It’s O-Dark Thirty and you are awakened by the sound of breaking glass and the shrill piercing of your alarm. You grab your gun from the nightstand and take off to check on your children — or worse to clear the house alone in your skivvies.

The situation described should have already been planned for and practiced. I know I’m preaching to the choir — RIGHT?!

Let’s work from the premise you have no choice and have to leave the security of your bedroom to evacuate your children. You have a handgun with a light attached and a second light in your hand. What you don’t have is — spare ammo, phone, OC, knife, spare flashlight and first aide kit. Where would you put it all?

I’ve heard stories of gun belts and tac-vests kept by the bed. Well let’s just say my wife would stand for a gun belt or tac-vest kept in the bedroom for less time than it took to write this sentence — not gonna happen.