Episode #9: Movement through a dark home....

[Rob Pincus]

I recieved this quesiton through PM, but wanted to answer it publicly:

hello i have a quick question about the episode where you talked about indirect and intermediate lighting. In a home situation you talked about not being able to cover every corner and if alarms went off, but what if they didn't go off and you just heard crashing and you were trapped on a bed room with a gun and no flashlight how would you go about getting to the safe room or would you stay put. If you could get back to me on that I would appreciate it. And if this is a confusing message just let me know thanks again.

I think it is important to remember what the "safe room" is... while it might be a physical room in your home, I think it is more important to think of it as a concept. What are the components of the safe room concept:
1. You control the area (including through the use of force, if necessary)
2. You can monitor/secure the access to the area
3. You can wait there until the threat ends, the calvary arrives or the threat enters your safe room and forces action on your part.

If you folllow the logic, I would say that the best thing to do in the situation you described would be to stay put. If there is no reason to move, don't move.

The next question, of course, would be: Why would you move?  Some reasons:

A. If you weren't in an area that meets the criteria outlined above.
B. If you had family members in danger in another area.
C. If you could leave the house efficiently and avoid the threat.

If you had to move without a flashlight, keep in mind that you know your house a lot better than any likely intruder. Personally, I would take advantage of that and the fact that you can hear the crashing which indicates the location of the threat to move surreptitiously to your safe room, if possible.

-RJP

[Hottrockin]

I think given current times as well as the popularity of DRTV & TBD many people are thinking about and implementing the ‘safe room’ which is great.  I also think if you go that step you might as well take a few other steps in making a ‘safe home’.  No, I’m not saying every room should be a ‘safe room’, just think about what you do, when you do it and where and take a few extra measures to enhance your safety.

 Tactical lights are great, expensive, but great.  $80 - $180+ for a light, ugh…however, I do have one nice tactical light.  I also have sprinkled throughout my home some other semi-tactical lights positioned with home defense in mind.  You can get some great little lights at say Wal-Mart, Lowes, etc. that run around $15 - $20 and are bright enough for a dark home.  Most have a lanyard and end tail-cap switch.

I have trouble sleeping sometimes and I go downstairs to sleep on the couch, within an arms reach away I have a cheaper semi-tactical light & phone if I needed it.  No gun downstairs, but I have a wood burning stove and right next to it…a fireplace poker (TBD #2)!!  Now I hear a bump in the night and within seconds I have a light source as well as a weapon.  Similarly, in my PC room where I spend a lot of time I have a light, phone and gun.  I’m not suggesting that people sprinkle guns throughout their house, but, some of those cheaper small lights placed around in strategic places could come in handy when trying to get to your ‘safe room’, a loved one or perhaps outside & away.

[DonWorsham]

Assuming the power hasn't been cut and you do not have a flashlight, should you turn the room lights on as go through the house?

[Hottrockin]

I'd say no, but I'm not an expert.  You're taking away some of YOUR advantage when you turn on the lights.

If you had to move without a flashlight, keep in mind that you know your house a lot better than any likely intruder.

- RJP

"without a flashlight"??

some of those cheaper small lights placed around in strategic places could come in handy when trying to get to your ‘safe room’, a loved one or perhaps outside & away.

- me

You could buy 5 of these http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=242997-50584-FT-NS-3AAA%209L for $75.00 and place them around your home.

[USSA-1]

I'd say no, but I'm not an expert.  You're taking away some of YOUR advantage when you turn on the lights.

Fighting in the dark effectively takes practice.  Dare I say, a lot of practice to become really good at it.

If you are not trained in low-light fighting skills, then don't attempt to fight in that environment.  Remember that your adversary prefers the dark, that's why most crimes occur at night.  They are comfortable operating in the dark.  If you don't have the skills, then deny them the environment they prefer; turn on the lights.

Two things will happen.

1- They will see the lights come on and quickly flee.  In this situation, the use of a massive amount of light caused the intruder to flee.  It could be classified as indirect avoidance.  You created an unsuitable environment for the intruder to effectively operate in and he fled.  The end result is that you avoided a potential violent confrontation.

2- They will see the lights come on, causing them to quickly press the attack on you.  They may choose to do this for many reasons.  They have lost the element of surprise, so they are now resorting to speed and violence of action.  They may wish to prevent you from alerting others in the house.  They may wish to stop you from contacting help or alerting a neighbor.  Whatever the reason, they have certainly cleared up any confusion about their intent.  Any intruder who is interrupted during a stealth approach and continues the attack when the lights come on does not fear repercussion; either from you or the police.  They are a danger of the highest magnitude and must be dealt with accordingly.  Be in a good tactical position with your weapon positioned such that you can instantly engage the threat if he happens to be in the same room you just flipped on the light switch.

