Abstract:
The present invention relates a board game wherein players are educated on emergency preparedness, response and recovery and on the homeland security threat advisory levels as issued by the Department of Homeland Security while the players attempt to move tokens from a designated start space to a designated home space. The game further includes playing cards, player tokens, and disaster kit tools.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates a board game to be played by more than one individual, more specifically but not by way of limitation, rules and apparatus for playing a board game wherein the object of the game is to move the player tokens from their starting position to a home position around a path designated on the game board. Further, the board game is based on the security threat advisory levels issued by the Homeland Security Department and geographic hazards (natural and technological), which require emergency preparedness, response and recovery efforts.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Playing board games has been a popular pastime amongst family and friends for decades. Examples of board game wherein players move around a board to visit different locations are numerous.  
         [0003]     Many board games are used for educational purposes as well as entertainment. Currently no board game has been shown to provide a theme designed to educate the players about different security threat levels issued by the Homeland Security Department.  
         [0004]     The advantages of the present invention will be understood more readily after a consideration of the drawings and Detailed Description.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     It is an object of the present invention to provide a board game and a method for playing thereof that is designed to educate the players on the security threat level indicators of the Homeland Security Department.  
         [0006]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a board game that contains a graphical illustration of the United States on the board.  
         [0007]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a board game wherein the players will use tokens that are shaped as emergency responders such as but not limited to a fire engine or ambulance.  
         [0008]     Yet another object of the present invention is to accommodate 2-6 players during a game. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     A more complete understanding of the present invention may be had by reference to the following Detailed Description and appended claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings wherein  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of the playing surface suitable for use with the game of the present invention; and  
         [0011]      FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate and embodiment of the game components suitable for use with the game of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0012]     Referring now to the drawings, wherein various elements depicted are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in particular  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3 , there is illustrated a board game  100  comprising of the elements according to the principles of the present invention.  
         [0013]     The elements of one embodiment of the board game  100  includes a game board  10 , player tokens  15 , disaster kit tools  17 , random number generator or die  20  and playing cards  25  made up of four different types of cards. The playing cards  25  include as described herein, state cards, terrorist threat level cards, disaster tool kit cards and vacation cards. Typically, the game will be played by at least two players. The rules of the game require that each player choose three tokens, the color of each corresponding to the color of the corresponding start  70  and home  90  for each player. The players take turns moving each of their three player tokens  15  around the path  45  in a clockwise direction with the player tokens  15  commencing the process at the start space  70  and finishing the board game  100  at the home space  90  of appropriate designation adjacent to the original start space  70 .  
         [0014]     The players utilize a random number generator  20  to determine the number of spaces to move their player tokens  15  along the path  45 . In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the random number generator  20  could be either a single die or a pair of dice, however, it is contemplated within the scope of the present invention that numerous different types of random number generators  20  could be utilized in place of and or in conjunction with the dice to achieve the functionality as described herein. Furthermore, while no specific material are required to manufacture the player tokens  17  and the disaster kit tools  17 , good results have been achieved with player tokens  15  and disaster kit tools  17  that are manufactured from plastic.  
         [0015]     It is also contemplated within the scope of the present invention that they player tokens  15  although illustrated as coins with depictions of emergency responding vehicles, that the player tokens  15  could also be miniature embodiments of emergency responding vehicles. More specifically but not by way of limitation, the player tokens  15  could include 3 white ambulances, 3 yellow helicopters, 3 orange boats, 3 blue police cars, 3 green military vehicles, and 3 red fire engines.  
         [0016]     Similarly the disaster kit tools  17  could be either tokens or miniature embodiments of the item which is represented, such as but not limited to bottled water, first-aid kit, battery operated radio with extra batteries, non-perishable food, flashlight with extra batteries, tools, extra clothes and shoes, or special needs, sanitation and cash.  
         [0017]     While traversing the path  45 , the player must accumulate at least one disaster tool kit  17  by drawing the specific card identifying a component of the disaster tool kit from the draw pile  30  or take one from an opposing player, or from the disaster took kit area when a player token  15  lands on a blank space  65 .  
