Based on frameworks analyzed from FEMA, Sphere, UN Clusters, and the Rule of Threes. The first four are non-negotiable survival requirements. The fifth (Communication) is a critical enabler - you can survive without a radio, but not without water.
These are absolute requirements for survival. Without any one of these, death is inevitable.
Not required for survival, but dramatically improves outcomes for individuals and communities.
| Pillar | Key Concept | Danger to Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Safety | The foundation of all other efforts. | Injury, Death, Violence |
| 2. WASH | Water is life. Sanitation prevents death. | Dehydration, Cholera, Dysentery |
| 3. Shelter | Protection from the elements enables everything else. | Hypothermia, Heatstroke, Exhaustion |
| 4. Health | Medical care and calories sustain life. | Infection, Starvation, Chronic Condition Failure |
| 5. Comms | The enabler that amplifies all other efforts. | Isolation, Misinformation, Delayed Response |
Remember: The first 4 pillars are survival requirements - without them, you will die. Communication is a force multiplier that improves outcomes but is not essential for individual survival. You can survive without a radio; you cannot survive without water.