USSA-1   

[Sponsor]

[Rob Pincus]

USSA,

Thanks for participating.... I generally agree with the high likelihood of your #1 or #2 happening if you flip the lights on in a room with a bad-guy. Of course, I don't want #2, at all..... so doing something that has a high likelihood of precipitating it doesn't sit well with me. Yelling out from a dark corner or (preferably) a different room is just as likely to cause #1 for many of the same reasons if the bad guy is one that is inclined o run-away, so I prefer that option, which allows me to remain much more hidden.
I don't know that I agree with the idea that you have to train to some high level to fight in the low light conditions we generally find in a typical home (which is usually far from pitch black. Aggressive, military or LE action and coordinated team movements are significantly more complicated in the dark (especially in unfamiliar environments), but I'm okay with the idea of defensive action from a static position in your known area..... as long you have a way of knowing that the person you are defending yourself from is a bad-guy. --More Below--

Don,

Obviously opinions vary.  Stand by ... I'll get to the "lights on" thing.

Hott,

I'm with you. If you can afford a gun and a house to hide in, you should be able to afford some type of light.... BUT, as noted, that doesn't mean you'll always have one or it will always work.


****
Meanwhile, we did get an email on this question yesterday right after the early showing of TBD. Check it out:

Viewer says:

Hello,
 
I attended a training session and was told that the biggest B.S. is the use of flashlights in YOUR HOME, if you encounter a break in.
The instructor said. TURN THE LIGHTS ON !
Wandering around in YOUR home with a flashlight will get YOU shot.
 
He suggested that the tactical flashlight manufacturers sponsors of the shows.
 
The instructor supposedly was a friend of the late Darrell Mulroy, who he said shared his views.
 
Mike

Rob Responds:

Hi Mike,
 
Thanks for being a fan of The Best Defense.
 
Some thoughts:
 
1. Anyone who qualifies their information by saying that they were friends with someone should be approached with extreme skepticism. Instructors owe it to their students to answer "Why?" questions with real answers. Go back to the instructor and give him a chance to explain WHY? he recommends turning the lights on... he may have a very good reason.
 
2. Here are just a few reasons that I do not agree with the advice as an arbitrary solution to all situations:
 
A. Darkness may be your best friend. If you turn the lights one, the badguys has AT LEAST as much chance to know where you are as you do to find him. In fact, if he is in a different room and can see the light come on, he has a better chance of knowing where you are, while you would still have no idea where he is.
B. You need to be near a lightswitch, or move to one, in order to use the technique, where you can have a flashlight near the spot where you sleep, near your alarm keypad/LCD readout or in your safe room.
C. Once you have turned the light on, you lose control if you move away (unlike a flashlight).
D. While I do not stress the use of a flashlight as a distraction or disabling device, you obviously don't have the option if you are counting on traditional lighting.
 
3. If a flashlight is used IMPROPERLY, I agree with your instructor that it can draw fire and get you targeted... but not so much more than walking around in a well lit room under the wrong circumstances. The trick is using the flashlight properly, of course. I would suggest inviting your instructor to try to catch TBD in the re-run season and see what he thinks of the techniques that I sahred (intermittent and indirect flashlight use).
 
4. All that said, I am not saying that there is never a time to turn on the light. It may be the best thing to do when you know the bad guy is in a certain room, don't believe he is an immediate threat or has a weapon and you want him to see that you are there as well and prepared to defend yourself if necessary. At the end of the day, however, staying in your locked bedroom/safe-room with the lights off, gun and flashlight in hand with your eye on the door and the police on the way is what I would consider a "best case scenario" if there is a violent intruder in your home.
 
Thanks again for watching.
 
-RJP
 
 

[RTFM]

Great reading - thanks for the input everyone.

Rob, I learned something last night - thank you!

I never considered the indirect lighting tangent and oblique to your path of movement.
Previously I would shine AT the target or direction of movement but not "bounce lighting"
I hope to NEVER have to use what I learned last night, but if I ever do, I thank you for adding another tool.

RTFM

[Michael Janich]

Fighting in the dark effectively takes practice.  Dare I say, a lot of practice to become really good at it.

If you are not trained in low-light fighting skills, then don't attempt to fight in that environment.  Remember that your adversary prefers the dark, that's why most crimes occur at night.  They are comfortable operating in the dark.  If you don't have the skills, then deny them the environment they prefer; turn on the lights.

I do not feel that there is any black-and-white answer to this issue. There are simply too many variables that come into play. When you look at the idea of incorporating all aspects of shooting, gun handling, and tactical movement into a low-light environment, I agree that the skill set becomes complicated pretty quickly. However, that doesn't mean that the only alternative is to turn on the lights and make the situation a fully lighted one.

One of the great things about a true tactical light is its function as a force multiplier. Bright light aimed at the other guy can selectively attack HIS night vision. If he's dark adapted, you can take that away and maintain--or even enhance--your concealment. If you just turn on the lights, you kill your dark-adapted vision at the same time and give up a possible advantage. The proximity of most light switches next to doorways also makes the activation of the switch a possible recipe for backlighting yourself, which can be just as bad as crappy constant-on "shoot me" flashlight technique.

Again, there is a big difference between clearing a house SWAT style and hunkering down and defending yourself and your family. You also must have a good reason to NOT hunker down and attempt any type of movement with a light in the first place--as Rob clearly explained on the show.

