I started Prepography to encourage self reliance, help people get started prepping and help established preppers get to the next level in their efforts.  I believe that when our family, friends and neighbors are better prepared…so are we.  To this end I’ve been working on the next step with a small group of like minded preppers.  Our goal is to develop a conceptual framework to codify and help you direct your own preparedness efforts.  We call this concept the Full Spectrum Preparedness Doctrine.

Defining the Full Spectrum Preparedness Doctrine

Before we discuss the Full Spectrum Preparedness Doctrine in detail let’s break it down and define it:

• Full:  [fu̇l] Complete, entire, or maximum.  Also, abundant or well-supplied.

• Spectrum:  [spek-truhm]  A broad range of varied but related ideas or objects, the individual features of which tend to overlap so as to form a continuous series or sequence.

• Preparedness:  [pri-pair-id-nis] The state of being prepared;  readiness.

• Doctrine:  [dok-trin] A conceptual framework that provides context and drives individual teachings or operations relating to a particular subject.

Therefore, the Full Spectrum Preparedness Doctrine is a conceptual framework that provides the complete range of related, overlapping concepts required for individual, family or group readiness.

The Full Spectrum Preparedness Doctrine as a Cognitive Model

Full Spectrum Preparedness is being developed as a doctrine applicable to all preppers at all preparedness levels in all geographic areas.  Full Spectrum Preparedness was created because other preparedness ‘programs’ are one or more of the following:  too dogmatic, too simple, too complex, too expensive to implement, too focused on a particular type of calamity or are too reliant on situations that aren’t universal (owning a farm, having unlimited storage capability, etc.).

Full Spectrum Preparedness is a cognitive model to help you become better prepared based on your own analysis of the risks you may face.  We’ll delve deeper into how to evaluate threats in another article, but it’s important that you know that Full Spectrum Preparedness isn’t a one-size-fits-nobody program but a doctrine built on ten preparedness fundamentals.  These fundamentals will form the basis for an open dialog you can have with your family or preparedness group.  This doctrine is a perpetual work in progress and I encourage you to contribute to the dialog both in your personal life and on the pages of Prepography.

Important Aspects of Preparedness Fundamentals

The ten preparedness fundamentals provide the conceptual foundations for Full Spectrum Preparedness as well as providing the basis for an efficient and effective preparedness plan.  Ultimately, it is your family’s application of these fundamentals that will enable you to build resilience and allow you to survive and possibly even thrive in adverse situations.  Although you don’t need to prepare to the same level in each of these fundamentals, keep in mind that many are mutually supportive or complementary.

As you begin thinking about each preparedness fundamental, consider that most of the fundamentals have four separate aspects that can compensate for one another to a certain extent:

• Knowledge:  Knowing that something can be done and generally how do it.  For example:  Knowing that you can make a fire with a bow drill (a primitive fire starting technique).

• Skills:  Being able to implement your knowledge and have a tangible result.  For example:  Being able to make a fire with a bow drill.

• Stuff:  Stores, supplies, equipment, etc.  For example:  Having a bow drill or the materials needed to make one.

• Network:  The human network of family, friends, acquaintances, etc.  For example:  Knowing someone who has a bow drill…or a box of matches they’re willing to trade.

Introducing the Ten Preparedness Fundamentals of Full Spectrum Preparedness

We’ve made Full Spectrum Preparedness as simple as possible but there are still ten overlapping fundamentals that are required to replace modern society’s lifelines.  The following is a very brief introduction to each fundamental.  We will revisit each fundamental over the next few weeks in a bit more detail.  Remember, many of the fundamentals are mutually supportive and a deficit in one fundamental may hamper you in another or several others.

• Security Preparedness:  Those items, knowledge and skills necessary for your family and provision’s security.  Includes all aspects of security including, but not limited to physical (barriers), operational (stealth, keeping a low profile) as well as self defense items and skills.

• Shelter & Clothing Preparedness:  Shelter, clothing and those items and skills necessary to protect you from the elements.

• Health (Personal), Fitness and Medicine Preparedness:  This fundamental includes everything needed to keep you and your family healthy that’s not more appropriate to another fundamental.  Including, but not limited to the skills and stuff related to first aid, necessary medicines, sanitation and of course fitness.

• Transportation Preparedness:  Those skills and items necessary to support your family’s preparedness needs.  This may be the wheelbarrow you require to haul water or the vehicle you plan to use to bug out.

• Family & Community Support:  These are the family and community networks and ties that keep you sane, focused and help you plug any holes you discover in your preps after it’s too late.

• Food Preparedness:  Food storage, food preparation and the knowledge and skills necessary to acquire food and keep yourself fed.

• Financial Preparedness:  These are your savings, stored wealth and the skills that allow you to ‘make a living’ even in the toughest times (think barter-able skills in a worst case scenario).

• Water Preparedness:  Water storage, water purification and the knowledge and skills necessary to acquire safe, potable water as well as safe water for sanitation purposes.

• Communications Preparedness:  Those skills and items necessary to maintain communications within your family or group as well as with the outside would.

• Cognitive, Mental & Spiritual Preparedness:  This is the most important fundamental.  This fundamental incorporates the ‘will to live’ the ability to adapt and the strength that comes from believing in a higher power.

I use the following mnemonic to keep the fundamentals straight.  Compare each letter to the keywords in bold above:  S2HTF3-WC2

Those familiar with other preparedness ‘programs’ may look at this list and claim that we’re missing functions that are common in other plans…but if you look closer you’ll see we’ve got it covered.  An example of a ‘category’ in most other models that we don’t use is “Fuel”…but if you look closer you’ll see that we’ve got fuel covered by what it’s used for…is it fuel for cooking (Food), Transportation, or Water purification or heating/protection from the elements (Shelter).

Full Spectrum Preparedness Doctrine as Your Roadmap

We’ve spoken previously about self reliance and preparedness being a journey…on this journey, Full Spectrum Preparedness is intended to be your roadmap.  This brief introduction should get your creative juices flowing and help you plan your trip.  In fact, think of this introduction as the key to that map.  Check back frequently as we further explore Full Spectrum Preparedness.