by bedroom arrangement and have to protect your children. You may come home from work to a burglary in progress, but your kids are inside with your spouse or a sitter. These situations are not overly likely, but they have happened.

If you can foresee any possible need for these skills, get training now. Get good training, expect to pay for it and most schools that will teach this require background checks.
 
C'mon guys. Do you honestly think that the officer who rolls on the call will actually have any training in house clearing?

There is no Super Secret Squirrel Stuff involved. It's basic concealment -there is no cover in a modern house- and movement. It's only tricky if there is more than one doing the clearing. Don't get me wrong, the pucker factor is pretty high. But, hey, that's life.
 
SWAT officers, their training and operations are based on the "T" for "team" - not as individual officers working alone. And my response reprinted here from a related thread:

I have had such training; it is not high tech. It is not neurosurgery. Most average people can find the sources of knowledge; then study, plan, equip, learn some basic skills, organize - and then use it and apply it in the form of minding their own castle. As needed or desired.

Remember that "clearing a room" in the context of SWAT teams is just one step in possibly many during one single scenario, and involves the integrated and overlapping function of each of several members as a team. Although much of the knowledge, skills and functions can be applied solo, there are other aspects of minding your own castle to consider.

Ideally you should own your castle for it to be considered truly your own, and this allows it to be the subject of some serious modification and rearranging, etc. The goal is to make it as friendly to it's master's safety as possible, and as unfriendly as possible to anyone who tries forced entry. Or having already entered, assist the master in seeking, dislodging or otherwise neutralizing an invader or invaders.

Simple things; real high tech gadgets such as small pocket telescoping inspection mirrors for looking around corners for example. Lighting that places your invader(s) at a disadvantage from certain approaches. Reflective objects situated in particular areas to allow some views otherwise involving substantial exposure and risk from a particular direction, hardened defensive positions etc. There a great number of ways to give you the advantage - even if you are renting.

Some other basic observations. Contrary to what apparently many here seem to think; the local PD will not respond to a "suspected" or "alleged intruder" call with a SWAT team - and might even send just a single officer. Who may or may not have had any training in "room clearing" whatsoever.

When your local PD finally arrives guess what; some, perhaps many of them, are going to want you to come outside and meet them. That means you may have to "clear" more than just a room or two to get out of your house to where they are.

If say you call the police, they take "five minutes" ( ) to get there, and about the time they arrive your badguy(s) panic and decide they are leaving and shooting starts you have the possibility that they may also run headlong into the local PD at a door, window etc with you in the line of fire behind them. If shooting starts and you decide to retreat, they might drive you like a game animal into the waiting guns outside. Now there is a further possibility that if the PD starts shooting you may have their bullets coming your way. Or their presence may mask your field of defensive fire - now you can not shoot in case you hit one of them.

IMO? Best to be prepared to handle suspected intruders yourself - or yourselves as applicable. Seek, study, learn, plan, organize, drill - be ready.

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http://ussliberty.org
http://ssunitedstates.org
 
Release my fearless Chihuaha to ferret out threats. If he goes nuts somewhere in the house, cell phone call to 911 giving my location and the last estimated position of intruder(s).

I live alone with no family to protect. There is not anything out there I'm willing to get into a lethal force confrontation over if such is possible to handle otherwise.
 
I beg to differ.

It's basic concealment

Wrong. There are certain techniques for allowing a field of view and or fire that are easily learned but require training and regular practice to maintain. Methods of approaching doorways, halls and stairwells need to be learned. Slicing the pie is great for viewing and clearing 90 percent of a room, how do you plan to go about entering the room and clearing the remainder?

It is indeed not rocket science, but it is a skill that must be meticulously learned and applied to be done correctly.
 
It must be semantics, but what you are describing is basic tactics, nothing advanced. Yes, it requires constant practice, but so does many other things we do in life. Now, small unit tactics are more difficult. Primarily because you are trying to not shoot each other.

A lot of basic tactis became advanced when schools learned they could get you to pay for another class. The general class should be labeled "remedial" and the advanced classes should be called "general" classes. But the cash cow would suddenly be put on a diet. But this is for a different discussion.

There is no correct way to go through a doorway, but there are definitely ways not to. It is always a gamble.

Use your senses. When something goes wrong, you probably know where the problem is. You do not need to clear the house when you react to the sound of the kitchen window breaking. You have a pretty good idea where problem is.

