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Planning for Double Duty, By Lane C.
Doing “Double Duty” is a concept that I was first introduced to during my first enlistment in the US Army. It is a term that simply implies that an item or material (or person) could be utilized to fulfill an additional purpose besides the one that it was specifically designed or trained for. As a young soldier in an infantry company, I quickly learned the value of being able to “get creative” with my equipment and supplies in order to increase their versatility and make them go farther.
Chances are that this idea is not new to you. With our economy in the US getting further and further out of control, many Americans have already changed their buying habits and now consider the versatility of a product to be an important buying point. It just makes good practical sense. During normal circumstances, planning for double duty is relatively easy to do. Matter of fact, you’re probably already doing it. But planning for double duty in preparation for unusual or emergency situations is considerably more difficult.
In this article, we will discuss why planning for double duty is a good idea, how to plan for double duty both at home and in preparation for a “bug out” scenario, and finally some common items that can perform double duty; at home and on the trail.
Why
Probably the best answer to why is, “to make better use of your resources”. Most of us have limited income, limited space, and limited time to spend on preparedness. Therefore, we need to make the most out of what we have and make it go as far as we can. Double Duty Planning is a tool that can not only help us to be better prepared in the event of a disaster or emergency, but can also serve to make our daily lives more efficient and simple.
Limited Income
In order for your income to be of any benefit to your survival, you need to invest in those things that will be of most use to you and your family. And it has to be done before you need them. During a disaster, TEOTWAWKI, or other calamitous event, it’s a good chance that your money will be worth far less than it is now.
When making purchases, we have all been conditioned by mainstream media to look for and identify what marketers call the “USP” or “Unique Selling Point”. The USP is that one quality or characteristic that supposedly makes the product “the best” at doing one specific thing. Chances are that our cabinets are full of products that specialize in one specific thing. Bleach for example is a product which meets a specific need; to keep whites white. No other product on the market enjoys bleach’s popularity in the market for this one purpose. But what about the other uses for bleach? Most people would be hard pressed to name any other uses. But that is exactly where double duty planning or dual purposing comes in!
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