Combating Storm Intensification

Extreme storms caused by climate change are happening globally and especially in countries like India and Indonesia. Just as concerning as the destruction to infrastructure and property are the social realities of inequity and patterns of vulnerability of particular population groups within these countries. The inequality regarding fair distribution and access of emergency services and who gets help, who doesn't and when must be mitigated. The natural disasters presently taking place are mostly water-related hurricanes and tornadoes generating winds from 100 to 150 mph while producing deadly storm surges with devastating effects on these poorer populations and communities. Our patented Take Cover provides affordable body-conforming flotation with padded protection that deploys from a simple padded square to a T-shaped configuration providing almost complete body coverage. The reality is that these large populations won't be properly evacuated but we can give them something that will help until rescuers arrive on scene.

More than 90,000 deaths have occurred from hurricanes and tsunamis from the Caribbean to the Asia-Pacific regions and more than 160 million people are impacted worldwide annually. The one myth you often hear is that people refuse to evacuate. In most cases the reason is purely economic. Seniors and poorer families with children have no means to evacuate. Because of the capabilities that our design provides like the padded body of the product, it is also a COVID-19 solution because evacuation centers will overflow with social distancing requirements and there is never enough beds or seating for the thousands that will seek shelter. The Take Cover can serve as a padded mat at least for those with no place to go.  In most cases it can be more than 48 hours or more before first responders can provide support and assistance and this is where the Take Cover becomes much more than a life-preserver. There are millions of potential consumers visiting or residing in the Gulf Coast, Tornado Alley, Dixie Alley and the entire East Coast of the U.S. and countries like India and Indonesia. Our primary objective is to form partnerships with agencies such as FEMA, Red Cross, Mercy Corps and USAID in order to extend our reach because climate change has no borders. Thereby, we could establish small distributing warehouses, creating jobs in these countries that could also serve as evacuation centers during the disasters.

The Take Cover is an innovation born out of a need to aid victims of natural disasters. The target markets are extensive, as mentioned earlier.  Presently most funding is directed toward the development and production of early warning systems and drones. While warning systems are essential, our device will provide victims a means to weather everything from mudslides to 20 feet storm surges. The solution the Take Cover provides is an affordable, common sense approach toward survival combining ease of use with perfect portability. The Take Cover explores the vulnerability of humans and the built environment and their need to withstand the impacts of natural disasters due to climate change. The new emerging market of "Emergency Preparedness'' is a collaboration of industries seeking solutions in the prevention of death and injury in an ever-changing environment. The establishment of our warehouses not only supplies our products but also other emergency and medical supplies through affiliated partnerships first aid kits, Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) dietary for that country, small radios, bottled water and portable hand wash boards. The goal of our warehouses is to work with local officials and assistance agencies to distribute supplies before and after any given disaster.

The Take Cover is an alternative for less fortunate communities and countries while providing a quality, affordable safety device. By assessing the impacts of climate extremes and abrupt climate change on ecosystems, we are able to increase our understanding of how climate uncertainties combine with socioeconomic and ecological uncertainties to affect us all. The importance of being part of a challenge such as this is for the first time we are all admitting and seeing that the effects of climate change are resulting in more threat to life, health, and property than ever before. But, with the Take Cover, instead of thinking we are going to change society and inequalities overnight, we can provide a safety device to meet the needs of people where they are during any adverse weather situation. The main focus of our warehouses are not intended to be retail stores in large cities but community-driven distribution centers creating town or village jobs fostering the sense of individuals helping themselves while serving their own villages. These disasters happen with each coming season so there is no guesswork if a disaster will happen other than the coordination with government and local officials to establish such warehouses. 

The Take Cover was invented by Bobby Floyd / BS History / Communications and an combat veteran of the Iraqi and Afghanistan wars with the understanding that there is little difference between the forces of nature or that of war. Lives are needlessly lost in either situation. 

Most of our present day disasters are water-related and compared to a life-preserver, the Take Cover allows the user to float on top of the device, and it may also be used as a sleeping mat or seat cushion. This not only preserves the body's core temperature, it also reduces the attraction of sharks and alligators in storm surge waters.  There are no metal parts or snaps used in the construction of the device. We have been taught to take cover when a tornado occurs by getting into a bathtub or a closet and to protect our bodies with a mattress. Mattresses are heavy and awkward to move for most adults and impossible for children or the elderly to handle. This simple and affordable pad is one that you will want at your side when disaster strikes.

Because our product addresses an enormous problem that extends our borders, considerations were taken due to the international implications and marketing requirements needed for future expansion and company growth. The cost of materials and actual materials used will depend on the quantity and the quality costs of the product manufactured. Presently, our models are due to be produced with top quality materials. An introductory retail price and sustaining price will be determined by the quantity manufactured, the actual cost of manufacturing, advertising methods used, and packaging materials employed by the Take Cover Company.

