Planning for pandemic flu is important for government and private sector agencies. Their continued functioning is necessary to maintain order and the critical infrastructure.
Planning for pandemic flu is important for families. By stocking three months worth of supplies, families can ensure their own survival during a time of disease and disruption.
Planning is not enough. There are situations, however, when following a plan will keep you from even considering other options or solutions. You need a mindset that allows you to step back and look at the larger picture. This is especially the case with pandemic planning. There are just too many variables, too many possible outcomes. The duration of this disaster is not three days – it may be up to two years. You must not only plan for a range of possible scenarios from a mild pandemic to a devastating one, you must carry out your plans and make your preparations while there is still time, before a pandemic begins. You need more than a stockpile of supplies. You need to be mentally prepared, too.
The following is adapted from the work of complex system researchers Steve Barth and Dave Pollard, who have looked at large-scale disasters. A pandemic preparedness mindset has five key ingredients in a prescription for how to figure out what to do: