I’m sure by now you all must have seen the movie “Panic Room”. What kind of life you must live if you feel you need to have a panic room in your home. In the movie, the panic room is in the townhouse purchased by Jodie 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 and 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 they seek refuge in the panic room. Panic rooms are certainly not the norm in our society, 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 the slightly deranged. A panic room is not an inexpensive addition to your home. The company that gave out advice during the making of the panic room, American Saferoom Doors located on the web at www.saferoom.com, quotes base prices at around $21,000, not a cheap investment by any means. The price can be more or less depending on options such as electromagnetic closures and armored walls. It is possible to adapt 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??)

Most of us, including myself, had never even thought of the concept of a panic room. Why would we? That is because most of us lead pretty average lives, working, paying the bills, and going on a vacation, right? We spend most of our time just trying to live our lives without conflict and enjoying 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.