Now, if I come home and the front door is open, I may rethink this. But, if I am in the house when it happens I refuse to be cornered. I will fight on my terms, not theirs.

Edit to add: The chihuahua idea is actually a really good one, let the dog do the work.
 
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Like Shooter1, I too have cleared houses, warehouses, factories, junkyards and other places. In my younger days I also was involved in some tactical entries (I hate that term) working with drug units. It helps when you really do think you are secret squirell and impervious, anyone who has experienced the intesity of combat or professional crime fighting at some point will get a "I'm getting that MF and that's that" mentality, luck plays as big a part as professionalism, "getting mean" helps.

Would I clear my own house? Heck no! My kids live with their mom so it is me, the dogs and cat, and I still won't. Yeah it's my turf, let them come to me. I installed a metal door to the hall entrance leading to the bedrooms which I lock before getting into bed. Next to the bed is a Mossberg with a 25 round bandolier, a 10/22 and Single-Six and at least one .44 with 2 speedloaders and a pouch with another 25 rounds, also vest, two flashlights, water and raisins (energy depletes real quick when adrenaline is hammering). The animals sleep on my side of the metal door both for their protection and as my alarm, nothing protects you better than a dog protecting her / his territory (and as the owner, I am their territory even if I am the Alpha). If I need to be clearing the house, I figure I need to be shooting. My neighborhood is starting to fill with the wrong element and even as I write this at 23:49, the window's are shaking from the "BaBaBaBoom" as the gangsters cruise. I park my car on the side of the house where it will help deflect rounds if I need to shoot through the bedroom walls, it will help keep the neighbors safe.

I have yet to disconnect the 3 way switch so that only I can light up the hallway, and I need to put something that will deflect bullets coming my way. I believe it is a process and a mindset, like writing this and having the Mossberg next to me.

thexrayboy and rumble, you know you have a problem, don't stay in the mindset that the only solution is to go "Cowboy", stay home one day when everyone is gone and play out the scenerios, you will find your weaknesses and be better prepared for a solution. Those Halogen security lights that trip with movement in the right locations will temporary blind an intruder giving you an advantage, as will an intercom system described by Mas in his book "In the Gravest Extreme". There are also devices that hooked to the doorbell ringer that activate a growling dog, you could have some of those put on infra red devices that would operate the "dog" with movement toward the kids room, this with the blinding light would give you a fighting chance.

Most criminals wont attempt a home invasion on their own, expect two to four criminals involved, and they could be hyped and alert and these are night creatures who are used to being awake in the wee hours and most of us non-Zombies have our body clocks set to day. You are tired, half awake, barefoot and in PJ's or nude, disoriented from shock and adrenaline, terrified (that's what kept me alive), worried sick about the kids, the dog probably has warned them you are coming and they have hidden, you are alone and in the back of your mind wonder if it is just one of the kids or their friend raiding the fridge, need I go on? They, on the other hand are depraved, psycopathic trigger happy rejects who will start shooting from their hiding places.

I would get metal doors on the kids rooms and install wireless intercoms, harden the house from entry, bars, alarms, lights, the works, especially on a house where the master bedroom is distanced from the kids rooms; or I would sell and look for another home.

All I know is that my planning never stops, there is always something I can do or forgot to do in order to truly turn my home into a castle worthy of it's name.

My $12.60
 
I like to think of my defense in layers. I have a monitored alarm system, which I actually have very little faith in. I think of it as more of a deterent for the teenager looking for an easy target.

Then comes this guy:
babylogan.gif


He's my 105lbs interior alarm system.

All exterior door have security screens, which should help a little to prevent just kicking the door in. If someone does manage to make it past the screen, fights off or kills my dog, I would think that I would have had enough time to secure a position and send some lead in their general direction while my wife calls 911 from the cell phone in the bedroom.

I think about room clearing, but like someone else said, I feel my dogs are my best room clearing device. You can't hide from them, and if I hear then going apesh#t crazy in a room, the odds are that's where the BG is at. Sad to think one of my dogs might be killed by an intruder, but given their instincts and protective nature, I like to think they would have it no other way.
 
I spent most of my adult life heading to the sound of the guns. Maybe it's my life experiences that make me feel the way I do, I dunno. I understand why many people won't do clear there own house when they hear a noise they can't explain, but I will. It's just not me not to do so.

