Login| Sign Up| Help| Contact|

Patent Searching and Data


Title:
METHOD TO FACILITATE PROVIDING ACCESS TO AT LEAST ONE PRIVATE CIVIL SECURITY RESOURCE
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2008/091427
Kind Code:
A2
Abstract:
Consideration-based private civil security subscriptions are accepted (101) from subscribers with respect to providing civilly-catastrophic event-based access to at least one private civil security resource. This at least one private civil security resource is then maintained (102) pending a need to permit subscription-based access to the at least one private civil security resource in the event of a given catastrophic event. These teachings then further provide for offering (103) reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder. This can include, for example, the public first responder themselves, their immediate family members, and/or their extended family members as desired. This reduction in required consideration can comprise, as desired, a discount as compared to the consideration that is assessed other subscribers or can even represent a no-cost subscription.

Inventors:
MOORE BARRETT H (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US2007/083211
Publication Date:
July 31, 2008
Filing Date:
October 31, 2007
Export Citation:
Click for automatic bibliography generation   Help
Assignee:
MOORE BARRETT H (US)
International Classes:
A45F5/00
Foreign References:
US20060128357A1
US20050219044A1
US6609104B1
US6385919B1
US20010052142A1
Other References:
USAA: 'Eligibility Requirements for the Association' INFORMATION SHEET. USAA, [Online] 13 October 1999, Retrieved from the Internet:
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
KRATZ, Rudy I. (Even Tabin & Flannery,120 South LaSalle Street, Suite 160, Chicago Illinois, US)
Download PDF:
Claims:

I claim:

1. A method comprising: accepting consideration-based private civil security subscriptions from subscribers with respect to providing civilly-catastrophic event-based access to at least one private civil security resource; maintaining the at least one private civil security resource pending a need to permit subscription-based access to the at least one private civil security resource in event of a catastrophic event; offering reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the civilly-catastrophic event comprises an event that substantially disrupts society's infrastructure and ability to provide at least one life-sustaining resource.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the civilly-catastrophic event is one that is likely to persist in substantial form for more than a predetermined period of time.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the civilly-catastrophic event comprises at least one of: a natural disaster; a non-naturally-caused disaster.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the natural disaster comprises at least one of: a severe weather event; a severe geophysical event; a severe astronomical event; a severe disease-based event; a severe agricultural event; a severe natural shortage of a life-sustaining resource; a naturally-occurring ongoing and relatively widespread threat to human life.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the non-naturally-caused disaster comprises at least one of: an intentional act of aggression; an unintentional act of aggression; an unintended event that results in public dispersal of a severe environmentally borne danger; an event that results in widespread exposure to a mutagenic danger.

7. 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; option-based rights of access; credit-based rights of access; group-based rights of access.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one private civil security resource comprises at least one of: a private civil security provision; a private civil security facility; a private civil security service.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one private civil security resource comprises at least one of each of: the private civil security provision; the private civil security facility;

the private civil security service.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the civil security provision comprises a plurality of life- sustaining resources as pertain to a plurality of differing categories of life's necessities.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of differing categories of life's necessities comprise: breathable air; water; food; and protective clothing.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of differing categories of life's necessities further comprises shelter.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the civil security facility comprises a civil security shelter.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the civil security shelter comprises at least one of: a temporary civil security shelter configured and arranged to adequately shelter and sustain human life for a relatively short period of time; a long term civil security shelter configured and arranged to adequately shelter and sustain human life for a relatively long period of time.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the civil security shelter further comprises an indeterminate term civil security shelter configured and arranged to adequately shelter and sustain human life for an indeterminately long period of time.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the civil security facility comprises a rally point at which the authorized beneficiaries can gather in response to a civilly-catastrophic event in order to receive the civil security service.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the civil security service comprises transportation.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the transportation comprises at least one of: transportation away from a location that substantially lacks civil security; transportation to other of the civil security facilities.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the other of the civil security facilities comprises at least one of: another of the rally points; a civil security shelter; a location where at least some of the authorized beneficiary's civil security provisions are available; a trans-shipment facility for at least some of the civil security provisions; a medical services facility.

20. The method of claim 9 wherein the civil security service comprises: transportation; civil security information that is both generally and specifically appropriate for individual ones of the authorized beneficiaries;

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the civil security information comprises contingency instructions to guide the authorized beneficiary during a time of need when responding to a civilly-catastrophic event.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the contingency instructions comprise personal contingency instructions that are specifically formed and provided to guide, specifically, the authorized beneficiary during a time of need regarding particular actions and behaviors that the authorized beneficiary should take and observe when responding to a civilly-catastrophic event.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the civil security service further comprises civil security preparedness training.

24. The method of claim 9 wherein the civil security service comprises a long distance communications service that is configured and arranged to provide persistent communication services notwithstanding interaction of the long distance communication service with effects of a civilly-catastrophic event.

25. The method of claim 9 wherein the civil security service comprises a rescue service to retrieve selected beneficiaries from dangerous circumstances owing, at least in part, to a substantial lack of civil security.

26. The method of claim 9 wherein the civil security service comprises an information system that an authorized beneficiary can access to receive substantially real-time advice regarding near-term actions to take with respect to a given civilly-catastrophic event.

27. The method of claim 9 wherein the civil security service comprises at least one of: delivery of at least a portion of the civil security provision; transport of dispossessed persons; physical security; medical services; post-civilly-catastrophic event social relationship facilitation; delivery of fuel; installation of independent utilities facilities.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein offering reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder comprises offering discounted private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein offering reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder comprises offering complementary private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein offering reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder comprises offering discounted private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who presently serve as a public first responder.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein offering discounted private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who presently serve as a public first responder comprises offering discounted private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who presently serve substantially fulltime as a public first responder.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein offering discounted private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who presently serve as a public first responder comprises offering discounted private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who presently serve at least a predetermined amount of time as a public first responder.

33. The method of claim 1 wherein offering reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder comprises offering discounted private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who comprise an immediate family member of a person who presently serves as a public first responder.

34. The method of claim 1 wherein offering reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder comprises offering discounted private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who comprises at least one of: a non-divorced spouse; a birth child; an adopted child; of a person who presently serves as a public first responder.

35. The method of claim 1 wherein offering reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder comprises offering discounted private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who comprise an immediate family member of a person who presently serves as a public first responder up to a predetermined number of such immediate family members per a given one of the public first responders.

36. The method of claim 1 wherein offering reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder comprises conditioning reduction of the consideration as a function of a person who serves as the public first responder continuing to serve in their role as a public first responder notwithstanding a civilly-catastrophic event having occurred to aid with responding to needs engendered by that civilly-catastrophic event.

37. The method of claim 1 wherein offering reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder comprises conditioning access to the at least one private civil security resource as a function of a person who serves as the public first responder continuing to serve in their role as a public first responder notwithstanding a civilly-catastrophic event having occurred to aid with responding to needs engendered by that civilly-catastrophic event.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein offering reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder further comprises continuing to honor, for at least some predetermined period of time, such a reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscription as corresponds to a public first responder who has transferred to a non- public first responder responsibility provided that this person did not abandon their role as a public first responder when faced with a given civilly-catastrophic event.