         [0018]     The path  45  comprises a plurality of spaces  47  which are differentiated from other spaces  47  by a specific color, pattern or writing. The path  45  is circumferentially disposed on the game board  10 . Externally adjacent to the path  45  are the border markings  105 . The border markings  105  in the preferred embodiment are comprised of the colors of threat levels such as used by the Department of Homeland Security. More specifically but not by way of limitation, the borders markings  105  include, red, orange, yellow, blue, green and white (white added for the affect of six colors and player tokens and represents no terrorist threat and is beyond the Homeland Security threat level colors). Those skilled in the art will recognize that numerous colors could be used in place of and or in conjunction with the colors of the borders markings  105  as described herein.  
         [0019]     Landing on the spaces  47  may require a player to perform a particular action such as drawing a playing card  25  from the draw pile  30 . The draw pile  30  is placed on the card repository  55  at the beginning of the board game  100 . Those skilled in the art will recognize that any number of card repositories  55  may be used and that the card repositories  55  may be embodied in any number of manifestations. It is also within the scope of the present invention that the playing cards  25  would have a color pattern printed on one side of the card that corresponded to the colors of the border markings  105  of game board  10 .  
         [0020]     The playing cards  25  included in the draw pile  30  consist of a plurality of vacation cards, disaster kit tool cards, terrorist threat level cards, and state cards. Upon drawing a vacation card the player earns a vacation. The player will advance to a vacation space  85  corresponding to the vacation space illustrated on the specific drawn card, which is a recognized safe zone on the path  45 . While occupying the vacation space  85  the player is protected from any disaster or terrorist attack. Further, the player is protected from being removed by an opponent. Subsequent to a player moving a player token  15  to a vacation space  85 , play will shift to the player on their left. It should be noted that it is within the scope of the present invention that more than one player can occupy any particular vacation space  85 .  
         [0021]     The disaster kit tool cards of playing cards  25  identify any one of the items needed for the disaster tool kit  17 . More specifically but not by way of limitation, there is a separate disaster kit tool cards for each of the first-aid kit, bottled water, non-perishable food, flashlight with extra batteries, hand tools, battery-operated radio with extra batteries, extra clothes and shoes, and special needs, sanitation and cash. Subsequent to drawing a disaster token card, the player is entitled to the item that is depicted on the playing card  25 . The player may select the item from the disaster kit area  60  or from an opposing player already in possession of the item. A player must collect and retain possession thereof at least one of these items per token to proceed to the home space  90  on the path  45 .  
         [0022]     Each of the state cards has one of the 50 states with an identified hazard occurring. Each state card identifies that a player in that area may have been exposed to a hazard or emergency, such as but not limited to a biohazard. Subsequent to selecting a state hazard cards from the draw pile  30  the player must move their respective token to the identified state space  75  corresponding to that state described on the card. If a stare card is drawn and the player&#39;s token is already on that state, the players loses a turn and does not move any tokens. Although no specific number is required, good results have been achieved with a path  45  that included 50 state spaces.  
         [0023]     Each of the terrorist threat level cards of playing cards  25  will indicate a different threat level, such as 1-4 and the reason for changing the threat level to such. The player will then move the corresponding token the additional number of spaces corresponding to the threat level depicted on the drawn card.  
         [0024]     Centrally located on the board  10  is a pictorial representation  110 . As shown in the preferred embodiment in  FIG. 1 , the pictorial representation  110  is a map of the United States.  
         [0025]     An example of a set of rules for a game constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is as follows:  
         [0026]     Contents:  
         [0027]     A Game board  10 .  
         [0028]     A plurality of playing cards  25 : state cards, terrorist threat level cards, disaster tool kit cards, and vacation cards. Each card is approximately 2½″×3½″. Although no specific number of playing cards  25  is required, good results have been achieved with sixty playing cards.  