Trust me, I would rather not. When it's for real it can become very uncomfortable. You sweat profusely and shake. It feels like there are a family of rats in your stomach wanting to come out. You become "water tight." I cold spend the rest of my life not feeling these things again and I would be happy. But, life doesn't allow for this.

When I was younger I enjoyed the adrenalin rush of "high speed, low drag" but it's not my thing anymore. But you can't turn off the need to do something, especially when you know you can. So, I choose to act.

Things like clearing my house when there is a possible intruder is not something I want to do, but it is something I have to do.
 
While I agree that clearing your house isn't the safest thing in the world to do, I don't plan on calling the police every time I hear a sound that isn't normal.

I have had 2 instances in the last year that warranted "checking out" what was going on. To be honest, I was pretty scared the first time even though I had gone through this in my mind several times as well as some practice runs in the house.

I understood that there were too many places for a bad guy to wait for me and I would have an issue. I actually went through my garage and into my backyard to see what was happening in my basement rather than just go through the door down there. (That is where the sound had come from at 2 am- turned out to be an air compressor kicking on to recharge after a slow leak had let out enough air to warrant the recharge.)

That being said, I think you have to at least investigate somewhat to decide what if any action need take place. Just calling the police and waiting is probably the safest course of action for most situations, but I believe that in the end I am responsible for me, my family, and my home. Hopefully I'll never have someone break in, but if they do, I'll do my best to eliminate the threat.

On a sidenote: Having an Insight Tech M6 light/laser was very comforting as I could see what was going on, knew where my aim was pointed, and had 14rounds of .45 caliber hollow points ready to go. Not a plug for a hangun or a .45, but definitely a plug for at least a tac light.
 
Even well informed and well trained folks do not try to clear their house in the middle of the night.
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OK, show of hands. How many of you call the cops everytime you hear something in your house at night?

That's about three times a week at my place. And my five yo boy and 11 yoa girl are down the hall so even if I THOUGHT I was being invaded by a SEAL team, I wouldn't leave them to he hands of the bad guys. The last time I called 911, it took the locals about 40 minutes to arrive for an active aggravated assault situation (baseball bat vs. knife).

I am, of course, trained at clearing houses. But you really cannot tactically clear a house with one person. The good news is that any crackhead will probably not have as much training as I have and won't be as good of a shot for sure.

Thoughts to remember: slice the pie and don't move too fast. Will usually see a piece of them, shoe, elbow, head, whatever, before they are a threat to you. Don't forget to watch for mirrors, cracks in the door, shadows etc. THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE ACTUAL FOOTWORK OR WHETHER YOU DO A QUICK PEEK IN LIEU OF A SLICE. You must be aware. Since there may only be one of you, you may have to watch two corners, or maybe two corners and a long or high threat. Move slow and move quietly. With one person you'll basically have to go dynamic at some point. I always move hard corner then sweep. Remember you have closets and beds and such. And then remember after you have cleared a room, that there area you just vacated may no longer be clear since you didn't leave anyone behind you to cover long. Clear it again.

I have shown my wife basic tactics as my thought is to move us (with her toting a shotgun and maybe a pistol also) to the kids, then hold the down the fort or abscond out the window if needed. Show covers long while I retrieve the first child. Then the child goes to here while I clear the two interveneing rooms, then I clear my daughters room and they enter.

You need to practice preferably regularly. At the very least, you will have the skills in case you need them in some end of the world scenario, Katrina event, or Va Tech shooting and need to move.

Dogs are nice, but dogs also CAUSE lotsa bumps in the night.

Fanny packs are nice for around the house. Mine has a weapon, spare mag, light, and cell phone. I only have to grab for one thing and don't have to try to clip stuff to my scivvies.
 
Call the cops, stay in your room ready to defend yourself from cover.

Unless you have family and you need to venture out to protect them.
 
Call the cops, stay in your room ready to defend yourself from cover.
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And keeps some spare doors in the garage. The police will be kicking them in every time you call.
 
I'm no expert, but here's my take on the whole sticky situation: Don't play Mr. TacticalSWATman. Don't go about clearing your house on your own. Get a big, smart dog that will do it for you, and if the dog doesn't make it, lock yourself in a saferoom and wait 'til the cops get there. That's my plan.
 