39. The method of claim 1 further comprising: in response to a civilly-catastrophic event having occurred:

providing the public first responder with access to at least one private civil security resource to better facilitate the public first responder carrying out their duties when responding to the civilly-catastrophic event.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein providing the public first responder with access to at least one private civil security resource comprises, at least in part, providing the public first responder with access to at least one: wireless communications device; portable control and command center; weapon; ammunition; crowd control tool; crowd disbursement tool; vehicle; breathing assistance item; medication; vaccine; medical services; communications access with at least their immediate family; food; potable water supply; item of protective clothing; environmentally-borne hazard detector; trained animal.

41. The method of claim 1 wherein offering reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder comprises offering a first reduced- consideration-based private civil security subscription that provides a baseline package of particular private civil security resources for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the first reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscription comprises a substantially free private civil security subscription.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein offering reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder further comprises offering a second reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscription of additional private civil security resources for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the second reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscription comprises a discounted private civil security subscription.

45. The method of claim 1 further comprising: providing the public first responder with civil security training.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the civil security training comprises, at least in part, training with respect to private civil security resources that the provider of the private civil security resources may provide to the public first responder to facilitate the public first responder being able to carry out their duties when facing a civilly-catastrophic event.

47. The method of claim 1 wherein offering reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder further comprises: offering to pre-register, prior to an occurrence of a given civilly-catastrophic event, the authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder in order to expedite providing the authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder with private civil security benefits during a civilly-catastrophic event-based time of need.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein offering reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder further comprises:

providing pre-registered authorized beneficiaries with an identification tool prior to an occurrence of a corresponding civilly-catastrophic event to facilitate providing the pre- registered authorized beneficiaries with the private civil security benefits during a civilly- catastrophic event-based time of need.

49. The method of claim 47 wherein offering reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder further comprises: providing pre-registered authorized beneficiaries, prior to an occurrence of a relevant civilly-catastrophic event, with instructions regarding civil security actions to take during a civilly-catastrophic event-based time of need.

50. The method of claim 47 wherein offering reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder further comprises: offering to register, subsequent to an occurrence of a given civilly-catastrophic event, the authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder and who were not earlier pre-registered in order to facilitate providing the authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder with civil security benefits during a time of need as corresponds to the given civilly-catastrophic event.

Description:

METHOD TO FACILITATE PROVIDING ACCESS TO AT LEAST ONE PRIVATE

CIVIL SECURITY RESOURCE FOR BENEFICIARIES HAVING A PARTICULAR

RELATIONSHIP TO A PUBLIC FIRST RESPONDER

Related Applications

[0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. provisional application numbers 60/864,302 filed November 3, 2006, and 60/894,350 filed March 12, 2007, which are hereby incorporated in their entirety herein.

[0002] This comprises a continuation-in-part of each of:

[0003] SUBSCRIPTION-BASED PRIVATE CIVIL SECURITY FACILITATION METHOD as filed on March 17, 2006 and having application number 11/384,037;

[0004] SUBSCRIPTION-BASED CATASTROPHE-TRIGGERED MEDICAL SERVICES FACILITATION METHOD as filed on March 30, 2006 and having application number 11/394,350;

[0005] PERSONAL PROFILE-BASED PRIVATE CIVIL SECURITY SUBSCRIPTION METHOD as filed on April 11 , 2006 and having application number 11/279,333;

[0006] RADIATION SHELTER KIT APPARATUS AND METHOD as filed on April 24, 2006 and having application number 11/379,929;

[0007] FRACTIONALLY-POSSESSED UNDERGROUND SHELTER METHOD AND APPARATUS as filed on May 2, 2006 and having application number 11/381,247;

[0008] SUBSCRIPTION-BASED CATASTROPHE-TRIGGERED TRANSPORT SERVICES FACILITATION METHOD AND APPARATUS as filed on May 2, 2006 and having application number 11/381,257;

[0009] SUBSCRIPTION-BASED MULTI-PERSON EMERGENCY SHELTER METHOD as filed on May 2, 2006 and having application number 11/381,265;

[0010] SUBSCRIPTION-BASED CATASTROPHE-TRIGGERED RESCUE SERVICES FACILITATION METHOD AND APPARATUS as filed on May 2, 2006 and having application number 11/381,277;

[0011] DOCUMENT-BASED CIVILLY-CATASTROPHIC EVENT PERSONAL ACTION GUIDE FACILITATION METHOD as filed on May 12, 2006 and having application number 11/383,022;

[0012] RESCUE CONTAINER METHOD AND APPARATUS as filed on May 26, 2006 and having application number 11/420,594;

[0013] PURCHASE OPTION-BASED EMERGENCY SUPPLIES PROVISIONING METHOD as filed on June 1, 2006 and having application number 11/421,694;

[0014] SUBSCRIPTION-BASED PRE-PROVISIONED TOWABLE UNIT FACILITATION METHOD as filed on June 12, 2006 and having application number 11/423,594;

[0015] RADIATION-BLOCKING BLADDER APPARATUS AND METHOD as filed on June 19, 2006 and having application number 11/425,043;

[0016] PRIVATE CIVIL DEFENSE-THEMED TELEVISION BROADCASTING METHOD as filed on June 23, 2006 and having application number 11/426,231;

[0017] EMERGENCY SUPPLIES PRE-POSITIONING AND ACCESS CONTROL METHOD as filed on July 10, 2006 and having application number 11/456,472;

[0018] PRIVATE CIVIL DEFENSE-THEMED BROADCASTING METHOD as filed on August 1, 2006 and having application number 11/461,605;

[0019] METHOD OF PROVIDING VARIABLE SUBSCRIPTION-BASED ACCESS TO AN EMERGENCY SHELTER as filed on August 1, 2006 and having application number 11/461,624;

[0020] SUBSCRIPTION-BASED INTERMEDIATE SHORT-TERM EMERGENCY SHELTER METHOD as filed on August 7, 2006 and having application number 11/462,795;

[0021] SUBSCRIPTION-BASED CATASTROPHE-TRIGGERED RESCUE SERVICES FACILITATION METHOD USING WIRELESS LOCATION INFORMATION as filed on August 7, 2006 and having application number 11/462,845;

[0022] PRIVATELY PROVISIONED SURVIVAL SUPPLIES DELIVERY METHOD as filed on August 15, 2006 and having application number 11/464,751;

[0023] PRIVATELY PROVISIONED SURVIVAL SUPPLIES SUB UNIT-BASED DELIVERY METHOD as filed on August 15, 2006 and having application number 11/464,764;

[0024] PRIVATELY PROVISIONED SURVIVAL SUPPLIES ACQUISITION METHOD as filed on August 15, 2006 and having application number 11/464,775;

[0025] PRIVATELY PROVISIONED SURVIVAL SUPPLIES CONTENT ACQUISITION METHOD as filed on August 15, 2006 and having application number 11/464,788;

[0026] METHOD TO PRIVATELY PROVISION SURVIVAL SUPPLIES THAT INCLUDE THIRD PARTY ITEMS as filed on August 15, 2006 and having application number 11/464,799;

[0027] WASTE DISPOSAL DEVICE as filed on August 16, 2006 and having application number 11/465,063;

[0028] SUBSCRIPTION-BASED PRIVATE CIVIL SECURITY RESOURCE CUSTOMIZATION METHOD as filed on August 23, 2006 and having application number 11/466,727;

[0029] PREMIUM BASED PRIVATE CIVIL SECURITY POLICY METHODS as filed on August 24, 2006 and having application number 11/466,953;

[0030] SUBSCRIPTION-BASED MOBILE SHELTER METHOD as filed on September 5, 2006 and having application number 11/470,156;