The Take Cover Company’s vision is not about just launching a great product, but rather introducing its brand. The objective for our proposed solution: Climate-Resilient Development: A framework for understanding and addressing climate change. The enormous challenge of addressing climate change finally came when the people of the world spoke with one voice: Respect the Science. Climate Change is the only onion in our garden and the layers are many. Our submission is to offer a humble solution toward addressing one of the layers. To prevent injuries and death during disasters while enduring inequalities in our societies. We are an E-Commerce company with a unique product from conception to development, and because of the ever-changing direction of our brand, our research demands we seek continued expertise of such Personal Flotation Device advisors as: Devin Lusas, PhD / CDC 907 271-2386 2. Laurel Kincl PhD CSP Oregon State 541 737-1445 3. Ann Lindey, CSP,CIT 907 231-0571. Our founder's intent is to save one life at a time. Because no one wakes up thinking it's a great day to be in a disaster. Our stages of development, target markets, production and distribution capabilities are examined with the emphasis on bringing this product to market. The goal of the Take Cover is to save lives. We acknowledge the inequalities globally and the need for this simple affordable safety device.

Emanuel, K. Will global warming make hurricane forecasting more difficult? Bull. Am. Meteor. Soc. 98, 495–501 (2017).

The launching of the Take Cover in India and Indonesia with be impactful because of the millions of lives effected annually by storm intensification. Our aim is not only to provide an effective safety device to these communities, but also adjust our marketing, promotions and labeling to reflect the languages, and cultural differences to inspire the importance of it's use. These factors will assist our E-Commerce Company:

• Localisation of Internet content. ... Launching multilingual interface and using web content search in Hindi and adding more regional language interfaces such as Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam

• Growth in cities beyond metros. ... About 35 per cent of India’s population lives in cities outside of metros. These cities are ready to behave like the metros of tomorrow…

• Growth of mobile commerce. ... With incremental growth in mobile subscriber coming mostly from people who are comfortable with languages other than English, online retailers see this emergent segment as new growth driver.

• Growing usage of debit cards for cashless transaction. ... There has been a net addition of nearly 200 million debit cards in the country. It indicates the willingness to use debit cards is increasing.

• It will allow e-tailers to reach out to many areas and many more customers.

• Growing investment in logistics and warehouses... With estimated investment of nearly $2 billion in logistics and warehouses by 2022, the reach of online retailers to deliver their products in remote locations is set to increase

The success of the Take Cover Company will be recognizing the perils of disasters and to continue extending the study of social influences on preparedness behavior by embracing technology and building an advance website that we can market directly to our visitors and customers. Based upon our customer email list, which will enable us to market directly and collect their contact information for future promotions and retention effort. Our team's goal will be to establish and strengthen our brand and learn about our audience. A new marketing experience can be easier with plug and play eCommerce platforms that will drive traffic to our website and increase sales. The relationship built with our developer and manufacturer stand ready to ensure our orders are fulfilled. There are numerous eCommerce metrics that our business can track, but variations in markets and expansion can dictate which will better serve.

1. Conversion Rate  2. Customer acquisition cost (CAC)  3.  Average order value (AOV)  4.  Social media engagement  5.  Bounce rate  6. Return rate  7. Shopping cart abandonment rate  8. Percentage of repeat customers vs. first time customers  9.  Customer lifetime value (CLV)  10.  Net promoter score (NPS)        

The barriers have been many because of the reality of bringing an innovation to life. The road to final product production is often blocked by invention companies and even now, the once free path of crowdfunding now starts at $30,000 for their backing. The challenge with the Take Cover has been from conception to production which drove me to seek International assistance. Even my local SBA denied any assistance because it isn't made in the U.S. Despite stunning growth rate, however, there are still a few significant barriers that prevent U.S. and consumers from getting fully onboard with e-commerce. 1. Lack of trust  2. Slow adoption of mobile payments  3.  Online payment fraud  4.  Poor shopping experience  5.  Lack of favorable reviews  6.  Cart abandonment  Presently, funding is the barrier that we are facing.

The effects of climate change is not a United States problem, it is a global problem. A problem that extends every country's borders and when these disasters strike we must take cover. We are seeking the assistance of Solve and the Caterpillar Foundation because for too long we all have turned a blind-eye to climate change. Regardless of the reasons, either political or economic, our children are now facing a more dangerous natural world. The Take Cover is not just a personal flotation device, it is a safety device that can address various rescue and life threatening situations. Our faith is in our product and we will continue to seek assistance from those that care. When we stop trusting science, we stop connecting the dots. These disasters of climate change are connected: volcanoes, hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, drought, famine, earthquakes and tsunamis. 

