Phirehawk's Condition White to Yellow

[phirehawk]

Okay, this is the first (and hopefully last) time my firearm had to come out of its holster. Please tell me what I did right (positive reinforcement) and what I could have done better. I've had no formal training.

I came home on Friday wearing my suit with my wife and son a few footsteps behind me. As I open the front door, I hear a chirp chirp from my house alarm instead of the ominous warning beeping to turn it off before it goes off, know what I mean? So, the alarm was off and I know I set it.

Without thinking, I untuck my shirt, draw my weapon (I am amazed at how automatic drawing my weapon was. It was a totally unconscience act.) and have it at low ready, finger off the trigger. I tell my wife to stay out of the house. I clear each room on the first floor, in the order they occur from the front of the house to the back, and check the basement quickly (that's where the alarm "box" is). Then, I proceed to the second floor and clear that floor as well, moving toward the front first, then toward the back. This was a mistake, as at the back of the house is a small deck off my bedroom that could be an escape route, and I should've had it cleared so I'd know an open escape route, if needed (not counting the stairs).

Now, while clearing the rooms, my adrenaline is flowing, and I am as nervous as I've been in a long time. I look quickly, then back off, and look again. I didn't call 911 because at this point, it was just that the alarm wasn't set, and I didn't know why.

So, in the end, I figured I hit the "off" key after my code instead of "away." To learn from this: I should have let in my dogs to check the house for me after I cleared the path to let them in. What order should rooms be cleared? I assume that until you have an identified target, that your finger should remain off the trigger, right? I think I should have put my child and wife back in the car first... or would that have lead to worse problems? aka - thief tries to steal car with them in it, or attacks us while we're all getting in the car. I dunno, it was definately a learning experiece and I know that if I ever have to do it again, it will go differently. Mostly between now and then, I'm gonna practice it a few times.

[GWC]

First, the official answer is: call the cops and have them clear it, that is what they are paid for. I know, I would probably not call them either.

Second: Get the wife and kids in the car with the engine running and out in the street. If they have to take off, they will need to do it fast.

Third: By all means, send in the dogs. If there is someone in there, they will find them pretty quick, due to their superior sense of smell. If they are 35 pounds (roughly) or more, they are also a threat to the BG.

Fourth: On target, on trigger; off target, off trigger. You are absolutely right on that.

Fifth: order of rooms depends on the layout of the house. Clear rooms that have open doors first, then the rooms with closed doors. don't expose yourself to uncleared areas. use your space. This means stay back as far as possible from the doorway or obstruction you are clearing. Slice the pie, getting just a little more of a view into the area to be cleared with each move you make so that you are not exposed but the BG is.

Sixth: Get yourself (and your family) some professional training and/or view a dvd on how to clear a house. There is a good dvd from Lenny Magill productions on this subject. It lists for $35 or so, but you can get it cheaper than that at either Sportsmansguide or cheaperthandirt (I don't remember which). I got it on sale for $15.

Seventh: As you said, practice, practice, practice.

All in all I think you did a pretty good job. Just wanted to give you a couple of things to think about.

[willbird]

I'll say right up front, You put your life in grave danger by clearing the house yourself. La Polica wouldnt have done it with 1 man not even wearing soft body armor, and they are trained and tasked for those sorts of jobs.

Better to back out, call 911.

That said all the hoopla was caused by the alarm not being set correctly, and many of us wouldnt have that issue because they don't have alarms, it wasnt as though you found the front door open when you arrived home.

Bill

[charles1198]

I've hit the alarm at work like that before. It is rather unnerving. Remember: Most BGs will not be able to disable your alarm.


I agree that you should of called the police, but I probably would've done exactly as you did, with the exception of sending the wife and the kid back to the car first. Just standing around with a potential BG (not to mention you and a gun) around is a really bad idea. The dogs, I dunno. If they are like mine, not much in the way of a real threat, but ok for intimidation, I guess. They would, no doubt, be able to find someone faster than you, but they might also complicate your plan to clear the house. I don't practice with them on the range, so I imagine I'd find them more of a distraction.

[phirehawk]

Had I come home to an open door with shattered glass, that's a whole other ball of wax, it's one reason to own a cell phone! Yeah, my dogs are of decent size, the puppy is only 35 lbs, but the older dog is 70 pounds or so.

Do the cops get ticked for getting sent out to clear a house? I wouldn't care if I saw something that made me think there was somone in my house (after all, I don't think anyone but my wife and I know our alarm code, but I know it is possible to bypass and reset it from the magic box in the basement). I think that you get charged fifty bucks for your second false alarm call in a year from the alarm company, and a hundred for every one after that.

[GWC]

I think you should definately send in the dogs. My two dogs (45 pounds and 65 pounds) are certainly not K9s by any stretch of the imagination, but they will bark, and they are loyal. If there is a BG in the house, he will probably leave rather than take the chance of getting mauled by two dogs that sound threatening (even if they aren't that much of a threat) If they get hurt or killed I will be very sad, but they are dogs, not humans. I will get other dogs.

As stated, clearing a house is dangerous. It seems obvious from the scenario that the odds that a BG was in there was remote. I know from my own experience and that of others that in such a scenario the cops are rarely called. Therefore, SOMETHING has to be done. Sending in the dogs and then clearing the house, after making sure the family is safe, is lot better than saying " oh, I must have hit the wrong button" and walking in.