The advantage of defending YOUR home is that you can play on your terms and stack the odds in your favor. One of the things that you might consider is the idea of remotely activated lights. This can be done a number of ways. There's no rule that says an exterior motion-sensor light HAS to me mounted outside. If you put it in an entrance hallway or other likely avenue of entry, it becomes a light "alarm."

You can also purchase inexpensive remote switches that operate like a garage door opener. Hook one up to a lamp in a room removed from your bedroom and activate it from a bedside control. By strategically planning which light you activate, you can potentially scare off an intruder or at least create a light that offers you a tactical advantage.

If you have an electrician friend (or are willing to make the investment), you can even hardwire a switch in your bedroom that allows you to activate lights elswehere in your home.

Heck, even one of the "Clapper" devices could come in handy, though the audio of you clapping would obviously reveal your location.

The other thing you need to keep in mind, both from a tactical standpoint and a fire safety standpoint, is what I consider "navigation by Braille." If there is a fire, smoke will require you to stay low and will likely affect your vision. You should be able to navigate your way to other rooms and the exit by feel alone--tracking along walls and turning corners without the need to see what you're doing. Tactically, you should be able to do the same thing, knowing how many stairs there are on each staircase, where the floor squeaks, etc. That way you can navigate without having to use your light if necessary. And, as Rob pointed out, most situations are low-light, not "no-light."

The strategic use of night lights can also provide low-key illumination that can allow you to collect family members and hunker down without having to--or at least before you may choose to--"pop a flare" by flicking a switch.

Again, I don't feel there is an absolute answer to this--except to train actively, develop good skills, and realistically apply those skills to your specific personal defense needs.

Stay safe,

Mike

[Ketch]

Very great episode!

Moving and working with a light is something that also takes a lot of practice to be comfortable.  I am always up before everyone in the house and to bed later than everyone so am always using my surefire from room to room without blasting on the lights and waking everyone.  I learned a lot from the episode to take into my "practice". 

Thanks guys!

[USSA-1]

Of course, I don't want #2, at all..... so doing something that has a high likelihood of precipitating it doesn't sit well with me. Yelling out from a dark corner or (preferably) a different room is just as likely to cause #1 for many of the same reasons if the bad guy is one that is inclined o run-away, so I prefer that option, which allows me to remain much more hidden.

While I agree that we don't want #2, it's really not our decision.  If a threat is a type 2 (T2 for lack of a better term), he is going to press the attack regardless of whether you yell out from a dark corner or not.  The act of yelling may nor may not disclose your location, but it will certainly provide T2 with some intelligence as to your specific or generic location.  At this point you are still operating in his preferred environment and I would submit that without some type of low-light training that a person would be less effective in this situation than in a lights-on, visible environment situation.

I don't know that I agree with the idea that you have to train to some high level to fight in the low light conditions we generally find in a typical home (which is usually far from pitch black. Aggressive, military or LE action and coordinated team movements are significantly more complicated in the dark (especially in unfamiliar environments), but I'm okay with the idea of defensive action from a static position in your known area..... as long you have a way of knowing that the person you are defending yourself from is a bad-guy.

I tend to agree with you on this except I wouldn't characterize the level of training as high, but on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being a super ninja, jedi warrior, I would say as an instructor I would want to see around a level 6 skill set before I would feel confident about a student's ability to successfully operate solo in a low-light environment.  In a stressful environment, there are many factors that I don't feel are going to be in a persons conscious thought pattern when operating in a low-light environment.  Things light backlighting, splashing, overuse of the light, leaving the light on too long, preplanning movement, painting your movement paths.  These are skills that need to be developed through repetition.  The conscious mind will be focused on what I would call the "Gross" skill sets.  Turning on/off the light, trying to locate/identify the threat, orienting the weapon to the threat.  All of these skills are tough enough to employ against a single threat.  Working against two threats is exponentially more difficult?  

When you look at the idea of incorporating all aspects of shooting, gun handling, and tactical movement into a low-light environment, I agree that the skill set becomes complicated pretty quickly. However, that doesn't mean that the only alternative is to turn on the lights and make the situation a fully lighted one.

I hope my previous posts did not come across as my advocating turning the lights on as an across the board solution.  If it did, I apologize to everyone as that was not my intent.  I kinda jumped to the end point in a scenario where for whatever reason, you are forced from your dark, barricaded position and now must advance through some portion of your home.  It was from this point that I would offer up the tactic of turning on the lights, if you were not practiced at the skill of operating in low-light environments.  

I feel that for the person who has a minimum amount of low-light training, with the word minimum being open to interpretation, may be able to perform under stress more effectively with the lights on as opposed to having the lights off.  This does not mean that a person shouldn't have a handheld light with them at all times.  There are many situations where you may want to investigate a suspicious area, but not necessarily point your weapon at that area.  A handheld light gives you that option.  I simply feel that some may be better served by fighting in the more familiar daylight environment, rather than low-light.

There's no doubting the effectiveness of low-light fighting techniques, if the person is skilled enough to effectively use those skills.  What level of skill is needed is a very subjective assessment, but at the very least I would want someone who may choose to use these skill to have some exposure to using them in some Force on Force scenario's.

The more you can train in your anticipated hostile environment, the better you'll be able to operate in that environment.

USSA-1