Six ways to die (6WTD) is a simple model by Vinay Gupta which helps explain what needs to get done in a crisis. It explains some basic concepts about how infrastructure works in normal life and disaster. If you're interested in social resilience, crisis response and similar situations.
It is part of the Simple Critical Infrastructure Maps system. Please see that link for full details.
The six ways to die are:
- too hot (see cooling and shelter)
- too cold (see heating and shelter)
- thirst (see water supply and water purification)
- hunger (see food, agriculture, organic and sustainable farming, and permaculture)
- illness (see public health and medical devices)
- injury (see medical treatment - planned for late 2011/early 2012)
Rough estimates of the threat in each area can be made, and systems or behaviors added to the situation to keep people safe. If people are not dying of one of these causes, they are not likely to be dying at any rate above baseline mortality.
The Simple Critical Infrastructure Maps system expands the Six Ways To Die model to address the minimum functional needs of Groups, Organizations and States as follows:
- Individual Too Hot, Too Cold, Hunger, Thirst, Illness, Injury (solved by Shelter, Supply and Safety/Services)
- Groups Communications, Transport, Workspace - Resource Control
- Organizations Shared Map, Shared Plan, Shared Succession Model (to change leadership)
- States Effective Organizations, List of People, Map of Territories, International Recognition, Legal Jurisdiction
This model forms the core of the [State in A Box (SIAB) http://guptaoption.com/8.state_in_a_box.php] approach to State Failure, which envisages pushing much State responsibility down to the municipal and urban levels, and some of the remaining complex function (currency, identity) up to the international level, leaving a simplified-but-stable State which is capable of continuity in complex contingencies. The system is aimed at fragile states.
Six Ways To Die briefing[edit | edit source]
A five minute clip of Vinay Gupta explaining "Six Ways To Die".
See also[edit | edit source]
External links[edit | edit source]
- Video: The Reykjavik Briefing: Distributed Infrastucture, Disaster Relief and Hexayurts. (The video near the top is the same as in #Six Ways To Die briefing above.)