Founder/Inventor: Bobby E. Floyd /B.A. History 907 538-2270

Accounting: April K. Floyd / A.A. Business 907-306-8377

Manager: Vernon Mason/M.S. Business Finance/Accounting 907 250-5993

Web Design: Jill Harper/B.S. 406 545-9921

Detekt:

Senior Product Consult: Tim Chuamsakul/ HK +85281999277/ US 191628229322

Product Coordinator: Natcha Thamchaisophis T +6626547655 / nthamchaisophis@detekt.com

Our team consist of various backgrounds and experiences

Bobby E. Floyd /B.A. History 23  years military / 15 years Homeland Security

April K. Floyd / A.A. Business 907-306-8377 / 10 years Health Care/Nurse

Vernon Mason/M.S. Business Finance/Accounting Real Estate/Business Owner

Jill Harper/B.S. 406 545-9921 10 years Non-Profit Jewish Museum/Anchorage

Detekt:

Senior Product Consult: Tim Chuamsakul/ HK +85281999277/ US 191628229322

Product Coordinator: Natcha Thamchaisophis T +6626547655 / nthamchaisophis@detekt.com

Our team consists of community-minded leaders with various backgrounds and nationalities; Black, White, Black-Korean, Thai, and Chinese. As the founder, it was important that I brought in the members during the research and testing phase and brainstormed together the strengths and weaknesses of our product and direction of our company. Being a start-up at this point the belief and commitment I received from my team was overwhelming. Their contributions in a multitude of ways have ensured great promotions and support. My team firmly believes in the Take Cover and the benefits it will bring individuals in need. Realities being what they are, we are seeking funding to bring our safety device to life and with that I have received assurances they would be delighted to come on board full-time to be part of the solution to make the Take Cover global. Presently, our partnership with our developers at Detekt are posed to deliver quality to our consumers. We welcome the opportunity to partner with SOLVE because these disasters won't stop.

Our partnership with Detekt Design LLC. has been essential in the development and production of the Take Cover. Detekt was instrumental in taking us from concept to our finished product and being based in Asia they also provide us the manufacturer to fulfill global markets. Detekt's approach and understanding of Globalization will enable us to provide our products and services to India and Indonesia and assist us in bridging any language barriers regarding social media and advertising. Through this partnership we will be able to meet the rigors of scaling in a timely manner.

The Take Cover E-Commerce Company posture as a start-up embraces the quest of actual innovation that can provide and serve the communities it's designed to protect. The Take Cover team epitomizes the efforts of individuals' willingness to accept the challenge of true invention that will bring a device to life to help society against climate change. The Business Model Canvas we envision is one of the standard structures because we can't go forward without funding of stakeholders and establishments as SOLVE. The Take Cover was developed to assist those trapped in the inequalities of their societies that often don't afford equal treatment without a voice. We are that voice in the midst of natural disasters. That is the mission of our company. We are seeking the opportunity and funding as a start-up that is afforded to corporations in order to enlist the needed professionals to reach the global markets. 

On December 10, 2021, at least four tornadoes hit western Kentucky, tearing a wide path of destruction; more than 50 tornadoes were reported in six states in the deadliest December tornado outbreak on record. At least 88 people were killed and over 100 missing. One of the hardest hit communities was the small city of Mayfield, Ky. with their totally destroyed Candle Factory being a primary contributor of jobs in Mayfield. What does Mayfield, Ky. have in common with India and Indonesia? Storm Intensification. How does a candle factory tie into the people and workers of India and Indonesia? Inequality. The common theme heard is the effects of climate change are a hoax and common people refuse to evacuate, these low paying factories don't allow employees to leave even with a looming storm without threatening them loss of job. Thereby, placing them in harm's way with flying objects and debris flying around at over 100 mph. Unfortunately, these same tactics are used globally on poverty and low-income workers during such disasters. Leaving them unprotected in inadequate hallways and storage closets. The Take Cover not only provides body coverage but is designed to prevent damage to vital organs. There are no claims of replacing the life-preserver although these are now mostly water-related disasters which now the Take Cover provides more advantages. Most noted is data regarding early warning devices, yes they got the warning but societal pressure won't allow them to leave, now we can provide them a Take Cover. 

Our selection and partnership with Detekt Designs has been essential in the development and future branding of the Take Cover. By partnering with Detekt, we have access to the world's largest manufacturing ecosystem and are able to work face-to-face with manufacturing partners to evaluate and deliver the most effective production outcome for our clients. Being based in Asia, we are able to prepare the manufacturing supply chain that will produce our product and coordinate the ongoing production orders to meet the demand. Although we are a start-up, arrangements to fulfill orders over 5000 are less than seven weeks. The role that social media plays is instrumental in blending the introduction, education and need for the product to target markets to overcome language barriers in such countries as India and Indonesia. By partnering with SOLVE and the Caterpillar Foundation, we can continue to resolve and meet the legal requirements and trademarks needed to expand to these countries and create jobs in the communities.