Your Very Own Panic Room

I’m sure by now you all have seen the movie “Panic Room”. In the movie, the panic room is in the townhouse purchased by Foster and her daughter after she and her estranged husband divorce. The townhouse was owned by a deceased millionaire who used the panic room to store a large amount of bonds worth a small fortune, in addition to providing him security against intruders or other threats.

On the very first night that Foster and her daughter live in their new home (they moved in two weeks early), it is invaded by the grandson of the deceased millionaire, and his accomplices, whose intent is to steal the bonds from the panic room. However, Foster and her daughter complicate things because that's where they seek refuge from the invaders.

Security is a priority for many people these days, at home, at work, while traveling, and so on. Protection costs money and the wealthy are spending it on the latest status symbol. One of those is the panic room. This is an impregnable room in the home or at the office, in which someone can safely hide from intruders. It is a place of safety and is usually fitted with some means of communicating with emergency services.

Depending on where you live, it pays to be prepared for almost anything. While some may think this concept to be a little extreme, others will swear by the idea. Especially if the house has been broken into while the occupants were home. 

People warm us that never before has crime been so random and widespread. Those days of leaving the front door unlocked when heading off to bed are certainly a thing of the past, in the big city, anyway. While much of this is scare-mongering there are places that are more or less safe than others.

While films may be a little far-fetched and extreme, they are nevertheless art imitating life. The point is that it could happen. I personally prefer to keep my home on lock down most of the time. When I say this I don't mean that steel walls surround the exterior of my home. I simply mean that I always keep the doors locked, even in the daytime.

What else is going to keep someone from walking into your home? Believe it or not, it does happen. We had a woman walk into our house thinking that ours was the location of the party she was looking for. She was harmless, at least our two dogs thought so, so we sent her on her way.

Criminals, on the other hand, will seek out places that are easy to penetrate. I can't say that I have a panic room of my own, since I live in a pretty safe area, but I know people who intend to put one into their own homes.

The funny thing is I had never considered it until I actually saw one in person. Last summer when visiting my oldest brother, I noticed he had a panic room. He and his wife had recently moved into a new home they had built just to their liking. The cool thing was the panic room's location. After moseying around the three story home, my brother pointed out a small nook in the bottom floor. I then watched him shift the wall paneling to reveal a steel door. He punched in a code on the small keypad and the heavy door unlocked. I was in awe of the hidden panic room. Not only could you lock yourself in this secure environment, but there was actually a wall to conceal it.

Another example room was in a very expensive show home. This secret room was hidden behind a bookcase and would be very difficult to find if you didn't know it was there.

Panic rooms are obviously not the norm in our country, but they do exist in the homes of politicians, and the rich and famous; they are not just in the homes of the eccentric, paranoid, and slightly deranged.

Naturally, a panic room is not an inexpensive addition to your home. The company consulted during the making of the Panic Room, American Saferoom Doors, located on the web at www.saferoom.com, quotes prices starting at around $21,000, not a cheap investment by any means.

The price varies depending on options such as electromagnetic closures and armored walls. It is possible to convert an existing closet or bathroom into a panic room, eliminating the need to build a whole new room or addition onto your home. Ideally the room should be located in the place that can offer the most protection. (You probably wouldn’t want to build a free standing panic room in your backyard . . .  would you??)

Many of us have never even thought of the concept of a panic room. Why would we? Most of us lead pretty average lives, working, paying the bills, and going on vacation, right? We spend most of our time just trying to live our lives without conflict and enjoy ourselves, not so much about all the people who are trying to take away from us what we do have.

Unless we become fortunate enough to enjoy a wealthy lifestyle, we would otherwise have no reason to consider a panic room. I hope someday to be fortunate enough to be able to think this way. Thank you Hollywood for enlightening us.

If you are interested in acquiring a panic room in your home, get on the Internet and check out some options. You can literally design your secure panic room however you choose. This will provide you and your family with a safe haven to take shelter in if someone were to break in. A phone is easily installed inside so you can reach the police. With all of the safety measures at your fingertips these days, there's no reason why you can't feel safe in your home again.

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