EMERGENCY SUPPLIES PRE-POSITIONING AND ACCESS CONTROL METHOD

Abstract

One provides (101) a plurality of carriable containers having emergency supplies contained therein wherein each of these carriable containers is readily carriable by an average adult human. These carriable containers are then placed (103) within one or more corresponding controlled access containers as are provided at one or more publicly accessible locations (102). Prior to a triggering catastrophic event, one or more specific authorized beneficiaries are then preauthorized (104) to have catastrophic event-based access to one or more of these carriable containers. So configured, the authorized beneficiary(s) will in turn have access to the corresponding emergency supplies that are contained within the carriable container when a triggering catastrophic event occurs.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above needs are at least partially met through provision of the emergency supplies pre-positioning and access control method described in the following detailed description, particularly when studied in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 2 comprises a perspective schematic view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 3 comprises a perspective schematic view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 4 comprises a plan view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 5 comprises a perspective schematic view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 6 comprises a perspective schematic view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention; and

FIG. 7 comprises a block diagram view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A method comprising: providing a plurality of carriable containers having emergency supplies contained therein wherein each of the plurality of carriable containers is readily carriable by an average adult human;providing, at at least one publicly accessible location, at least one controlled access container;placing at least one of the plurality of carriable containers within the at least one controlled access container;prior to a triggering catastrophic event, preauthorizing at least one specific authorized beneficiary to have catastrophic event-based access to the at least one of the plurality of carriable containers within the at least one controlled access container;

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the emergency supplies comprise, at least in part, at least one of: nourishment;hydrating fluid;foul weather clothing;hazmat clothing;breathing filters;portable lighting;eye protection;medical supplies;potassium iodide;an ionizing radiation detector;an ionizing radiation measurer;rope;a wearable harness;fire starter;a tool;a weapon;a noisemaker;navigation equipment;evacuation route information;a wireless communicator;an inflatable raft;temporary shelter.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the emergency supplies comprise, at least in part, disguise supplies such that the authorized beneficiary can significantly alter their appearance and thereby draw less third party interest to themselves.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of carriable containers comprises at least one of: a backpack;a fanny pack;a duffel bag;a briefcase;a diaper bag;a shopping bag;a purse;a shoulder bag;a trash container;a physician's bag;a suitcase.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of carriable containers is configured and arranged to attach to the authorized beneficiary and further comprises external lighting such that a rescue service can more readily identify and locate the authorized beneficiary.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of carriable containers comprises a locked carriable container.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein preauthorizing at least one specific authorized beneficiary further comprises providing the at least one specific authorized beneficiary with a capability of unlocking the locked carriable container.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein providing the at least one specific authorized beneficiary with a capability of unlocking the locked carriable container comprises providing the at least one specific authorized beneficiary with at least one of: a physical key;an enterable code;instructions regarding presentation of at least one biometric characteristic of the at least one specific authorized beneficiary.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of carriable containers comprises a carriable container having wheels such that the carriable container is readily rolled on the wheels to facilitate its movement.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein providing, at at least one publicly accessible location, at least one controlled access container comprises providing at least one controlled access container at each of a plurality of different publicly accessible locations.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein providing at least one controlled access container at each of a plurality of different publicly accessible locations comprises configuring and arranging at least some of the controlled access containers to conceal their function as a container of at least one of the plurality of carriable containers.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein configuring and arranging at least some of the controlled access containers to conceal their function as a container of at least one of the plurality of carriable containers comprises at least one of configuring and arranging at least one of the controlled access containers to appear to comprise: a seat;a counter;a podium;a pedestal;a work of art;a plant-bearing container;a wall;a floor;a ceiling;a building load-bearing structural support;a sign;an aquarium;an elevator;a closet;a store front;a door;a mirrored window;a product display.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein preauthorizing at least one specific authorized beneficiary to have catastrophic event-based access to the at least one of the plurality of carriable containers within the at least one controlled access container comprises, at least in part, providing the at least one specific authorized beneficiary with instructions regarding how to locate at least one of the plurality of carriable containers.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein providing the at least one specific authorized beneficiary with instructions regarding how to locate at least one of the plurality of carriable containers further comprises providing the at least one specific authorized beneficiary with instructions regarding how to locate a plurality of the plurality of carriable containers.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein placing at least one of the plurality of carriable containers within the at least one controlled access container comprises placing a plurality of the plurality of carriable containers within the at least one controlled access container.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one controlled access container comprises a vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the vehicle comprises at least one of: a self-powered vehicle;a non-powered vehicle.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein preauthorizing at least one specific authorized beneficiary to have catastrophic event-based access to the at least one of the plurality of carriable containers within the at least one controlled access container further comprises accepting consideration-based private civil security subscriptions from subscribers with respect to providing civilly-catastrophic event-based access to the carriable container.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein accepting consideration-based private civil security subscriptions from subscribers comprises accepting the consideration-based private civil security subscriptions at a for-profit business.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the subscriptions comprise at least one of: time-limited rights of access;event-limited rights of access;inheritable rights of access;rights of access predicated upon a series of periodic payments;rights of access predicated upon a one-time payment;ownership-based rights of access;non-transferable rights of access;transferable rights of access;membership-based rights of access;non-ownership-based rights of access;geographically-limited rights of access.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the civilly-catastrophic event comprises at least one of: a natural disaster;an intentionally-caused disaster.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the natural disaster comprises at least one of: a severe weather event;a severe geophysical event;a large object impacting the Earth.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the intentionally-caused disaster comprises at least one of: warfare;an act of terrorism;an accident that results in public dispersal of a severe environmentally borne danger.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a plurality of carriable containers having emergency supplies contained therein comprises providing at least some carriable containers having emergency supplies selected and appropriate for use with respect to a first emergency scenario and at least some carriable containers having emergency supplies selected and appropriate for use with respect to a second emergency scenario, wherein the first and second emergency scenarios are different from one another.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein at least some of the carriable containers bare an externally visible indication regarding a kind of emergency scenario for which the emergency supplies contained therein have been selected.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the visible indication comprises a color-based code.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a controlled access container comprises providing a controlled access container that is arranged and configured to provide electromagnetic pulse protection to the carriable container contained therein.