[0031] METHOD OF PROVIDING A FLOATING LIFE- SUSTAINING FACILITY as filed on September 13, 2006 and having application number 11/531,651;

[0032] PRIVATELY PROVISIONED SUB-UNIT-BASED SURVIVAL SUPPLIES PROVISIONING METHOD as filed on September 15, 2006 and having application number 11/532,461;

[0033] PRIVATELY PROVISIONED INTERLOCKING SUB UNIT BASED SURVIVAL SUPPLIES PROVISIONING METHOD as filed on September 25, 2006 and having application number 11/535,021 ;

[0034] RESOURCE CONTAINER AND POSITIONING METHOD AND APPARATUS as filed on September 26, 2006 and having application number 11/535,282;

[0035] PUBLICLY-FUNDED PRIVATELY FACILITATED ACCESS TO SURVIVAL RESOURCES METHOD as filed on September 29, 2006 and having application number 11/537,469;

[0036] ELECTRICITY PROVIDING PRIVATELY PROVISIONED SUBSCRIPTION- BASED SURVIVAL SUPPLY UNIT METHOD AND APPARATUS as filed on October 9, 2006 and having application number 11/539,798;

[0037] PREMIUM-BASED CIVILLY-CATASTROPHIC EVENT THREAT ASSESSMENT as filed on October 9, 2006 and having application number 11/539,861 ;

[0038] PRIVATELY MANAGED ENTERTAINMENT AND RECREATION SUPPLIES PROVISIONING METHOD as filed on October 10, 2006 and having application number 11/548,191;

[0039] METHOD TO FACILITATE PROVIDING ACCESS TO A PLURALITY OF PRIVATE CIVIL SECURITY RESOURCE as filed on October 16, 2006 and having application number 11/549,874;

[0040] METHOD OF PROVIDING BEARER CERTIFICATES FOR PRIVATE CIVIL SECURITY BENEFITS as filed on October 18, 2006 and having application number 11/550,594;

[0041] METHOD FOR CIVILLY-CATASTROPHIC EVENT-BASED TRANSPORT SERVICE AND VEHICLES THEREFOR as filed on October 19, 2006 and having application number 11/551,083;

[0042] METHOD FOR PROVIDING PRIVATE CIVIL SECURITY SERVICES BUNDLED WITH SECOND PARTY PRODUCTS as filed on October 30, 2006 and having application number 11/554,452;

[0043] SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A PRIVATE CIVIL SECURITY LOYALTY REWARD PROGRAM as filed on November 1, 2006 and having application number 11/555,589;

[0044] SUBSCRIPTION BASED SHUTTLE METHOD as filed on November 2, 2006 and having application number 11/555,896;

[0045] METHOD AND SECURITY MODULES FOR AN INCIDENT DEPLOYMENT AND RESPONSE SYSTEM FOR FACILITATING ACCESS TO PRIVATE CIVIL SECURITY RESOURCES as filed on November 3, 2006 and having application number 11/556,520;

[0046] METHOD OF PROVIDING SURVIVAL SUPPLIES CONTAINER WITH AN ILLUMINATION APPARATUS as filed on November 13, 2006 and having application number 11/559,278;

[0047] the contents of each of which are fully incorporated herein by this reference.

[0048] the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by this reference.

Technical Field

[0049] This invention relates generally to providing private civil security benefits.

Background

[0050] Many citizens of the world have long passed the point when a ready availability of the basic necessities of life is satisfactory in and of itself. Today's consumer- oriented citizens demand, and often receive, an incredibly diverse and seemingly evergrowing cornucopia of consuming and experiential options. Such riches are typically based, in turn, upon a highly interdependent series of foundational infrastructure elements. Examples of the latter include, but are certainly not limited to:

[0051] transportation infrastructure such as roads, bridges, railways, and so forth that facilitate the inexpensive and rapid movement of sometimes perishable goods from source to consumer;

[0052] communications infrastructure such as telephones, television, radio, and the

Internet that facilitate the inexpensive and rapid sharing of news, advice, information, and entertainment; and

[0053] the totality of civil services such as police services, fire fighting services, medical services, and so forth that facilitate a sufficient degree of order and predictability to,

in turn, permit the complex series of inter-related interactions that modern society requires in order to operate.

[0054] As powerful as the machinery of modern life appears, however, modern citizens are today perhaps more at risk of experiencing a serious disruption in their ability to prosper or even to survive en mass than is generally perceived. Providing the necessities of life in general requires a lot of things to all operate, more or less, correctly. To put it another way, a serious disruption to any significant element of civilized infrastructure can produce catastrophic results for a broad swatch of a given civil community. Any number of natural and/or non-naturally-caused events can sufficiently disrupt society's infrastructure and ability to provide one or more life-sustaining resources such as hydration, nutrition, shelter, and the like.

[0055] Many people believe and trust that their government (local, regional, and/or national) will provide for them in the event of such a civilly-catastrophic event. And, indeed, in the long view such is clearly a legitimate responsibility owed by any government to its citizens. That such is a consummation devoutly to be wished, however, does not necessarily make it so. Hurricane Katrina provided some insight into just how unprepared a series of tiered modern governmental entities may actually be to respond to even basic survival needs when a civilly-catastrophic event occurs.

[0056] Such insights, of course, are not particularly new. Civil preparedness shortcomings occasionally attract public attention and niche marketing opportunities exist with respect to provisioning the needs of so-called survivalists. Indeed, there are those who spend a considerable amount of their time and monetary resources attempting to ready themselves to personally survive a civilly-catastrophic event. Therein, however, lies something of a conundrum.

[0057] On the one hand, modern governments typically do little to proactively ensure the bulk survival (let alone the comfort) of their citizens in the face of most civilly- catastrophic events. On the other hand, attempting to take responsible actions to reasonably ensure one's own safety and security can become, in and of itself, nearly a full-time avocation and leave little time to actually enjoy the conveniences and opportunities of modern life. Such individual actions may even be frowned upon by the greater part of society

which has grown accustomed and falsely secure with existing efficient just-in-time delivery systems that provide the illusion of plenty while undercutting the perception of risk.

[0058] As a result, many (if not most) individuals and their families are largely bereft of access to survival resources that they will need should a civilly-catastrophic event befall them. This shortcoming tends to be relatively comprehensive; most people have ready access to neither a sufficient selection of survival supplies nor a sufficient quantity. For people who do have a store of supplies set aside against such an eventuality, it can be a considerable burden to maintain and ensure the freshness, vitality, and usability of those supplies. At the same time, the same civilly-catastrophic event that occasions their need for supplies will also likely disrupt relevant supply chains enough to cause a partial or complete shortage of supplies at their local merchants. The unfortunate net result is a relatively near term severe need for a variety of survival supplies that will often go unmet for lengthy periods of time.

[0059] Such persons are also largely without many options when faced with civilly- catastrophic conditions that create a concurrent need for shelter, evacuation, and/or rescue. For example, in many cases, the only available shelter comprises a public facility such as a school, auditorium, or sports venue on the one hand or ad hoc accommodations obtained at a hotel or via a charity or one's own social network, hi some cases, such options may be adequate, hi many other cases, however, such options quickly prove inadequate or even dangerous in and of themselves.

