New Year Catch Up – Security Arrangements

So now I don’t have any new or increased risks to evaluate I can look at what changes I want to make to my preps in general. As I normally reconsider my preps dynamically throughout the year I can now look at these decisions in the cold light of day and see if they have been knee jerk reactions or properly thought out. I can also consider if they needed adjusting in any way.

There were several tasks I started last year in response to a variety of events.

• I acquired three chickens.
• I acquired a hive of bees
• I acquired some Solar Panels.
• I re-evaluated my internal security arrangements.
• I re-evaluated my external security engagements.
• I partitioned off the garden.
• I decided to build an aquaponics unit.

Two of the areas, one covering external and the other covering internal security were re-evaluated following presentations at the North West meets. Areas I had previously considered and rejected were presented in a way that opened my eyes and made me reconsider my views.

First of all we will look at the External Security Arrangements.

With having a background in biometrics, CCTV and perimeter security I had previous looked at what I could realisticaly do in a grid down situation and decided that I could do nothing using modern technology. I could batten down the hatches, put covers over the windows and booby trap areas but only after an event. So I added those items to my prepping lists and acquired the wood and tools to cover the windows and doors. Put some traps in place and I felt I had covered it.

Then along came Nix with the latest in technology, micro WiFi cameras and PIRs that run for months on batteries. The quality was excellent and I was surprised how much technology had moved on in the last 15 years.

I’m now looking at putting several cameras up on the outside of the house for simple surveillance with PIR activation and remote monitoring before an event I can keep an eye on what is going on outside even when I am away from home all for a couple of hundred pounds.

I have even considered what I would do after an event and I decided I would put a few remote units aside so that after an event I could mount them on other peoples houses to keep a better watch on the entire street. Small units no larger than a packet of cigarettes would allow me a full view of a large area and with no wires or great weight I could just stick them in place quickly.

It also made me have a quick re-look at the drone situation. I found there are several drones on the market now for less than £500 that would also meet my requirements. Ones that could be programmed to follow a flight path around my home and show images of what was around. Not invisible they would be susceptible to being targeted but for general use and finding out what is going on up the street it looks ideal. After an event and at night it could be a life saver. Before an event I can use it to map out and explore my local area one bit at a time.

The current state of the market is that these drone can carry a camera, be pre programmed around a pre-arranged course and can fly themselves in the event of an issue. Not being able to carry a payload is not an issue for my requirements and could give me extended flight time. Maybe in a few years they will be cheap enough to do anything we want and of course by then they will require a license, if you can get one.

So this year I’m going to install a CCTV system covering my house and I’m going to keep a watch on the drone market and if I see something I like at a good price I will purchase that.

Next up is Internal Security, but that is an article in itself.