28. The method of claim 1 further comprising: maintaining the emergency supplies.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein maintaining the emergency supplies comprises, at least in part, ensuring current usability of the emergency supplies.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein maintaining the emergency supplies comprises, at least in part, maintaining seasonal relevance of the emergency supplies.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein maintaining the emergency supplies comprises, at least in part, adding another emergency supply item to an already fielded carriable container.

32. The method of claim 1 further comprising: controlling access to the plurality of carriable containers.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein controlling access to the plurality of carriable containers comprises, at least in part, requiring submission of a pre-arranged code from the authorized beneficiary when the authorized beneficiary seeks present access to the carriable container.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the pre-arranged code comprises, at least in part, an alphanumeric sequence.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein the pre-arranged code comprises, at least in part, biometric information as corresponds to the authorized beneficiary.

36. The method of claim 32 wherein controlling access to the plurality of carriable containers comprises, at least in part, limiting access to emergency needs situations.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the emergency needs situations comprise civilly-catastrophic events.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein limiting access to emergency needs situations further comprises, at least in part, detecting reception of an enabling remote control signal from an authorizing entity.

39. The method of claim 36 wherein limiting access to emergency needs situations further comprises, at least in part, detecting a loss of a signal.

40. The method of claim 36 wherein limiting access to emergency needs situations further comprises, at least in part, detecting a loss of electric power.

41. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a plurality of carriable containers having emergency supplies contained therein further comprises providing a plurality of carriable containers that each further comprises a proximity detector that is configured and arranged to detect proximity of another one of the carriable containers, such that one of the authorized beneficiaries can more readily identify another of the authorized beneficiaries in an emergency scenario.

42. The method of claim 1 wherein placing at least one of the plurality of carriable containers within the at least one controlled access container comprises vertically placing a plurality of the carriable containers one atop the other in the controlled access container.

43. The method of claim 1 wherein preauthorizing at least one specific authorized beneficiary to have catastrophic event-based access to the at least one of the plurality of carriable containers within the at least one controlled access container comprises one of: receiving a full payment for the carriable container;receiving a partial payment for the carriable container;receiving an agreement that payment for the carriable container will become due when the authorized beneficiary gains access to the carriable container.

44. The method of claim 1 further comprising: permitting the authorized beneficiary to place an object in the controlled access container after gaining access to the carriable container, such that the authorized beneficiary need not carry the object during a catastrophic event.

45. The method of claim 44 further comprising: returning the object to the authorized beneficiary.

46. The method of claim 1 wherein preauthorizing at least one specific authorized beneficiary to have catastrophic event-based access to the at least one of the plurality of carriable containers within the at least one controlled access container further comprises providing the at least one specific authorized beneficiary with a one-time-only access key that is only capable of opening a single one of the plurality of carriable containers.