Subscription-Based Intermediate Short-Term Emergency Shelter Method

Abstract

One provides ( 101, 102 ) a short-term emergency shelter, wherein the short-term emergency shelter is configured and arranged to provide only temporary interim shelter during a window of clear and present threat exposure temporally proximal to an event. Consideration-based private civil security subscriptions are then accepted ( 102 ) from subscribers with respect to providing event-based access to the short-term emergency shelter. If desired, emergency survival items may also be provided ( 105 ) in the short-term emergency shelter. The shelter can be maintained ( 106 ) pending a need to permit subscription-based access to the secure short-term emergency shelter upon occurrence of the event, and an attendant may be provided ( 108 ) to assist with the maintenance and security of the shelter and its contents. Adjustments to the emergency survival items may also be made ( 107 ) to reflect dynamically changing circumstances as occur during the consideration-based private civil security subscription.

1 . A method comprising;
 providing a short-term emergency shelter;   accepting consideration-based private civil security subscriptions from subscribers with respect to providing event-based access to the short-term emergency shelter;   wherein the short-term emergency shelter is configured and arranged to provide only temporary interim shelter during a window of clear and present threat exposure temporally proximal to the event.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the short-term emergency shelter is configured and arranged to be a barrier to the clear and present threat exposure. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  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; 
 fractionally-based rights of access; 
 non-ownership-based rights of access. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the event-based access comprises civilly-catastrophic event-based access. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the civilly-catastrophic event comprises at least one of:
 a natural disaster; 
 a non-naturally-caused disaster. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the short-term emergency shelter comprises common, non-private accommodations. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 maintaining the short-term emergency shelter pending a need to permit subscription-based access to the secure multi-person emergency shelter upon occurrence of the event. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 providing emergency survival items in the short-term emergency shelter. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 making adjustments to the emergency survival items in the short-term emergency shelter to reflect dynamically changing circumstances as occur during the consideration-based private civil security subscription. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein providing emergency survival items in the short-term emergency shelter comprises providing a seven day supply of emergency survival items in the short-term emergency shelter. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein providing emergency survival items comprises providing a plurality of life-sustaining resources as pertain to a plurality of differing categories of life's necessities. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the plurality of life-sustaining resources comprise at least one of:
 hydration; 
 nourishment; 
 shelter; 
 security; 
 medical treatment; 
 environmentally borne threat abatement. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the emergency survival items comprise at least one of:
 consumable survival supplies; 
 non-consumable survival supplies. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the consumable survival supplies comprise at least one of:
 food supplies; 
 potable water; 
 finite air supply; 
 emergency medical supplies; 
 batteries; 
 hygiene supplies; 
 sanitation supplies. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the non-consumable survival supplies comprise at least one of:
 essential clothing items; 
 personal protection items; 
 bed linens; 
 beds; 
 food preparation items; 
 communications items; 
 power generation equipment; 
 repair and maintenance tools; 
 evacuation tools; 
 navigation equipment; 
 rescue tools and supplies. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the short-term emergency shelter comprises, at least in part, a controlled point of ingress and egress. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the short-term emergency shelter comprises, at least in part, at least one additional controlled point of ingress and egress. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the point of ingress and egress comprises a sealable point of ingress and egress. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the sealable point of ingress and egress comprises a door that opens inwardly. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 providing at least one at least substantially full-time attendant at the short-term emergency shelter. 
 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the short-term emergency shelter comprises, at least in part, environmental protection for authorized beneficiaries of the subscriptions. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the environmental protection comprises a positive pressure air capability to discourage airborne contaminants from entering the short-term emergency shelter. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the airborne contaminants comprise at least one of:
 radiological contaminants; 
 biological contaminants; 
 chemical contaminants. 
 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the environmental protection comprises a filtered air supply. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the short-term emergency shelter exclusively functions as a short-term emergency shelter. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the short-term emergency shelter has at least one non-emergency shelter function. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the at least one non-emergency shelter function comprises storage. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1  wherein providing a short-term emergency shelter comprises providing a plurality of short-term emergency shelters. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein at least one tunnel connects at least two of the plurality of short-term emergency shelters. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the subscription provides event-based access to more than one of the plurality of short-term emergency shelters. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the subscription provides event-based access to any of the plurality of short-term emergency shelters. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the short-term emergency shelter comprises an underground short-term emergency shelter. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the underground short-term emergency shelter comprises a shelter that is covered by at least 2 meters of earth. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the short-term emergency shelter comprises an above ground, elevated short-term emergency shelter. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the short-term emergency shelter comprises a short-term emergency shelter partially disposed above ground and partially disposed underground. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the short-term emergency shelter is substantially fireproof. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the short-term emergency shelter is substantially waterproof. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the short-term emergency shelter is configured and arranged to be submergible. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the short-term emergency shelter is configured and arranged to float in a liquid. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the short-term emergency shelter is enclosed in a radiation-blocking barrier. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 confirming identities of authorized beneficiaries gaining access to the short-term emergency shelter. 
 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41  wherein the identities of the authorized beneficiaries are confirmed by at least one of:
 biometrics; 
 an identification card; 
 photographs; 
 visual confirmation; 
 an admission card; 
 a password; 
 a pass code; 
 voice print; 
 words. 
 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41  further comprising:
 upon confirmation of the authorized beneficiary's identity, automatically notifying at least one designated contact person upon the authorized beneficiary's entry into the short-term emergency shelter. 
 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 provisioning the short-term emergency shelter with two-way communications facilities; 
 using the two-way communications facilities to communicate with persons inside the short-term emergency shelter. 
 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 provisioning the short-term emergency shelter with external environment monitoring tools; 
 using the external environment monitoring tools to monitor the conditions of the external environment. 
 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the external environment monitoring tools comprise at least one of:
 a periscope; 
 video transmission; 
 photographic transmission; 
 local sensors. 
 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 1  wherein providing the short-term emergency shelter comprises prepositioning the short-term emergency shelter at a predetermined location. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47  wherein prepositioning the short-term emergency shelter at a predetermined location comprises assessing a likelihood of at least one particular event occurring and a likelihood of a location of the at least one particular event occurring. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47  wherein prepositioning the short-term emergency shelter at a predetermined location comprises prepositioning the short-term emergency shelter at a predetermined location in relative proximity to a plurality of authorized beneficiaries. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 47  wherein the short-term emergency shelter is configured and arranged to be moved to and from the predetermined location. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50  wherein the short-term emergency shelter remains stationary in the predetermined location while authorized beneficiaries occupy the short-term emergency shelter. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 50  wherein the short-term emergency shelter is moved from the predetermined location while authorized beneficiaries occupy the short-term emergency shelter. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the short-term emergency shelter comprises an enclosed structure. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53  wherein the enclosed structure is an existing structure. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the short-term emergency shelter comprises a vehicle. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the short-term emergency shelter comprises an armored short-term emergency shelter. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 providing a long-term shelter; 
 accepting consideration-based private civil security subscriptions from subscribers with respect to providing event-based access to the long-term emergency shelter upon leaving the short-term emergency shelter.