The idea for this concept came through my various levels of involvement in disaster-relief efforts, as well as through conversations with other volunteers and community relief organizers.
Here's the concept, in a nutshell:
The core concept is to build an inventory of disaster buckets that are loaded with the essentials of survival and recovery. Each bucket is sealed shut with a lid, allowing them to be easily stacked, shipped, and distributed. But why these buckets that are this "loaded down" with supplies? Well, as I browsed the various "disaster kits" on the internet, I found that they lacked in two many areas to distribute to an individual or family who has lost everything and is living in the disaster area. There are two many facets of survival, sanitation, and safety that go unaddressed. Rather than a disaster kit, this bucket should be thought of as a recovery kit.
The inventory of buckets will be stored in shipping containers that are strategically placed around the country. The goal is that 1 container (capable of holding over 580 buckets) is never more than 1 day away from a disaster area. Staging sites include LA, Dallas, Birmingham, Richmond, Indianapolis, and possibly Boston. This strategy also helps minimize shipping costs, as well as reach a wider donor and volunteer base.
The biggest goal is for this to be a nationwide endeavor, with 5-10 staging sites nationwide holding 2-4 containers each. Of course, this has to be done in small steps. A more realistic approach is to add between 2-5 fully stocked containers each year to the inventory (including replenishment).
Interested in hearing more? Please visit the rest of this website. If you have any questions, or think any concept presented needs clarification (or downright revision), please let me know.
Thank for visiting. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
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