[0060] Somewhat surprisingly, this paucity of protection includes public first responders as well as their immediate and extended families. As used herein, the expression public first responder will be understood to refer to a person who provides emergency response services to general members of the public with respect to at least one of emergency medical services (including both field operatives as well as emergency room personnel such as doctors, nurses, and corresponding technicians), police services (where "police" is understood to refer to those who are publicly charged and empowered to enforce law and order and who can comprise suitably tasked municipal, county, state or province, or national forces), fire fighting services, rescue services, and disaster relief field workers (including those who work with charitable organizations in this regard, such as the Salvation Army).

[0061] Such public first responders are a key element with respect to mounting a useful and timely public response to a civilly-catastrophic event. Such persons often have corresponding training and experience that renders their presence and service invaluable during such a time of need. Such persons, in a very real sense, comprise both a first and second line of defense against the exigencies of a civilly-catastrophic event.

[0062] Unfortunately, something of a paradox exists with respect to such service; the worse the civilly-catastrophic event (and hence the greater the need for such personnel to remain on duty) the greater the likelihood that at least some such persons will abandon their public duties. In many cases, such actions often do not reflect a personal concern for safety but rather a genuine conflict of interest that stems from their genuine concern for the safety of their own families. Just such problems as this appear to have arisen during Hurricane Katrina when a number of public first responders either abandoned their present duties or failed to appear for scheduled duties in order to attend to the specific needs of their own immediate families.

Brief Description of the Drawing

[0063] The above needs are at least partially met through provision of the method to facilitate providing access to at least one private civil security resource for beneficiaries having a particular relationship to a public first responder described in the following detailed description, particularly when studied in conjunction with the drawing, wherein the figure comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

[0064] Skilled artisans will appreciate that common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are not necessarily depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

Detailed Description

[0065] Generally speaking, pursuant to these various embodiments, consideration- based private civil security subscriptions are accepted from subscribers with respect to providing civilly-catastrophic event-based access to at least one private civil security resource. This private civil security resource can comprise, at least in part, one or more of civil security provisions, civil security facilities, and/or civil security provisions. Authorized beneficiaries are then provided with consideration-based access to this plurality of private civil security resources. This at least one private civil security resource is then maintained pending a need to permit subscription-based access to the at least one private civil security resource in the event of a given catastrophic event.

[0066] These teachings then further provide for offering reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder. This can include, for example, the public first responder themselves, their immediate family members, and/or their extended family members as desired. This reduction in required consideration can comprise, as desired, a discount as compared to the consideration that is assessed other subscribers or can even represent a no-cost subscription.

[0067] So configured, public first responders can be assured that their family members will have concrete and tangible access to at least one private civil security resource upon the occurrence of a particular civilly-catastrophic event. This can include any of a wide variety of private civil security benefits including, but not limited to, shelter accommodations, civil security provisions, and any of a variety of civil security services (such as but not limited to rescue services, civil security transportation, civil security training, instructions, advice, and information, and so forth). This, in turn, can mitigate or fully avoid the creation of conflicts of interest for such public first responders. In particular, such persons are no longer presented with the difficult decision of choosing public duty or family.

[0068] These steps are readily facilitated without dependency upon (and perhaps even in spite of) governmental oversight, participation, or control. The particular resources provided can vary with the needs and requirements of the authorized beneficiaries. Importantly, via these teachings individuals can benefit from a greatly increased opportunity to bring a considerably improved measure of security into their lives, knowing that, should a

civilly-catastrophic event indeed be visited upon them, they and their family members will have extraordinary and reliable access to civil security resources.

[0069] These and other benefits may become clearer upon making a thorough review and study of the following detailed description. Referring now to the drawing, a corresponding process 100 that can be practiced by, for example, a provider of private civil security benefits will be described. This process 100 provides for accepting 101 consideration-based private civil security subscriptions from subscribers with respect to providing civilly-catastrophic event-based access to at least one private civil security resource. As used herein, "private" will be understood to refer to the opposite of public ownership or control (as exemplified by governmental or ecclesiastical ownership or control) but can include such things as ownership or control via publicly traded ownership (via, for example, publicly traded stock or the like), ownership or control via a not-for-profit entity, or the like.

[0070] By one approach, these subscriptions may be accepted by, for example, a for- profit business. By another approach a not-for-profit business (such as a membership-based- entity) may be the appropriate entity to offer and accept such subscriptions. As used herein, the term "subscription" shall be understood to refer to and encompass a variety of legal mechanisms. Some relevant examples include, but these teachings are not limited to, subscription mechanisms such as:

[0071] time-limited rights of access (as where a subscription provides access rights for a specific period of time, such as one year, in exchange for a corresponding series of payments);

[0072] event-limited rights of access (as where a subscription provides access rights during the life of a given subscriber based upon an up-front payment in full and where those access rights terminate upon the death of the subscriber or where, for example, a company purchases a subscription for a key employee and those corresponding rights of access terminate when and if that key employee leaves the employment of that company);

[0073] inheritable rights of access (as may occur when the subscription, by its own terms and conditions, provides a right of access that extend past the death of a named subscription beneficiary and further provides for testate and/or intestate transfer to an heir);

[0074] rights of access predicated upon a series of periodic payments (as where a subscription provides access rights during, for example, predetermined periods of time on a periodic basis as where a subscriber offers month-by-month payments to gain corresponding month-by-month access rights);

[0075] rights of access predicated upon a one-time payment (as may occur when a subscriber makes a single payment to obtain a time-based or event-based duration of access rights or, if desired, when a single payment serves to acquire a one-time-only right of access or a perpetual right of access that may be retained, transferred, inherited, or the like);

[0076] ownership-based rights of access (as may occur when the subscription provides for ownership rights with respect to the civil security resources, when the subscription is based upon shareholder-based ownership of the provider of such civil security resources, or the like);

[0077] non-transferable rights of access (as may occur when the subscription, by its terms and conditions, prohibits transfer of the right of access to the civil security resources from a first named beneficiary to another);

[0078] transferable rights of access (as may occur when the subscription, by its terms and conditions, permits conditional or unconditional transfer of the right of access from a first named beneficiary to another);

[0079] membership-based rights of access (as may occur when the subscription, by its terms and conditions, establishes a membership interest with respect to the accorded right of access such as, for example, a club-based membership);

[0080] fractionally-based rights of access (as may occur when the subscription, by its terms and conditions, establishes a divided interest by and between multiple subscription beneficiaries with respect to a right to access the civil security resources);

[0081] non-ownership based rights of access (as may occur when the subscription, by its terms and conditions, establishes the aforementioned right of access via, for example, a lease, a rental, or borrowing construct);

[0082] option-based rights of access (as may occur when the subscription, by its terms and conditions, establishes a right for an authorized beneficiary to later obtain access to some or all such civil security resources upon, for example, paying an additional supplemental amount at that time);

[0083] credit-based rights of access (as may occur when a given individual predicates their right to access the civil security resources upon a representation, promise, or other credit-based transaction); and/or

[0084] group-based rights of access (as may be predicated upon, for example, a requirement that a given subscriber or authorized beneficiary be a member of a particular group of demographic of interest (such as a resident of a particular town, an employee of a particular employer or within a particular industry, and so forth).

[0085] If desired, a plurality of differentiated subscription opportunities can be offered in this regard. This plurality of differentiated subscription opportunities can correspond, for example, to providing access to differing selections and/or quantities of the civil security resources. As but one very simple illustration in this regard, such subscription opportunities can differ from one another at least with respect to cost. This, in turn, provides subscriber choice with respect to selecting a particular subscription that best meets their specific needs and/or budget limitations.

