In the event of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack, can you keep your family safe when the power grid goes down and you can’t use your home security system anymore?

Even if society collapses, you still need to keep your loved ones safe from harm, and you can do this by turning scraps into handy improvised weapons. (h/t to Survivopedia.com.)

Remember, when it comes to war or even self-defense, owning the best gear and having the best training doesn’t always guarantee a “win” – sometimes, all you need to do is be cunning to exploit the terrain against your enemies.

Ideas for homemade booby traps

Before you start setting up lethal booby traps around your home, take note that if you end up hurting someone with that device (even if they are a convicted felon), you can end up in jail. The U.S. law explicitly prohibits anyone to build a booby trap with the intention of harming another individual.

For now, implement DIY home security alarm booby traps. (Related: Looking to improve your home security? Here are 25 things you can do right now.)

During a survival scenario, you can still create effective booby traps using items that you can find post-SHTF. A booby trap is a device or setup that can “threaten, harm, or even kill” potential attackers using the element of surprise. Most of the time, the victim themselves will inadvertently trigger the booby trap.

Common booby traps include a trip wire, which is simply a cord or a wire stretched close to the ground. The trip wire is attached to an alarm or an explosive device and it can deter anyone from entering a certain area. While a seemingly basic booby trap, it is also one of the most effective options out there.

Another option is the DIY trip wire home defense noise maker booby trap alarm, which is suitable for perimeter protection.

Aside from booby traps, you can make lethal DIY weapons. However, you must take care when building these weapons because they require more than common household items. If you’re not sure about how the booby trap works, skip any weapons that include gasoline, match heads, and a pipe because they may cause more harm than good.

Bleach bomb

One improvised weapon that you can make is the bleach bomb, which can be used as a diversion if you need to escape when intruders manage to break into your home. The bleach bomb can be thrown at potential attackers, who will be knocked out by a cloud of poisonous.

To make an effective bleach bomb, combine hydrochloric acid with sodium hypochlorite, or drain cleaner with some bleach.

Hydrochloric acid is a chemical substance that’s the aqueous/water-based solution of hydrogen chloride (HCl) gas. A strong acid, hydrochloric acid is the major component of gastric acid. It’s also used in industrial settings. The acid is a highly corrosive liquid, and it must be handled properly at all times.

Meanwhile, sodium hypochlorite is the main ingredient in laundry bleach. Mainly used as a bleaching agent, it is also used as an oxidizing agent for organic products.

Mixing these two ingredients produces a spontaneous chemical reaction that results in chlorine gas and unreacted hydrochloric acid. Chlorine gas is very poisonous, and even small amounts of the gas are bad for you, especially if you are exposed to it in an enclosed space. Additionally, hydrochloric acid burns almost everything so it’s a deadly defensive or offensive weapon.

Squirt gun flamethrower

Even if you make this out of a child’s toy, the squirt gun flamethrower can be used as a potentially lethal weapon, especially if you’re running out of ammo. This option is dangerous, and it must only be used as a last resort.

The basic idea for this makeshift weapon is to fill a high-quality squirt gun (like a Nerf Super Soaker Water Blaster) with gasoline, preferably high octane, or alcohol over 100 proof, and then turn it into a flamethrower. If you wish, you can mod the DIY flamethrower further.

As a prepper, you must always be ready to protect your loved ones. However, you should also use these improvised weapons with caution. Only use them against someone else when you have no other choice.

Read more articles about how to stay safe when SHTF at Preparedness.news.

Sources include:

Survivopedia.com

ScienceDaily.com

PowellFab.com