House clearing is dangerous, but the danger CAN be reduced by using good tactics and practicing them. If the wife and kids are in the house and you are pretty sure a BG is too, you are not going to wait for the cops. I won't anyway. I'll call them if I think of it, but I am going in to deal with the threat. I've spent a fair amount of cash learning how to do just that.

[dan_sayers]

Do the cops get ticked for getting sent out to clear a house?

NO! I had moved into a bad neighborhood near Stickney and Lagrange here in Toledo when I was younger. Second night in, we decided to stay the night. We weren't even moved in properly yet. We just wanted to stay for the novelty of it all as it was both of our first times being moved out on our own. We heard what sounded like kitchenware rattling from downstairs. You can imagine how freaked we were. We called and I kid you not that within 2 minutes, we had a paddywagon and 3 patrol cars lit up out front with a backyard full of flashlights. They weren't at all bothered and were instead relieved that it was a "false alarm". I'm glad it happened to because it gave me a whole new respect for REAL police.

I think GWC's first post sums up my reaction to it pretty well.

[Glockulator]

thanks for this thread, lots of good advice and answers in it!! and i am glad it was brought up, call the cops, yep, good idea!

ahhh this brings back memories.

quick vignette:
we moved to columbus~ 10 years ago, and during first month in new house, ~1a.m. there came a CRASH-BANG-SLAM!!!

suddenly i am wide awake with gun in hand and at the bedroom door.
so here i am doing a sweep & clear of my house in my underwear with a ruger 22...brave or stupid, you make the call (i lean toward stupid)

moral of the story: if you're outside coming in, yeah, call the cops.
but if you're already inside, get a bigger gun.

shortly after that incident, i purchased a Sig 220. which has since given way to the winchester 12ga. pump as the primary home defense piece, and i sleep pretty well

[phirehawk]

Yep, my inside gun is a 20 GA. Mossberg. I enjoy shooting that thing all day, and my wife feels comfortable with it.

[Moose02]

Since you asked about your specific scenario and what you could have done differently, as stated already call the cops. Since you said that if you came home and there was broken glass, this would have caused you to act differently. Why?

If the alarm not being on caused you to be concerned enough to draw your weapon and search the house, then wouldn't you have done this with broken glass? If you wouldn't do it with broken glass why do it if the alarm wasn't set?

I went down to my office Saturday morning and opened the door and the alarm didn't beep - telling me to shut if off. I looked at the panel and it said "Ready to arm". I guess I never turned the system on Friday afternoon - New building and new routines. My brother in law jokingly said, "... got your 9". I reminded him it was a .40 and then went about kicking myself for forgetting to set the alarm. I knew that it would be damn tough for someone to get into the building, disarm the system, leave deadbolts and other locks in place, etc.

As said above, if you're outside call the police. If you're inside get your gun. The only other advice not given is that you stated once you cleared an area you ducked out and then back into the area. When you slice the pie and use your space, once you get to the "dead corner" where you have no choice but to reveal yourself - you do a drop in and be ready to use your gun (finger indexed - no target). The drop in mind you is minimal exposure for yourself (half of head, shoulder gun and part of hands). Don't give up space that you've already acquired/taken. Drop in, sweep high/low, etc. and clear the room. Move on from there as stated in GWC's post.

[Sky Pilot]

You're alive.
You've learned.
You've shared the account.
We've learned.
You are now better prepared.
We are now better prepared.
Well done!

[Ashley]

Do the cops get ticked for getting sent out to clear a house?

Let me share my embarassing story. This happened before I had my CHL. My husband had left for work already and I was by myself. We live in an upstairs apartment, so there really is only one way up, besides climbing a ladder through the window. I was in our bedroom with the door shut, talking to my mother-in-law and I heard banging and knocking and loud noises coming from the living room. At this time, I had never shot a gun and had no idea how to handle one, (my husbands Taurus 38 special was sitting next to the bed). I hung up the phone and called 911 immediately. I told them that I was alone in the house and thought that someone had just broke in.

Within miuntes, the police were there. I let them in and they cleared the house. There was nothing out of place nor, any windows open. I felt very embarrased.

What happened: My birthday was a few days prior and there were some helium balloons the room. Somehow, they had gotten sucked up into the fan and were stuck inside it, getting hit with each rotation.

The LEO's were very sympathetic and assured me that they would rather come to a house and find nothing wrong and than to find someone dead or injured, ect.

Long story I know, but I now get a laugh out of it. And I am sure that the LEO's would not mind getting called to clear a house even if there is nothing wrong. AFter all, better to be safe than sorry.

[Ashley]

Ooops,

Sorry I put the quote in the wrong spot. Sorry about that.

[LeGiOn]

In a perfect world one should have called the cops let them do the grunt work and live happily ever after.

In reality.. Screw that! It's your house and given the same situation I would have done the same thing.

[Grantraus]

Without a partner and a IIIA vest, in my opinion it's too much of a risk to your family to hang yourself in the breeze as it were going in alone. Don't get me wrong, I agree with many here on this very topic, my sorry butt has done the same on one occasion (door was ajar after returning from the corner store for milk or something...probably forgot to shut and lock even if it's way out of character for me...nothing amiss in the apartment) but I'm a bachelor and I live alone so my sorry butt clipped on my Glock rail light and started slicing pie...I should not have and are you ready for this? Probably WOULD not have if my apartment was not such a mess. Imagine that, the risk of someone seeing my messy apartment versus clearing the damn place as if I were LAPD SWAT!!