[0086] These teachings also readily encompass the notion of a given subscriber providing such a subscription for an authorized beneficiary other than themselves. Such might occur, for example, when one family member procures such a subscription for one or more other family members. Another example would be for a company to subscribe on behalf of named key employees, family members of such key employees, and so forth. Other examples no doubt exist. For example, a bearer certificate (or its legal or functional equivalent, such as a gift card) could serve to identify any individual who produces and bears that certificate as an authorized beneficiary.

[0087] By one approach, such access can be provided at the whim and convenience of the authorized beneficiaries. If desired, however, such access can be further conditioned in appropriate ways. For example, for many purposes and certainly as pertains to many of the civil security resources it may by appropriate to ordinarily limit such access to situations

where such access is triggered, at least in part, by a civilly-catastrophic event having occurred or being likely imminent. Such access may be predicated, if desired, upon a requirement that the civilly-catastrophic event be one that persists in substantial form for more than a predetermined period of time (such as one hour, one day, one week, and so forth) or that causes at least a predetermined amount or degree of infrastructure impairment or other measurable impact of choice (such as a particular level or degree of harm, interference, or negative impact upon a given minimum number of people). In addition, or in lieu thereof, such access may be predicated, if desired, upon a requirement of a particular level of objectivity or subjectively ascertained likelihood that a particular category or kind of civilly- catastrophic event will occur within a particular period of time.

[0088] As used herein, "civilly-catastrophic event" will be understood to refer to an event that substantially and materially disrupts a society's local, regional, and/or national infrastructure and ability to provide in ordinary course for at least one life-sustaining resource. Such a civilly-catastrophic event can include both a precipitating event (which may occur over a relatively compressed period of time or which may draw out over an extended period of time) as well as the resultant aftermath of consequences wherein the precipitating event and/or the resultant aftermath include both the cause of the infrastructure interruption as well as the continuation (or worsening) of that interruption.

[0089] A civilly-catastrophic event can be occasioned by any of a wide variety of natural and/or non-naturally-caused disasters. Examples of naturally-occurring, ongoing, and relatively widespread threats to human life that are potentially capable of initiating a civilly- catastrophic event include, but are not limited to, extreme weather-related events (such as hurricanes, tsunamis, extreme droughts, widespread or unfortunately-targeted tornadoes, extreme hail or rain, and the like, flooding, and so forth), extreme geological events (such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, and so forth), extreme space-based events (such as collisions with comets, large asteroids, and so forth, extreme solar flares, and the like), extreme environmental events (such as widespread uncontrolled fire, a severe agricultural event, a severe natural shortage of a life-sustaining resource, or the like), and global or regional pandemics, to note but a few.

[0090] Examples of non-naturally-caused disasters capable of initiating a civilly- catastrophic event include both unintended events as well as intentional acts of aggression

such as war, terrorism, madness, or the like. Examples of non-naturally-caused disasters capable of such potential scale include, but are not limited to, nuclear-related events (including uncontrolled fission or fusion releases, radiation exposure, and so forth), acts of war, the release of deadly or otherwise disruptive biological or chemical agents or creations, widespread exposure to a harmful mutagenic influence, and so forth.

[0091] The private civil security resource can comprise a plurality of private civil security resources and can vary to some degree with respect to category and kind of resource. By one approach, however, such resources will comprise, at least in part, civil security provisions, civil security facilities, and civil security services. Generally speaking, both the civil security provisions and civil security facilities are physical components rather than virtual or products of the intellect. For example, the civil security provisions will typically comprise physical support and/or protection of one kind or another. Similarly, the civil security facilities will also typically comprise physical assets such as, but not limited to, physical shelters that provide real, substantive physical protection from physical threats to human life. Additional details in this regard are provided below. Also as described in more detail below, however, the civil security services can comprise either physical, real world services or virtual services.

[0092] These civil security provisions can comprise, for example, a plurality of life- sustaining resources as pertain to a plurality of differing categories of life's necessities. Examples in this regard include, but are not limited to, such elemental staples as water (which can comprise water in a pure or impure state and/or other water-based palatable fluids), food (which can comprise a wide variety of raw to highly processed food, nutritional supplements, and so forth), and protective clothing (where "protective" will be understood to refer to protection against one or more potentially hazardous environmental influences such as temperature extremes, precipitation, high velocity winds, and the like but not to matters of fashion, social comment, or the like).

[0093] These civil security provisions can further optionally include such components as breathable air (which may comprise, for example, a fresh air supply, an oxygen supply that can serve as a source of oxygen to mix with other atmospheric components, and/or personal or area air filters that serve to remove harmful airborne contaminants from the air prior to being inhaled by an authorized beneficiary), deployable shelters (where "deployable" will be

understood as referring to portable shelters such as tents, canopies, inflatable structures, and the like), and other items as may be appropriate to meet the needs of a given application setting.

[0094] By one approach, these civil security provisions can be so provided in an aggregated form. Such might be the case, for example, when accumulating such material at a warehouse or the like. These teachings will also accommodate, however, forming such civil security provisions into corresponding units of civil security provisions. To illustrate, one such unit of civil security provisions as intended, for example, a single authorized beneficiary might comprise, at least in part, consumable fluids, food, medical supplies, personal hygiene supplies, and environmental threat abatement supplies (such as, for example, breathing masks, so-called haz-mat garb, and the like). Such a unit of civil security provisions might comprise, for example, a short term unit that comprises a quantity and variety of civil security supplies that are adequate to sustain life for that one authorized beneficiary for, say, at least three days and no more than, say, about fifteen days. As another illustrative example, such a unit of civil security provisions might comprise a longer term unit that comprises a quantity and variety of civil security supplies that are adequate to sustain life for that authorized beneficiary for, say, at least about thirty days but no more than, say, about one year.

[0095] Those skilled in the art will recognize and understand that there are various ways by which such adequacy can be determined, measured, and/or established. For example, by one approach, the adequacy of any food contents can be determined as a function of a particular target caloric intake per person on a per day basis. Similarly, the adequacy of any consumable fluid contents could be determined as a function of a particular target quantity intake per person on a per day basis.

[0096] The particular time frames suggested in the above examples are intended only to serve an illustrative purpose and are not to be construed as limitations with respect to the practice of these teachings. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate and understand that such a unit of civil security provisions can comprise a quantity of supplies that are intended to support more than one authorized beneficiary for the given period(s) of time. For example, such a unit might comprise a family unit that contains sufficient contents to adequately sustain life for a family of four authorized beneficiaries.

[0097] These teachings will also accommodate providing civil security provisions that differ from one another in ways other than by category or kind. For example, both branded and generic versions (or other differentiators with respect to quality) of a same kind of item can be provided if desired.

[0098] The aforementioned civil security facilities will typically comprise physical assets that tend, categorically, to comprise part of a private civil security infrastructure. Such civil security facilities can therefore comprise, for example:

[0099] one or more civil security shelters;

[00100] one or more rally points (at which authorized beneficiaries can gather in response to a civilly-catastrophic event in order to receive certain civil security services such as transportation to another civil security facility such as a shelter or at least to a location that is away from a location that presently (or imminently) lacks civil security (due, for example, to a civilly-catastrophic event, its aftermath, or both));

[00101] a location where at least some of the authorized beneficiary's civil security provisions are available (such as a metropolitan, local, regional, and/or national distribution facility);

[00102] a trans-shipment facility for at least some of the civil security provisions

(where, for example, dis-aggregated provisions are brought and then parsed and aggregated into corresponding units of provisions destined for particular recipient authorized beneficiaries);

[00103] a medical services facility;

[00104] and so forth, to note but a few relevant examples in this regard.

