If I were teaching a class for beginners -- what topics to include?

( 50 mins, adults, interested in but little or no exposure to planning)

I'd want to cover the kinds of threats that people in your area face (severe weather, seismic activity, loss of utilities), show a few examples of people being on their own for the first 72 (or whatever) hours, and help them put together a list of what they need.

In closing, suggest resources for further information and study.

I taught 9th grade honors science, so had a pretty tuned in audience... but still needed to have some of them buy into the process...I found that even though you as a teacher might anticipate a variety of situations, they would buy into the process if the threat was perceived as high probability, and a threat to them individually.. ,the start of our school year coincided with hurricane season, so it was a natural... your focus will differ

I included their family at the beginning, and had students identify their storm surge evacuation zones, and determine a stay-evacuate plan according to the Safir-Simpson wind velocity scale... then included a family phone tree, evacuation location,hurricane evacuation supplies, and identify special needs the family might have... a check list was sent home to identify special hurricane supplies, and where they were located in the house, but not presented until after the list-cluster-label session

I always started with a list-cluster-label session.. since you are limited on time say 10minutes... list your perceptions of potential problems with out regard to any order, cluster into similar groups, and label groups... this will identify your perception of threat... I liked to do this on an overhead so you will have a group overview

for EDC or prep, the labels will look something like...first aid, water, food, hygiene, communication, cooking, tools, shelter, etc

you can direct from there... rule of 3's...Dave Canterbury's 5 "C's" of Survival...

I like chaosmagnet's suggestions. Perhaps you could go over risk assessment. Many internet sites are full of plans for riding out emergencies, disasters, and even doomsday, but not many begin with a lesson on figuring out what you need to prepare for. Our own nighthiker has an article on it:

http://www.alpharubicon.com/prepinfo/preparingfornighthiker.htm

Get Peter Kummerfeldt's book "Surviving Wilderness Emergencies" and Cody Lundin's book "98.6: Keeping you Ass Alive" (His style is different, but the information is good). You may also consider the Boy Scout Wilderness Survival Merit Badge book and use the merit badge work sheet as an outline. It is basic, but if you have only 50 minutes it covers the critical points; and it agrees totally with the two books mentioned.

Rule of threes.

Survival gear categories.

Steal the ETS acronym list!

List a few websites, especially including this one.

Do you want your audience to prep for a trip to unfamiliar country (wilderness and such) or do you want to discuss the sorts of events that may strike them right in their hometown (fire, flood earthquake, etc)? Either one easily merits a full fifty minutes and they are related but they are not the same.

Likely 2 separate classes; 1 is an intro to edc the 2nd one on building a survival kit.

Good topic, I am working on some stuff to teach to a youth organization at the end of next month. I am very interested in what you all come up with.

I see some good ideas so far.
-Joe