I taught PLAN (Protection, Location, Acquisition, Navigation) for years at Trueways, because that's the way it was taught there and it made sense at the time. Since then, I've been in contact with some of the old students and noted that they had mostly forgotten some aspect of it. I have found that those who have learnt PLAN and had it justified could often remember the order of priorities (Shelter/Fire, Rescue/Signals, Water, Food, Navigation/Escape) and reasoning, but not the aide mémoire in itself. I've heard a few others and I don't think that any of them have any real use and the time spent trying to learn them by rote is better served learning a little more about the human body, SAR and nature. That way, knowledge informs decision and we can be more dynamic.
I've written a little article on the matter.
http://blog.artandscienceofsurvival.com/2012/06/acronym-insanity.html
also available on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/survivalscool
I've written a little article on the matter.
http://blog.artandscienceofsurvival.com/2012/06/acronym-insanity.html
also available on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/survivalscool