Aviate, Navigate, Communicate

Aviate, navigate, communicate.  Those three words are the basis of handling emergencies in Naval Aviation (actually aviation in general probably).  So what do they mean, and how does that apply to preparedness?

Naval aviators are taught from day one that when something goes wrong in the airplane, you simply need to remember those three steps. (Sidebar: OK, there might be some memorized emergency procedures to execute immediately for critical emergencies such as an engine fire.  But even when those are being executed, you are still in the 'aviate' phase.)  These steps were written in blood as they say, from cases where a simple 'emergency' turned deadly because the pilot(s) got focused in on the emergency and forgot to fly the plane.

Aviate: Fly the plane.  Get the flight path under control and stable if at all possible.  Planes aren't cars in which you can simply pull over and stop.  They are always in motion, and there is a great big hazard waiting to reach out and grab you: the earth. In conflicts between the earth and airplanes, the earth usually wins.  In multi-piloted aircraft like the one I flew (or multiplace, like an F14 where the RIO is an integral part of the flightcrew) 'aviate' also means to assign duties and divide the load.  One pilot is designated to concentrate on flying, while the other handles the emergency. 

Navigate: Think about and control where the plane is going (ie, the future).  Avoid mother earth, like mountains.  Hit NEAREST on the GPS for the nearest airport, if you have that function.  A good pilot is always looking for a 'landing' site (subconsciously once you get some time in the log book): open, flat, clear of obstructions.  Point the nose toward that spot, or that nearest airport, highway, or if over water, the nearest ship.  Just like on an airliner when they remind you that the nearest exit may be behind you, the nearest airport/ship/landing spot may be behind you, and you should have been paying attention so you know that when bad things happen.

Communicate: Ask for help.  Talk with the crew.  Use procedures to handle the emergency.  Then discuss the emergency and go over 'what ifs' (secondary malfunctions).  Discuss the impact of the emergency: what systems have been lost, what capabilities are degraded, how will those things affect your landing?

So what in the Wide World of Sports does Aviate, Navigate, Communicate have to do with preparedness and survival you ask?  Crisis response and immediate actions.  When things happen, you don't necessarily have a lot of time available to figure out a plan.  Hopefully you have already thought through the event ('hangar flying' we called it, when you practiced and discussed emergency situations).  But Aviate, Navigate, Communicate apply equally well to land based 'situations'. Perhaps Stabilize, Act, Communicate?

Aviate: Stabilize the situation, try not to make it worse.  Focus on the most important things.  Immediate security, immediate action drill/response, take control of the situation.  Neutralize the threat, stop the bleeding, gather the family.

Navigate: Act. Point your nose toward the best path through the future.  Ideally, execute an immediate action plan that has been planned out and rehearsed in advance. City blows up like LA Riots?  Execute your Plan A (Home defense maybe, or bug out, or consolidate with family in a more secure location).  Gear up. 

Communicate: Issue orders, direct the team/family.  Contact others (warnings, alerts, preparatory orders).  Gather the extended team/community.  Reiterate Plan B (as in the next step of the plan, not that Plan A didn't work :)

Aviate, Navigate, Communicate.   Stabilize, Act, Communicate.  Be prepared, execute your plans.  THINK.

SHTF Networking

I always thought it would be great if I had a friend in each of the following professions:

1. Lawyer
2. Plumber
3. Car mechanic
4. Electrician
5. Carpenter
6. Doctor

That way, if anything happened, I at least had a 'bud' to ring up and get some advice from.  No, I wasn't looking for free work.  But it always seemed like a good idea.  Being a Navy pilot, my circle of friends was kind of limited.  But hey! If I ever needed to throw together an 'A Team' group of pilots, I was set!  Not much use when the toilet won't work or I'm getting sued for something.

Now as I contemplate TEOTWAWKI, or at least the decline and fall of the USA as we know it, I'm rethinking my list a bit.  Lawyer's are out.  They're barely useful in the best of times.  Of the others, some will be more useful than others, but it all depends on which cliff we go over.  But they will be useful.

What I'm getting at is NOW is the time to foster those relationships, which will pay off in many different ways down the road.  You still have the current advice group.  More importantly, you can start learning those skills too.  Plumber, car stuff, electrician: all the varied aspects of those professions are very useful and will add to your overall skill base.  That skill base increases your MacGyver Quotient (I just made that up, but it works).  I think one of the most useful 'skills' you can have in any 'survival' situation is the ability to adapt and over come, to use what is available to solve the problem at hand.  The more you have tinkered, and the range of skills/environments you have tinkered in, the more likely you will be able to see a solution. 

My wife rolls her eyes at me, but I think one of the best learning experiences I had that contributed to my MacGyver Quotient was playing D&D and other RPGs growing up.  Those games rewarded creativity and resourcefulness.  All you had to work with was what the DM described, and what you knew of your character.  But you were always challenged to overcome the obstacle the DM put in front of you.  I'm constantly 'MacGyvering' something out of a coat hanger, or packing tape, or just a pencil. 

So foster those relationships with folks that have skills you are lacking.  Learn from them, bring them into your circle of friends.  You'll be better off now, and when IT happens, you'll be better off whether you put those skills to use or just knowing you have that friend to seek out to help get you down the road.  I know if things got crappy and I was really trying to stretch out the life of my vehicles, and got to the point I needed to make some major repair but couldn't afford a shop, I could call up my 'car guy' and borrow his knowledge and tools to get the job done.  I'm sure all he'd charge me was my own sweat equity which I would be putting on the table up front.

Don't forget to be on the other side of this equation too.  Share your skills, and be a friend to your circle as well.  I may not be in a technical trade that folks will seek out, but my wife is (RN), and I am quick to offer my physical labor, which is always valuable.  Plus I have a high MacGyver Quotient!