         [0029]     A plurality of disaster kit tools such as but not limited to: bottled water, food (non-perishable), extra clothing, shoes, and bedding, first-aid kit; flashlight with extra batteries, hand tools (screwdriver, wrench and pliers), and special needs, sanitation and cash.  
         [0030]     A random number generator or dice  20 .  
         [0031]     A plurality of player tokens  15  to accommodate up to six players, as depicted by color and design. Each player chooses a color and takes the three corresponding tokens, which are the white ambulance, green military vehicle, blue police car, yellow helicopter, orange boat, and red fire engine.  
         [0032]     One strategy and instruction sheet will also be included with the game.  
         [0033]     Directions and Rules of the Game:  
         [0034]     Each player selects a color and receives the three player tokens  15  corresponding to that color, and sets up their player tokens  15  on their matching color start spaces  70  such as (ambulance—white; Military (National Guard—green; police car—blue; helicopter (air rescue)—yellow; boat (water rescue)—orange; and fire engine—red.  
         [0035]     Each player moves from their start space  70  around the board  10  in a clockwise direction. The player will start from the start space  70  which matches their player token  15 , i.e., ambulance—white; Military (National Guard—green; police car—blue; helicopter (air rescue)—yellow; boat (water rescue)—orange; and fire engine—red, traverse the board and end at the corresponding home  90  for that color.  
         [0036]     Prior to beginning the play of the board game  100 , all sixty playing cards  25  are shuffled and placed face down on the card repository  55  on the board game  100 . Each player will receive three player tokens  15  and must place them on their matching start space  70 . All eight disaster kit tools must be placed in the disaster kit area  60 .  
         [0037]     Each player is allowed only one play per turn as the players move their player tokens  15  in a clockwise direction around the path  45 . The only exception is when the player is moving their player token  15  out of the start space  70 . In this case, when the player utilizes the random number generator  20  and it produces on an even number, the player is allowed to use the random number generator  20  a second time and move their player token  15  the number of spaces which matches the number produced by the random number generator  20  on the second roll. After moving the required number of spaces, if the player lands on a state space  70 , they may draw a playing card  25  from the draw pile  30 . If they land on a blank space  65 , they may choose a disaster kit tool from either the disaster kit area  60  or from their opponent. Play then continues with the next player on their left.  
         [0038]     In order to move from the start space  70 , the random number generator  20  is utilized. An even number on the random number generator  20  will allow each player to move from the start space  70  and to begin traverse the path  45  on the board  10 . When a player uses the random number generator  20  and an even number is produced, you may move your player token  15  on the first place in front of the start space  70  or choose to move another one of your three player tokens  15  forward the number of spaces which matches the number on the random number generator  20  in a clockwise direction along the path  45 . If you choose to move your player token  15  from the start space  70 , you are allowed to use the random number generator a second time. If the player chooses to move another player token  15 , which is already on the board  10 , the player is allowed to only move once. If there are no remaining player tokens  15  in the start space  70 , the player must move their other player tokens  15  along the path  45  in a clockwise direction.  
         [0039]     If a player uses the random number generator  20  and receives an odd number and none of their player tokens  15  are already on the path  45 , the player cannot move any of their player tokens from the start space  70  and play would continue with the next player on the player&#39;s left.  
         [0040]     If a player lands on a blank space  65 , the player cannot draw a playing card  25  from the draw pile  30  located on the card repository  55  but the player may choose to pick up a disaster kit tool from either the disaster kit area  60  or from an opponent. The disaster kit tools help a player move the player token  15  along the path  45  in order to reach the home space  90 . A player must have possession of at least one component of a disaster tool kit per token, for each token to enter home space.  
         [0041]     Each time a player lands on a state space  75 , the player must draw a playing card  25  from the draw pile  30  located on the card repository  55  and display the playing card  25  to all the players. Subsequent to displaying the playing card  25 , the player must follow the directions on the playing card  25  and place the playing card  25  in the discard pile  50 . If a player draws a playing card  25  identifying a state where the player already has a player token, the player loses a turn and play continues with the next player on their left. If the playing card  25  drawn describes another state&#39;s emergency or disaster, the player must move their player token  15  to the state described on the playing card  25 , regardless if the action advances the player closer to their home space  90 . Each player may only draw one playing card  25  per turn. The state cards and vacation cards are the only playing cards  25 , which may cause the player to bypass their home space  90 .  