[00105] These teachings will readily accommodate a wide variety of civil security shelters. For example, this process 100 can provide for both temporary civil security shelters and long term civil security shelters. A temporary civil security shelter will be understood to comprise a shelter that is configured and arranged to adequately shelter and sustain human life for a relatively short period of time. For example, such a temporary shelter might prove sufficient in this regard for, say, no more than about ten inhabitants for no more than about

one week, ten days, 15 days, and the like. Generally speaking, a temporary shelter such as this is designed and intended to only serve as a temporary refuge from the effects of a civilly- catastrophic event. Should longer term accommodations be necessary in a given instance, the inhabitants of such a temporary shelter will often be better served to move to a long term civil security shelter.

[00106] A long term civil security shelter will be understood to comprise a shelter that is configured and arranged to adequately shelter and sustain human life for a relatively longer period of time. For example, such a temporary shelter might provide sufficient in this regard for, say, no more than about 100 inhabitants for up to about three months, six months, one year, or the like.

[00107] These teachings will also readily accommodate the provision of a longer term civil security shelter up to and including an indeterminate term civil security shelter that is configured and arranged to adequately shelter and sustain human life for an indeterminately long period of time. A shelter of this type will typically be characterized not only by an ability to protect its inhabitants against the rigors of the local environment and to contain a relatively large and varied supply of provisions, but by an ability to exist and operate in a fully or at least substantially independent manner. This can relate in particular to an ability to create and/or otherwise replace its consumable provisions (by, for example, growing food, creating power, and so forth).

[00108] It is also possible for such shelters to differ from one another in other ways.

For example, such shelters may differ with respect to the non-survival related amenities that are provided. These differences can relate to categories of amenities (such as educational facilities, workshop facilities, food preparation facilities, communications facilities, entertainment and/or recreational facilities, or the like) and/or to a relative level or perception of quality, comfort, convenience, or the like.

[00109] The aforementioned civil security services can comprise any of a relatively wide variety of offerings. Some examples include, but are certainly not limited to:

[00110] transportation services (where such transportation services are not ordinary mass or individual transit services but instead represent, for example, transportation away

from a location that substantially lacks civil security (such as an area afflicted by a civilly- catastrophic event) and/or transportation to the aforementioned civil security facilities);

[00111] civil security information (including both civil security information that is generally appropriate for a large number (or all) of the authorized beneficiaries (such as civil security preparedness training or the like) as well as information that is specifically appropriate for individual ones of the authorized beneficiaries (such as personal contingency instructions that are formed and provided to guide specific authorized beneficiaries during a time of need regarding particular actions and behaviors that such specific individuals should take and observe when responding to a civilly-catastrophic event as well as consulting services that assist such individuals with respect to fortifying their relative positions and/or otherwise better protecting themselves against the effects of various civilly-catastrophic events);

[00112] communications services, including long distance communication services

(including, for example, wireless-based services) that are configured and arranged to provide persistent communication services notwithstanding interaction of the long distance communication service with the effects of a civilly-catastrophic event (which may include, for example, satellite-based communications, quickly deployed wireless base stations (that comprise, for example, mobile terrestrial platforms, aerial platforms, and so forth), and the like);

[00113] civil security rescue services to facilitate, for example, retrieving selecting authorized beneficiaries from dangerous circumstances that are owing, at least in part, to a substantial lack of civil security (including, for example, immediate threats posed by life- threatening influences such as fire, collapsed buildings, lawless unpoliced individuals, and the like as well as less-immediate threats (such as starvation, dehydration, infection, or the like) that can follow a substantial failure of civil infrastructure;

and so forth, to note but a few relevant examples.

[00114] By one approach, this process will readily accommodate providing such civil security provisions, civil security facilities, and civil security services by a single provider. Such a provider can be integrally involved with designing, providing, maintaining, and offering such civil security resources or can comprise an aggregator of such resources, in

whole or in part, from other sources. If desired, however, these teachings can be flexibly applied in other ways. For example, the civil security provisions can be provided by a first provider, the civil security facilities can be provided by a second provider, and the civil security services can be provided by a third provider wherein the first, second, and third providers comprise separate entities (as when, for example, these providers comprise separate legal entities having no co-ownership or common points of control). In such a case, these separate providers can meet the needs of these steps by acting in an aggregated manner (directly or indirectly) with one another.

[00115] This process 100 will also optionally accommodate accepting subscriptions that additionally provide similar access to one or more non-civil security resources. Such non-civil security resources comprise supplies and items that are not, strictly speaking, necessary to ensure human survival and hence may be viewed as luxuries. Such items can quite literally span the full gamut of available offerings and can include both unique (such as original works of art) and generally available offerings (such as jewelry, pleasure reading materials, audio playback devices, and so forth). Again, differentiations can exist with respect to actual or perceived levels of quality as pertain to such items if desired.

[00116] This process 100 then provides for maintaining 102 such resources pending a need to permit such subscription-based access to the aforementioned resource or resources in the event of a civilly-catastrophic event. This maintenance can comprise, for example, maintaining the freshness and usability of civil security provisions (by replacing outdated or soon-to-be outdated supplies), replacing an existing resource with a better substitute, maintaining present and/or imminent usability of a civil security shelter or transport vehicle, updating civil security-related information to reflect current data and intelligence, vetting and re-vetting predetermined evacuation and/or transportation routes, educating and training corresponding personnel, and so forth. Such maintenance can be provided, in whole or in part, by the provider of such civil security resources or can be outsourced if desired.

[00117] In addition, this process 100 then also provides for offering 103 reduced- consideration-based private civil security subscriptions for authorized beneficiaries who have at least a predetermined relationship with respect to a public first responder. The nature and specifics of this required predetermined relationship can and will vary with the specifics of a given application setting. By one approach, for example, this can comprise requiring that the

authorized beneficiary themselves presently serve as a public first responder. By another approach, in combination with such an approach or in lieu thereof, this can comprise requiring that the authorized beneficiary comprise a family member (such as an immediate family member or an extended family member) of a person who presently serves as a public first responder.

[00118] This notion of "family" can also vary as desired. By one approach, for example, this could include a current, non-divorced spouse, a birth child, and/or an adopted child of such a public first responder. Extended family members could include, as desired, parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, grandparents and great grandparents, and so forth. This notion could also be expanded to include so-called significant others, common-law spouses, fiances, and so forth as desired.

[00119] If desired, this offer can be limited to no more than a predetermined number of such family members per a given one of the public first responders. For example, such an offer might be limited to no more than three immediate family members, or ten family members (including both immediate and extended family members), and so forth. When a given family contains more than one public first responder, such limits could be aggregated if desired. This would permit, for example, a family of six that contains two public first responders to obtain such benefits for all six persons even when an upper limit of, say, three persons per public first responder applied.

[00120] As noted, such an offer applies with respect to public first responders. If desired, this can comprise conditioning this reduction in required consideration (and/or conditioning subscription-based access to the private civil security resource(s)) as a function of the person who serves as the public first responder continuing, in fact, to serve in that role notwithstanding a civilly-catastrophic event having occurred. Such a condition, for example, can further aid with encouraging such persons to continue responding to needs engendered by such a civilly-catastrophic event.

