Post subject: Prioritizing Preparations: A Layered Approach

Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 10:36 pm 

Goal: Highlight in a simple graphic one approach to preparation priorities for people new to emergency preparedness or those reevaluating ongoing efforts.





(larger graphic which requires scrolling included below)



After searching here and Google and finding no simple graphic prioritizing steps to prepare for an emergency or disaster, I opted to design a basic graphic just in time to honor the now-defunct food pyramid.

This pyramid is based in part on my understanding of preparations and several insightful observations of several others (included below). It highlights that taking basic steps as part of a balanced lifestyle are central to many kinds of emergency preparations. This tries to capture in a straightforward way that day-to-day living and habits are as important to emergency preparations as the latest bug out bag or hi-tech knife (which do have their place in preparation).



Overview: how to read

The left side highlights one possible view of how to prioritize steps to prepare specifically for an emergency.

The right side highlights some steps not always considered relevant to emergency preparations, but which have benefits in every day circumstances as well as in emergency or disaster situations, whether they be for a few hours, days, or longer.



Breakdown: the layered approach

This approach emphasizes that basic necessities most likely to be needed in an emergency should come first. Paralleling these necessities are basic steps to improve the ability of an individual, family, or group to help or survive in an emergency.

The premise of this layered approach focuses on a mix of what is most important to survival in an emergency and the most likely threats facing an individual or family. Most people are far more likely to face personal ruin through crippling personal debt, poor health, or imbalanced planning instead of through a horde of scavengers; however, that does not mean that adequate planning, training, or personal security are not relevant.



Limits:

This simple graphic is intended to help people prioritize and evaluate their efforts. It therefore specifically and intentionally omits any lists of what to included in a bug out bag, bug out vehicle, or a bug out location.



Insightful posts: a few specific ideas that I am attempting to capture here

Edit: added names to give credit to individuals (if any poster believes I took their text out of context, I will remove it if you let me know)



Hydrostatic wrote:

Untill now, my preps have been centered around dealing with civil distress and disease outbreak. After two weeks of putting my preps through hard use, I have found that I was lacking in many areas. One problem that I ran into, was that I had devoted to much of my resources to self defense. While having an AR15 and enough ammo to hold off a small army, provides myself with a sense of security to no end, it holds little practicality in the situtaions that I am most likely to be in.



One of the things that I found was needed most was extra medical supplies. After two days of clearing debris, I had already burned through my basic FAK. Between dozens of cuts recieved from routine work, and my friend suffering an allergic reaction from a bee sting, the only medical crysis I could take on was premenstraul cramps. (read more at viewtopic.php?f=6&t=79870#p1760084)



tarafore wrote:

For someone in this situation, the best prep is debt reduction, creating an emergency fund, and achieving financial stability. This isn’t really that compatible with $1,000 rifles, $600 pistols, thousands of dollars worth of ammunition, range fees, etc. (read more at viewtopic.php?f=108&t=80088)



WhoShotJR wrote:

...Approaching preps like a ladder, taking one step at a time. Imagine the whole ladder as your total prep goals, with each step representing 5% of each individual goal. You have a twenty rung ladder in front of you to climb, each one a well defined step. (read more at viewtopic.php?f=6&t=70736)



Vel454 wrote:

I believe a financial crisis is the most likely disaster that an individual family could experience, and I believe with that, it should be the disaster you should most diligently prepare for…(read more at viewtopic.php?f=6&t=81082)



MikeDoyle wrote:

The thrust of the article is that we tend to rationalize our way into irrational decisions about our exposure to hazards. (read more at viewtopic.php?f=6&t=77149)



As usual, if you have reads this far, you have some right to critique this.

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The necessity of the routine (clean water) often trumps the lure of the exciting (expensive gear).



What Food to Carry in A Pack?



A Graphic: One Strategic Approach to Preps

 Post subject: Re: Prioritizing Preparations: A Layered Approach

Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 10:48 pm 

Interesting. I'll need to think this over. Some things are conflicting unless I don't read it right. Most pointedly...defense is both a short term and long term need. Perhaps the food pyramid died for a reason.

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 Post subject: Re: Prioritizing Preparations: A Layered Approach

Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 11:15 pm 

Sorry for the dueling pyramids. Obviously there is a lot of thought put into that graphic it looks very well thought out. My plan is based on short term, intermediate and long term goals based on Maslows theory:



yours seems more detail oriented so maybe they don't compare.

