SHELTER - MODULE 6
There Can Be Great Value In Coming Inside
– At times and for many reasons shelter, in its multiple and various forms, contributes to and supports all of the other eight areas. Shelter can contribute directly to comfort, safety, security, rest, recreation and overall well-being. Shelters come in many different forms and can be made from a very wide variety of materials in an endless array of structures, shapes and sizes. Understanding the basics of shelter choices for differing conditions and situations will maximize the overall end results. There are some key basic areas to contemplate when exploring sheltering options for self-reliant living. The solutions being entertained will vary greatly when considering the type of “events” to prepare for—ranging from short-term disturbances, to living long-term in a grid-down world. You will want to look at: 1) Principles of Sheltering — Your true needs and priorities, what really works and what does not, and how these fit in with different “events”. 2) Maintaining Your Current “Home” — When to leave and when to stay and how to make the home function in a way it was never intended to work. 3) Portable Shelter Options — Getting real about understanding the quality, cost, durability, and functionality of portable shelter choices. 4) Can’t Buy One, Then Make One — Lots of money is nice, but not the only solution. With skills, tools and basic materials you can create viable answers. 5) Heating Concept Options — There are multiple approaches that reduce the need for fire, fuels and the modern concept of what a “warm” shelter is. 6) Special Sheltering Needs — This is a blend of your true needs and priorities along with what you are really up against in the differing events you face. Shelters can also be grouped and classified under a number of headings (individually or in various combinations): • Permanent • Semi-Permanent • Temporary • Fixed • Portable • Movable • Luggable • Truckable • Expedient • Rigid • Semi-Rigid • Natural • Do-It-Yourself • Consumer Grade • Professional Grade, etc. One of the biggest factors affecting the kind of alternative shelters you can have for an emergency will be the available money. Costs will range from tens of thousands of dollars, to a few thousand, to several hundred, to less than a hundred, to under ten, and of course free. Each option has it’s own set of advantages and disadvantages, besides the cost in dollars. No matter what your budget is, start from where you are — you always have the option to move up — and expand to whatever capacity you may have in the future. Shelter, like all areas in provident living, is a dynamic process, not a destination. |