[00121] So configured, for example, a public first responder who abandons their post and/or duties with respect to responding to public needs as are prompted by a given civilly- catastrophic event can lose the right for their corresponding authorized beneficiaries to receive the private civil security resource(s). This can comprise a complete loss of access or

can comprise a lessening of the aforementioned reduction in required consideration. It would even be possible, for example, to require an increased-consideration offering for such authorized beneficiaries in such a case.

[00122] It would also be possible, if desired, to offer a grace period for public first responders who have since transferred to a non-public first responder responsibility. For example, such a reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscription could continue to be honored (for at least some predetermined period of time such as one month, one year, or the like) under such circumstances (and again presuming that the public first responder did not abandon their role as a public first responder when faced with a given civilly-catastrophic event).

[00123] The nature of the reduction in required consideration can vary with the needs and/or opportunities of a given application setting. By one approach, this reduction can comprise a discount as compared to the subscriptions that are accepted 101 for members of the general public. The depth of this discount can vary for different classes of public first responders if desired. By this approach, persons serving roles viewed as more critical and/or dangerous can be provided with a deeper discount. The discount itself can be expressed as a percentage reduction or as a specific monetary value. It would also be possible, of course, for this reduction in consideration to be complete such that the corresponding subscription would be offered on a complimentary basis to such qualified authorized beneficiaries.

[00124] Other possibilities exist in this regard. By one illustrative approach, for example, this offer 103 can comprise, in part, a first reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscription that provides a baseline package of particular private civil security resources for the qualified authorized beneficiaries as well as a second reduced- consideration-based private civil security subscription as corresponds to certain additional private civil security resources for such authorized beneficiaries. In such a case, for example the first reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscription could be offered on a complimentary basis while the second reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscription is offered on a partially discounted basis. This approach could serve, for example, to ensure the basic survival needs of such authorized beneficiaries via the baseline offering while optional additional amenities could be addressed, as desired, via the second reduced-consideration-based private civil security subscription.

[00125] If desired, this process 100 will further optionally accommodate providing 104 such public first responders with civil security training. Such civil security training can comprise, by one approach, training to facilitate the ability of the public first responder to make appropriate plans in preparation for and to take appropriate actions during a civilly- catastrophic event-based time of need as concerns ensuring subscription-based access to the aforementioned civil security resource(s).

[00126] Such training can also comprise, in addition to or in lieu of the above, training with respect to private civil security resources that the provider of the private civil security resources may provide to the public first responder to facilitate the public first responder being able to carry out their duties when facing a civilly-catastrophic event. As one illustrative example, the provider of private civil security resources might be willing to loan the use of certain transport vehicles (such as shallow water boats, tracked vehicles, and so forth) during a time of need to the public first responder and this training could comprise instructions with respect to the maintenance, usage, and deployment of such vehicles.

[00127] If and when a triggering civilly-catastrophic event 105 occurs, this process 100 will then optionally accommodate providing 106 corresponding access to the one or more aforementioned civil security resources by the above mentioned authorized beneficiaries (including both the more general authorized beneficiaries as well as the authorized beneficiaries having the predetermined relationship with respect to a qualifying public first responder). The specifics of such access can and will vary with the terms and conditions of the applicable subscriptions as well as the nature and specifics of the civilly-catastrophic event itself.

[00128] By one approach, all such authorized beneficiaries can be treated, at least to some extent, in a similar manner. By another approach, however, if desired, the authorized beneficiaries as correspond to public first responders can be provided with access to their particular civil security resources apart from authorized beneficiaries who do not have such status. This can include, for example, differentiated civil security provisions delivery modalities and/or distribution points, separate civil security shelter and/or transportation facilities, separate information services, and so forth. Such separation may serve, for example, to ensure that such authorized beneficiaries receive resources that are somewhat unique to their particular circumstances. For example, a civil security shelter designated for

such authorized beneficiaries may be further outfitted with a communications center that permits monitoring and/or two-way interaction with a public safety wireless communications network to thereby permit an improved flow of information for such authorized beneficiaries regarding their corresponding public first responders.

[00129] There are various ways by which such authorized beneficiaries can be identified in order to facilitate such access. If desired, for example, this process will also optionally accommodate providing a key to authorized beneficiaries to thereby facilitate and permit those authorized beneficiaries to access the civil security resources during an authorized time of need. Such a key may comprise a physical item (such as, for example, an identification card or a physical lock key) and/or a non-physical item (such as, for example, a code such as a personal identification number, a password, or the like). When the key itself comprises a biometric characteristic as corresponds to the authorized beneficiary (such as, but not limited to, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), a retinal pattern, an asperity pattern (such as a fingerprint, a palm print, or the like), a voice print, a characteristic typing pattern, and so forth) this step can comprise (in conjunction with acquiring information, materials, and/or samples from the authorized beneficiary to thereby characterize the biometric of choice) providing instructions to the authorized beneficiary regarding presentation of such a biometric in order to gain the desired access. When the key comprises a code, by one approach this step can comprise providing the code to the authorized beneficiary. By another approach, this step can comprise receiving a code of choice from the authorized beneficiary and then providing confirmation to the authorized beneficiary regarding acceptance of that proffered code.

[00130] As noted above, if desired, this process 100 will also optionally accommodate providing 107 such public first responders with access to at least one private civil security resource to better facilitate the public first responder carrying out their duties when responding to the civilly-catastrophic event. The particular nature, kind, category, and/or quantity of civil security resource provided in this manner can vary with respect to any number of criteria of interest. Such resources can be provided as per the terms and conditions of the aforementioned subscriptions or can comprise a separate event as desired. With this in mind, such a step can be taken, if desired, on an ad hoc basis by the provider of private civil security resources (with or without the active participation of the public first responders).

[00131] Some examples of civil security resources as might be useful for this purpose

(i.e., to assist the public first responder with respect to carrying out their duties) might include, but are certainly not limited to:

one or more wireless communications devices (including both devices that are designed and configured to operate using local public safety frequencies, protocols, and encryption keys as well as devices that are designed and configured to operate using other carrier modalities);

one or more portable control and command centers (including structures that include communications equipment, data collection and analysis platforms and capabilities, meeting facilities, media relations facilities, and so forth);

one or more weapons (including, for example, any of a variety of lethal and non-lethal weapons intended for strategic and/or tactic responses to a variety of potentially unusual circumstances that are owing to the exigencies of the civilly-catastrophic event);

ammunition (either for weapons provided as per this step and/or for weapons as are otherwise available to the public first responders);

one or more crowd control tools (including, but not limited to, deployable barriers, lights, programmable illuminated message boards, personal audio amplifiers, and so forth);

one or more crowd disbursement tools (including, but not limited to gases of various kinds, concussive devices, noisemakers, and so forth);

one or more vehicles (to facilitate, for example, rescuing persons trapped or stranded by circumstances owing to the civilly-catastrophic event, patrolling evacuated areas, and so forth);

one or more breathing assistance items (including, but not limited to, breathing filters of various kinds, respirators, portable oxygen containers, and so forth);

one or more medications (including, but not limited to, antivirals, antibiotics, and so forth);

one or more vaccines;

one or more medical services (including, but not limited to, emergency services or the like);

Communications access with at least their immediate family (via, for example, audio-only facilities, text and/or visual content only, audio-visual facilities, and so forth);

food;

a potable water supply;

one or more items of protective clothing (including, but not limited to, clothing items designed to provide protection against specific hazards as may be presented by the civilly-catastrophic event);

one or more environmentally-borne hazard detectors (including, but not limited to, detectors sensitive to hazardous chemicals, hazardous biological materials, hazardous mutagenic influences, hazardous ionizing radiation, undue heat or cold, flooding, and so forth); and/or

one or more trained animals (including, but not limited to, working dogs of various kinds, beasts of burden, and so forth);

to note but a few examples in this regard.

