Home Security While You’re Away
(or even if you’re home)
Let’s say bird flu jumps human-to-human with an obscene kill ratio. People have been freaking for months, death and mayhem everywhere. You, the urban or suburban survivalist, have watched your town or city empty as you hunkered down undetected in your basement safe room. There you’re stocked for a good long while, long enough to wait it out at least.
Then, one Tuesday morning, as you’re playing Monopoly game #1,328 with the kids, you hear something . . . upstairs.
“What was that?” the kids ask.
“Honey,” your wife says - concerned.
You respond, “. . . fire up the cameras.”
. . . . . .
“It’s Aunt Nellie!” the kids yell.
Got real-time video feed in your home? It’s a growing trend. More people are preparing, and can you blame them? All you need to do is sift through the daily newspaper to find 8,000 reasons why you need to protect yourself and your family.
Someone has entered your house and stolen thousands of dollars worth of valuables. He’s feeling pretty smug because he knows you’re away. What he doesn’t know is that your security camera has caught him in the act.
The camera, which you cleverly concealed on a bookshelf, is so small that he doesn’t notice it, yet it’s powerful enough to zoom in on his face and clearly identify him.
Depending on how much of your house you want to see (and on how much you’re willing to spend), choices range from simple, fixed cameras to James Bondian models equipped with night vision and sensors that can detect suspicious objects based on size. But most so-called “network cameras” offer some combination of three basic functions: pan (side–to–side movement), tilt (up and down), and zoom (close-up).
Read this article for the entire story.
These systems come in both wireless and hard-wired options. Some just record when they detect motion so you’ll only have a short amount of video to sift through and you’ll save memory space.
Got a remote bug out camp? If it has electrical power, what better way to check in? Just fire up the pc and get a glimpse inside your camp. Remote camps are notorious for being broken into. Nab those shady characters on film. Suh-weet!
If you’re pursuing a home surveillance system, make sure to check out X10 here. They’ve got about the best gig going.
-Ranger Man
2 responses so far ↓
1 ryan // Dec 21, 2007 at 3:59 am
In a grid up type situation (or day to day life) cameras are very valuable and should be part of the overall security plan for any household.
Take is for whatever it is worth but if you have a retreat which nobody lives that is fully stocked you are asking to get robbed. Maybe the old family farm you use as a retreat has a wonderful neighbor who is always home to call the cops if he sees something wierd but that is not the situation for most people.
Utilizing caches is a possible way around that issue. Just make sure the containers are really over engeneered and prepare all the stuff in them to get wet anyway. I read an article about a barrel inside of a box combination that was realtively cheap (plastic 55 gallon barrel and some wood) and waterproof. Be sure to make the box very strong and give a good 4 inches on each side of the barrel for compression.
Anyway security cameras are great but be sure to have a diversified security system which will not fall to pieces of the power goes out.
2 Mike in MN // Dec 22, 2007 at 9:07 pm
I recall reading a site on police officer safety concerns that listed an incident where detectives went to serve a warrant on a drug dealer, and he opened fire, wounding several. He saw they were coming and aimed through the walls using the camera he’d set up in a bird house.
A small solar system to power such a camera system would help immensely in protecting one’s shelter. The only thing a lot of raiders will have going for them is the element of surprise, if a survivalist has made some fortifications and such.
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