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 Post subject: Re: Prioritizing Preparations: A Layered Approach

Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 11:16 pm 

The intention is that without food, shelter, and water, all the security in the world will not matter. It also is a nod to tornadoes and wild fires which have disrupted thousands of lives in the US as of late: people are in desperate need of clean water, food, shelter and sometimes even medical treatment (as noted here viewtopic.php?f=6&t=80924) but security seems to be less of a near-term issue in these situations, which are much more frequent, at least in the US, than riots, looting, or rampant breakdowns in authority.



Of course, there are situations which trump the immediate need for the basics and security does rise to the forefront (such as when shopkeepers defend their stores during riots).



This pyramid is more of a day-to-day approach to emergency preparation. As Hydrostatic noted in viewtopic.php?f=6&t=79870&p=1782771 "One problem that I ran into (note: he was helping people recover in the wake of devastating tornadoes), was that I had devoted to much of my resources to self defense."

_________________

Amateurs talk strategy; Generals talk logistics



The necessity of the routine (clean water) often trumps the lure of the exciting (expensive gear).



What Food to Carry in A Pack?



A Graphic: One Strategic Approach to Preps

 Post subject: Re: Prioritizing Preparations: A Layered Approach

Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 11:31 pm 

Interestingly, I came across Maslow's hierarchy when trying to find a preparedness-type pyramid. Even more interesting, the preparedness pyramid which started the topic focuses mostly on the two lower parts of Maslow's hierarhcy (food, water, homeostatis [what I would argue is shelter or clothing], security, health and resources).



The self-reliance and self-confidence aspects were intended to highlight the need for people to take survival into their own hands and understand the concept that if a large disaster does strike, the local police/fire department/EMTs probably will be busy and will not be able to respond to everyone, at least initially.



We will see how this idea shakes out... am sure there will be many more comments coming....

_________________

Amateurs talk strategy; Generals talk logistics



The necessity of the routine (clean water) often trumps the lure of the exciting (expensive gear).



What Food to Carry in A Pack?



A Graphic: One Strategic Approach to Preps

 Post subject: Re: Prioritizing Preparations: A Layered Approach

Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 11:48 pm 

I was thinking the same thing. But survival only encompasses basic, bare bones needs. Your pyramid looks good to me.

_________________

"If guns kill people, then I can blame mispelled words on my pencil." - Larry the Cable Guy



Check out my Zombie Novels!; Phoenix Rising; ...and the sequel: Through the Ashes

 Post subject: Re: Prioritizing Preparations: A Layered Approach

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 3:24 am 

AnonEmous, me likey. I'm printing it out for the fridge door at home.



The graphic alone shows you've put a lot of thought into it's organization, the write-up only proves it further. (we need a clapping hands smiley)

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 Post subject: Re: Prioritizing Preparations: A Layered Approach

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 7:22 am 

Love it. As I'm reading it, I'm going... check, check, hmmmm 20% on that one, need to revisit that one... BUT: "Practical Emergency Experience"... is going to be a hard one for me to come by outside of seeking emergency situations. I thought about simulating, but that's more in the training side. I almost feel like the peak of your Pyramid should read "Crisis Event" and then silo outward depending on type of crisis... since you color-coordinated different parts, the crisis would correlate to the type of crisis: military crisis for example might be colored green where immediate need is: Personal/Family Security --> Water/Food/Shelter as the long term goal at the end of that crisis.

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 Post subject: Re: Prioritizing Preparations: A Layered Approach

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 8:55 am 

Absolutely love it! Like KnightOfTheRoc, it's already saved to my comp, and will be printed out today and thrown on the fridge. Also, you mentioned my Financial Preperations 101 post as part of the information you used to construct your pyramid, I'm glad someone found it useful, I didn't really get any responces like I was expecting oh well.



I agree with Caenus about self defense skills being both a short-term and long-term need. But looking at the top of your pyrmaid, on the right I see self-reliance. To me, that would mean living completely off the grid, having a piece of land that sustains all of my immediate needs in the bottom left side of the pyramid. If the land was turning a profit for you as well (say, selling honey from your bee's, apples from a small orcherd, whatever.) the perscription meds would be paid for, from the land. Emergency cash would be conjured through the profits of the land, first aid kit, some home remedies can be made/grown on the land, some would have to be bought like the p-meds.



And on the top left, Self Defense. Which would be the protection of yourself and that self-reliance you've created. So, while I think self-defense is an all-time skill set thats needed, if you were to have to place it on the board, I think you picked the right place. I can live a couple days without water, a few weeks without food, lack of shelter can kill quickly. Self defense may not have to be used for decades. Well thought-out bro!