         [0042]     If a player lands on a space identified as one of the player token spaces  80 . For example the red fire engine, orange rescue boat, yellow helicopter rescue, blue police car or green military (National Guard), the player does not advance their player token  15 , unless you have drawn a playing card  25  with a state, vacation, or threat level identification. One or more of an individual player tokens  15  may occupy the same space. No two opposing player tokens  15  may occupy the same space.  
         [0043]     If all playing cards  25  have been utilized and placed in the discard pile  50  and no players have successfully moved all of their player tokens to their home space  90 , the playing cards  25  must be reshuffled and placed in the card repository  55  with play subsequently resuming. Each player takes turns shuffling the playing cards  25 , while play continues. Each time all the playing cards  25  have been moved to the discard pile  50  the playing cards  25  should be reshuffled and should be placed face down on the card repository  55 . Although no specific number is required, good results have been achieved with a draw pile  30  that contained sixty playing cards  25 . If a player token  15  lands on a state and another player&#39;s token  15  is already located thereon, the player must send the opponent&#39;s player token  15  back to their start space  70 .  
         [0044]     A player earns disaster kit tools when drawing playing cards  25  that contain specific information identifying one of the disaster kit tools or by taking a disaster token from the disaster kit tool area  60  or from an opponent. A player retains the disaster kit tool while traversing the path  45  in turn. The player must retain a disaster kit tool in order to enter the appropriate home space  90  that is adjacent to the start space  70  where the player had commenced the board game  100 . After using a disaster kit tool to enter a token to the designated home space  90 , the tool must be returned to disaster kit area  60  on the board  10 .  
         [0045]     There are eight vacation spaces  85 , which are designated as free spaces. These spaces along dispersed along the path  45  of the board  10  and have been designated as a safe space. A player cannot be bumped or sent home. If a player lands on a vacation space  85  when already occupied by an opponent, both players may occupy the space at the same time.  
         [0046]     A player must have acquired a disaster kit tool before each of the player&#39;s tokens  15  may enter the designated home space  90 . A player does not have to roll the exact number of spaces for the player to be enabled to enter their home space  90 , however it must be at least the minimum to carry the token to the home space  90 . A player must utilize the random number generators  20  for the minimum number of spaces needed to enter the home space  90  to remain safe. If a player generates a larger number than the number of spaces required to enter the designated home space  90 , the player may still move their token into the home space  90 . Once a token has moved the required number of spaces to reach a home space, the players turn is over and play continues with the person on the left.  
         [0047]     A player wins when they are the first to have all of their player tokens  15  reach the home space  90  adjacent to their original start space  70 . Each player must have a disaster kit token before their player token  15  is permitted to enter the home space  90 .  
         [0048]     New players, totaling from two to six players may join the game at any time with the agreement of the other players, with the cumulative total of players not to exceed six players.  
         [0049]     Whether a player starts playing at the beginning of the game or after other players have been beginning to play, the odds of winning are left up to chance. The number produced by the random number generator  20 , the shuffle of the cards, the movement of player tokens  15  around the board, and the ability to acquire disaster kit tools in order for their player token  15  to reach home space  90  are all up to chance and the odds of winning are equal to all players. The more the game is played, the more familiar the player becomes with the game.  
         [0050]     Although the described embodiment of present invention is a game board and corresponding pieces and cards, it is contemplated to be within the scope of this invention that the game could also be fashioned either in part or whole electronically or rendered in part or whole in computer software and hardware.  
         [0051]     In the preceding detailed description, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments, and certain variants thereof, have been described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is to be understood that other suitable embodiments may be utilized and that logical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. The description may omit certain information known to those skilled in the art. The preceding detailed description is, therefore, not intended to be limited to the specific forms set forth herein, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as can be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.