From Ava J: What steps can one take to protect against a stalker/rapist?

Answer: Having a stalker can be incredibly scary and it’s something you should always take seriously. First, if you have a stalker NEVER respond to them. As much as you want to yell and cuss them out, the more you respond the more they will bother you. Next, tell everyone you know that you have a stalker. You want all your friends and family to be on the lookout for you and let you know if the stalker tries to contact them for any information. Plus, don’t forget to arm yourself with some type of weapon in case the stalker tries to physically harm you. This could be a firearm, stun-gun, or even a tactical pen but make sure you have a way to defend yourself. Always be aware of your surroundings and use good situational awareness so you can hopefully avoid your stalker.

From Lou S: What about gun safes if an EMP? They are metal with sealed door and insulated interior, no? And the lock? If it’s a keypad is it fried and forever sealed? Anyway to protect the external keypad?

Answer: Since each gun safe is designed differently it’s impossible to say whether it would protect your items from an EMP. Now, if the safe is completely sealed and nothing is exposed to the EMP than it should survive an attack. As for the lock, most basic locks wouldn’t work after an EMP. However, most electronic locks have a back up key lock, which would still work. Plus, many companies are creating EMP proof locks, that you can add to your safe and replace the older lock.

From Bob A: Is it possible you can make recommendations on the best residential locksets?

Answer: The best locks for your home are either Schlage or Medeco brands. These brands are more expensive but you get what you pay for. I personally use Schlage on all my locks and these are incredibly strong and difficult to pick or bypass.

From Carroll H: Duct tape has a lot of “bang for your buck,” but it is often overlooked in the list of bug-out stuff (certainly not on most people’s Every Day Carry) probably because a roll is bulky, but I carry a length of tape wrapped around an old gift card or credit card and have it in the bag as well.

Answer: Great advice! Duct tape is extremely useful for many different situations and I always have rolls stored with my survival gear and in my bug out bags.

From Joel M: My name is Joel and I am a convicted felon. As difficult as that is to just put out there, its important for those of us who made the wrong choices to own up and be honest.

Of the convictions I have received, none of them were the result of violence…. ever! Do I feel that this makes what I did less of a wrongdoing? Absolutely not, however, in the decision of whether or not I should be allowed to purchase or poses a firearm, I believe it does.

I am an “Eagle Scout” who cherished that accomplishment up until I made the wrong choices in which I suffer from to this day.

My scouting involved extensive gun training… My respect, my understanding, my training brought me to a love of firearms that is still with me today. I’m stripped of my ability to properly defend myself and my family from the dangers and threats that are ever more present in today’s world. I’m talking about the kind of threats that harsh language or a baseball bat will not resolve.

I hope that my small contribution to the conversation will help people understand that even though I paid for my crimes, I don’t feel that there should be a lifetime attachment along with the sentence already served.

Thanks for letting me share…

Answer: Joel, I appreciate your honesty and owning up to the mistakes you made in the past. I personally believe that every situation is different and that the courts should look at each person on a case-by-case basis to determine if they should own a firearm when it comes to past mistakes they have made.