I am Fort Benning Infantry trained but am now serving as the unit armorer and supply clerk. My unit spent a few days on a MOUT course not too long ago and since supply doesn't run through infantry lanes I was bored and volunteered to be the OPFOR(opposing force).

I got to dress up in a bad guy suit and was given 800 blanks. I had a blast.

Through day and night I had to hold up this 5 room 2 story house against 9 man infantry squads. For the most part I stayed put and handed these infantry squads a butt whooping every time.

I knew the layout of the house. They didn't.

I was stationary and concealed. They never knew where I was until my M-4 on burst started spraying blanks at them. By then its too late for your attacker to fight back. He is dead.

The same goes for you. If a 9 man infantry squad can get shot up clearing a house, then why can't you get shot while you clear your residence.

The awnser is; you will get shot.

On the other hand if you are concealed and in a defensible positon you most likely will be victorious. And don't expect just one intruder. Smart criminals know there is strength in numbers. You might go through the house and find superior numbers which your firearm cannot take on. It only spits out one round at time and its not going to help you against two or more bad guys if everybody shoots at once.

In some states, lethal force can only be used if you are trapped or cornered. By advancing through the house in an offensive position and then shooting someone in one of these states, the prosecuting attorney may just have a field day with you. And juries are getting dumber and more liberal everyday.


So in closing my advice is to only clear to a safe place where all friendlies will be and then defend the doorway. After all the doorway is called the fatal funnel for a reason.

Some more advice no matter how tough you think you might be. John Wayne is dead and you are not Superman.
 
Thanks for all of the responses. :)

I did some research, and come to find out I already know what "slicing the pie" is. Whenever I'm playing a first-person shooter (video games that are blamed for every shooting on the planet, lol) I naturally do that type of stuff.

I'm in no way trying to say that playing video games teaches me this stuff, but it helps me to understand the concept of cover vs. concealment, line of sight, and so on.

Obviously, it's totally different in real life, but the concepts are still applicable.

I've since come to realize the second floor in the house I currently live is a tactical nightmare.

At the end of the hallway, there's a bathroom on the left, a bedroom on the right, and then the stairwell leading down is another step forward. It's impossible to cover two directions that are directly opposite each other, while watching down a flight of stairs.

The bedroom at the end of the hall isn't currently occupied, but it still presents a possible threat if an intruder is able to make it that far before I can get up.

The first floor in my house is probably worse. At the bottom of the stairs I can go straight into my living room, or go right and go into my kitchen. Either way you go, both rooms connect to the dining room which leads to the other room you didn't enter.

Basically it's a big loop, so it'll be easy for someone to come up behind me in the event I go Rambo and try to clear my house.

I get sitting tight facing the stairwell is the best course of action.
 
Release the hounds!!!

pvvp2.jpg


well...they release themselves. I just hope I do not have them both on the leash at the same time!

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In your MOUT training, the goal is just to ambush the guys coming. You had no responsibility in safeguarding others.

I'm not saying you shouldn't remain barricaded if you KNOW there is someone in your house or if you have a layout that allows that, just that it is not practical for everytime you hear a kid drop a cup in the kitchen or slam the door in the bathroom in the night.

And the way my house, and many other houses, are layed out. I will have to go from one end to the other to get my daughter. My old house was better. I would have just got to the hallway and held it. Anyone who tried to climb those stairs was in a bad, bad position. There was little fear of anyone making an entry directly into the kids bedrooms. Now, we have a porch outside the kids' windows and sliding doors are there. That is probably the most likely avenue for a burglar to enter.

If you call the cops, I think you ask is because you are going to get one of two responses:
1- Kick the door in and clear the house. This is not likely. Especially with some Lyndon Paul support barricaded in the bedroom with a shotgun and sweaty palms. But if you get Tackleberry or call every time you here a thump in the night, they may do this just to teach you a lesson. Or
2- They will just check the windows then call you to have you come out front. Is that really helpful? If the bad guy is waiting inside with intent to kill you, how does that help?

Next questions, how many of you barricade-yourself-and-wait types have actually called the police for the noises in your house? How long did it take? Did the police kick the door in and search the house? How many times have you called? Why didn't you call all the other times?
 
bullets only have a straight Line of sight, you need some grenades to get the buggers hiding in the corners.
 
Clearing rooms solo is a fool's game. Although as this thread shows, many are eager to play.
 
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