Build a fence at the top of the cliff, not an ambulance at the bottom.

Origin

The core idea of preventing disaster rather than reacting to it is ancient, but this specific, vivid phrasing gained widespread traction through a popular poem. In 1895, British temperance reformer Joseph Malins published "The Fence or the Ambulance," a didactic verse that starkly contrasted proactive safety measures with reactive, costly interventions. The poem tells of a dangerous cliff and the debate over whether to build a protective fence at the top or place an ambulance, and perhaps a hospital, at the bottom. Malins' powerful imagery and clear message resonated deeply, swiftly transforming the poem's central metaphor into a ubiquitous proverb that champions foresight and preventative action over belated regret.