[00132] A private civil security provider will encounter particular difficulties not faced by providers of other, more traditional, products and services. For example, marketing such services, provisions, and facilities to consumers or clients may prove challenging because individuals may be hesitant to participate because of their reluctance to acknowledge the presence of certain threats or perhaps because they mistakenly believe that their federal, state, local, provincial, or municipal government is effectively addressing and preparing for such civilly-catastrophic events. Further, the business of civil security presents several unique

obstacles and challenges to a business plan or model because the business partly operates within a realm sometimes occupied (or is at least perceived as being occupied) by various governmental entities.

[00133] For example, regardless of how carefully a civil-security benefits provider selects the elements of its offerings, leverages economies of scale, and otherwise seeks to provide an economical offering in these regards, civil security benefits may still necessarily represent some cost on the part of the average authorized beneficiary. In some application settings, this may raise particular concerns with respect to at least one group of potential authorized beneficiaries; first responders. Local law enforcement, fire fighters, and emergency medical responders (as well as county, state, regional, and/or national responders), amongst others, as a group in many locales do not typically comprise a highly compensated constituency. At the same time, however, such people represent, for all intents and purposes, a first and second line of defense with respect to public civil security. In particular, these are the people whom the public at large expect (or at least hopes) will be doing what needs to be done in the face of a civilly-catastrophic event.

[00134] While the vast majority of first responders are indeed duty bound, they are also only human. As the scale, scope, and intensity of a given civilly-catastrophic event increases, so increases a likelihood that any person would be tempted to limit or even abandon their immediate duties in favor of seeing after the needs of their own immediate families. Such understandable behavior was exhibited, for example, during the Katrina disaster in Louisiana. If desired, the above-described subscription-based private civil security benefits can be extended to the immediate (or even extended) families of first responders. Such subscriptions may be provided on a standing basis or may be offered, for example, prior to a predicted civilly-catastrophic event of particular note or concern. The cost of such a subscription may be borne, in whole or in part, by any number of potential participants, including, but not limited to, the provider of civil security benefits itself, private benefactors, local, state, and/or federal bodies, or even the recipients themselves (via, for example, a discounted or rebate- based subscription plan that requires some economic contribution on the part of the recipients).

[00135] As one illustrative example, all qualified first responders might automatically be covered by a base line package of such benefits through the support of the civil security benefits provider; additional benefits might be made available to such recipients at additional

cost, which cost might be discounted or fully or partially subsidized by one or more other parties as desired. It might also be possible to bundle such benefits with other offerings to this audience, such as insurance-related benefits, financial planning benefits, life skills coaching benefits, and so forth. By this approach, first responders, being assured of tangible and concrete protection for their loved ones during a civilly-catastrophic event-based time of need, can be more readily expected to remain on station and face the rigors of a given civilly- catastrophic event to the wider benefit of all. If desired, such civil security benefits as are directed to a first responder constituency can include other related benefits as well. For example, first responders who are the authorized beneficiaries of such a benefit plan may be provided with access, via the civil security provider, to civil security equipment, tools, training and/or supplies that may not otherwise be available (immediately or at all) during a civilly-catastrophic event and its aftermath. This can include access to transport modalities (including vehicles that are ordinarily not available to such first providers), fuel, communications, power, personal protective wear, weapons, and/or reconnaissance information as is owned by or otherwise under the control of the private civil security benefits provider. If desired, the notion of first responder who qualifies for such benefits can be expanded to include, for example, National Guard personnel, Coast Guard personnel, United Nations workers and representatives, disaster relief field workers (such as, for example, Salvation Army workers and the like), emergency room medical personnel, ham radio operators, and so forth as may apply in a given application setting. Other possible recipients also exist, no doubt. Approached in this manner, a synergistic and highly leveraged relationship can be established between the public sector and the provider of private civil security benefits. The results can be beneficial to both the provider and its body of authorized beneficiaries as well as the first responders and, inherently, their public constituency.

[00136] Referring to FIG. 1, the process 100 comprises providing 107 the public first responder with access to at least one private civil security resource to better facilitate the public first responder carrying out their duties when responding to the civilly-catastrophic event. Offering access to the civil security resource may include offering a discounted or complementary private civil security subscription for those serving as public first responders or those having a relationship, such as a familial relationship, to a public first responder. The

family members may include a spouse, birth child, or adopted child. It is contemplated that both full-time and part-time public first responders may be included in such a program.

[00137] A public first responder may receive a certain number of complementary or discounted civil security subscriptions. By one approach, a public first responder may receive a certain number of complementary civil security subscriptions for immediate family members at which point discounted civil security subscriptions may be available for those beyond the predetermined number.

[00138] Offering reduced-consideration-based access to civil security resources for public first responders may be conditioned on the continuing service of the first responder. Subscriptions may also extend beyond the duration of the public first responder' s service such that if a first responder has transferred to a non-public first responder responsibility benefits will still be available provided that this person did not abandon their role as a public first responder when faced with a civilly-catastrophic event.

[00139] In addition to providing the public first responder with complimentary or discounted civil security subscriptions, the civil security provider may also offer the responder civil security training, civil security information, and access to various civil security resources, which may better facilitate the public first responder carrying out their duties upon response to a civilly-catastrophic event, to note but a few offerings.

[00140] A civilly-catastrophic event may bring disorder and chaos or at the very least will likely be occasioned by fairly widespread confusion. To minimize some of the first responder' s concerns for the safety and welfare of their relatives upon the occurrence of a civilly-catastrophic event, the civil security provider may offer pre-registration for the public first responders and their family members. Such a system will also expedite providing benefits to the authorized beneficiaries who are family members of public first responders. By one approach, the provision of benefits is facilitated by providing the authorized beneficiaries with an identification tool prior to the occurrence of a civilly-catastrophic event. Provision may also be made for those family members who have not registered with the civil security provider prior to the occurrence of a civilly-catastrophic event. By one approach, subsequent to the occurrence of a civilly-catastrophic event, potential authorized beneficiaries who were not pre-registered and who have at least a predetermined relationship with a public first responder will be registered to become authorized beneficiaries.

[00141] So configured, a given public first responder can obtain for themselves and/or their loved ones a viable, valuable, useful entree into a private civil security paradigm. A base line offering (or more) can be provided for a reduced cost or on a complimentary basis. These benefits are based, in turn, in recognition of the public first responder' s important role in the event of a civilly-catastrophic event.

[00142] Those skilled in the art will recognize and appreciate that the above described teachings can be applied and leveraged in a variety of ways to achieve a significant number of tangible and concrete benefits (including but not limited to facilitating a relatively higher degree of personal awareness regarding civil security issues, a relatively higher level of resources availability, and/or a relatively more powerful set of motivations for various parties to adopt behaviors that in turn prompt an increased availability of potentially life-preserving resources for a relatively wide audience than might likely be achieved in the absence of such teachings).

[00143] Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept. For example, by one approach, these teachings can be employed in favor of persons who, while not public first responders themselves, serve in an important direct or indirect support role. This might include, for example, 911 operators, public safety communications systems dispatchers, emergency response vehicle maintenance personnel, relevant supervisors, and so forth.