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 Post subject: Re: Prioritizing Preparations: A Layered Approach

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 9:53 am 

I like it!

I think it demonstrates the levels of importance of priority, expenses, and time. For the different aspects of survival. When you get to the level at which you have to test yourself, you then start realizing where the gaps in your preps are.

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Does your BOB at least have: water, basic tools, fire, food, first-aid kit, and shelter?

"When planning, prepare for the most likely, and then the most catastrophic."

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 Post subject: Re: Prioritizing Preparations: A Layered Approach

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 10:00 am 

Interesting, I too like this approach.



At the end of the day some prepping comes down to what you enjoy. Buying stuff is easy, learning skills and practising them is very different.



Also am quoting this for truth

 Post subject: Re: Prioritizing Preparations: A Layered Approach

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 12:46 pm 

Let me start to saying thanks for the post, you have clearly put some thought into the graphic.

What it lacks is specificity.



You do not specify the “hazard", impact of the hazard, any preventative measures in place for or mitigation of what you are planning for.

Once you have identified a hazard(s) - you plan for response, recovery and so on.



Once you have done that, you begin to gather your “prep" items. If you don’t define what you are planning for, how do you know -- how ready are you?



I use a SMART model for prepping - IOW, is what I am planning

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Realistic

Timely



For example - “water"

I need to have 40 gallons of water in storage to be able to bug in for 15 days.

I need eight NATO water cans and a way to pour the water

I will buy at least one NATO water can every month for a cost of $xx.xx

This requires I set aside $xx.xx each payday - is this realistic? Other sources of income?

I will work to meet my goal for water in 6 months or less.



A specific set of items, amounts and a method you have worked out to pay for them is likely a planning tool more useful for the bulk of folks starting on their preps…



An old saying - Fuzzy tasking equals fuzzy results.



Thanks for the opportunity to add my bit to the discussion.



.

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 Post subject: Re: Prioritizing Preparations: A Layered Approach

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 2:48 pm 

Thanks for the comments, completely agree. A simple graphic can not replace the details needed for real planning; its intent is to put priorities into persepctive and reveal that simple preparations and taking care of yourself can go a long way to overcome a range of emergencies. You also probably saw it has no mention of a bug out bag or any specific way to prepare.



It is a pyramid of priorities to explain that someone may want to consider at least a basic food and water supply before planning to become a martial arts expert or charge $2,000 on their high interest credit card to upgrade their bug out vehicle before having a decent first aid kit (or better yet, buidling it from scratch and understanding the difference between an ace bandage and Kerlix).



It is applicable to a range of potential emergencies. The entire pyramid is bounded to whatever you consider reasonable: when I think self-reliance and self-confidence, I think of the ability to take care of yourself and your family and take proactive measures for your own survival (either when the lights go out in a storm, you find yourself off the hiking trail some afternoon with no one in sight, you are with your family at home three days into a major snowstorm, or riots are breaking out just a few miles from your home).



It serves to highlight priorities, nothing more.

_________________

Amateurs talk strategy; Generals talk logistics



The necessity of the routine (clean water) often trumps the lure of the exciting (expensive gear).



What Food to Carry in A Pack?



A Graphic: One Strategic Approach to Preps

 Post subject: Re: Prioritizing Preparations: A Layered Approach

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 3:14 pm 

Lists of items are important and people often look for them (just look to the popularity of bug out bag posts, item critiques, and the post 'em when you find 'em deals), but lists are not a one size fits all type of thing for emergency preparations. Generally the more specific they are, the more exclusive they are. Much like the now defunct food pyramid, there are basics that can be covered a number of ways and some things are more important than others (x amount of apples a day are not required, just get those servings of fruit; fruits and grains are more important than fats and oils).



Also, I wanted to provide a few insights and build on what already has appeared (and sometimes reappeared) here, instead of trying to recreate lists or must-have items, which do serve a purpose and can be insightful.



A brief sampling of those helpful lists and items:

raptor's Budget Preparations and Where Do I Start Sticky viewtopic.php?f=6&t=79725

Gunny's Where to Buy Medical Products: The Definitive Thread viewtopic.php?f=43&t=31455#p657685

Gunny's ZS Presents: How to Build Your Bug Out Bag (B.O.B.) viewtopic.php?f=14&t=36016

PistolPete's How to get started prepping (a must read for new people!) viewtopic.php?f=89&t=53423

_________________

Amateurs talk strategy; Generals talk logistics



The necessity of the routine (clean water) often trumps the lure of the exciting (expensive gear).



What Food to Carry in A Pack?



A Graphic: One Strategic Approach to Preps