The Government advice re emergency packs

There’s a government list online, under the heading “Be Ready Checklist”.

I always have plenty of food in the house, so could manage for some time, even if we had to eat strange combinations.

I have bottled water and lots of soft drinks, so we'd be ok there too - I think we'd last a week, or even two if we were very disciplined about it.

I have a camping stove and gas, but it would have to be used outside, so not ideal in a serious storm. I have an emergency box, which is just a means of keeping things together- on the whole I could just go and get blankets out of the linen cupboard etc, but I don't want to be running around looking for things in an emergency (or in the dark).

The box contains, from memory: several battery operated lanterns, 100 AA batteries and 100 AAA ones, thermal hat, gloves and neck warmer sets (one each for husband and me), hand warmer heated things, power packs, a first aid kit and OTC drugs such as paracetamol and Imodium, playing cards, a wind-up radio/torch, a whistle and loo rolls.

I may have forgotten something, and I will be adding to the supplies with each weekly shop. Obviously if we need anything in there outside of an emergency we will use it, but keeping things like that in a box in a spare bedroom means that I know what we have and where it is. Things like batteries in the kitchen drawer get used, so in an emergency there could be none left. Same with loo rolls. My husband is more or less oblivious to it all, as he thinks the advice is scaremongering, but I am always more comfortable being prepared for things.

I’m with your husband Doodledog I think they’re softening up the electorate for taxes going up to support more defence spending.
Which I’m totally on board with so no need for the apocalypse talk.

I have bottled water and lots of soft drinks

Am I being dense here? Won’t there be water coming out of the taps?

Doodledog

What a great idea, putting it in a box! I shall steal this idea.

I had to smile at the food comment,
“I always have plenty of food in the house, so could manage for some time, even if we had to eat strange combinations.”, that’s us to a tee!

Also your DH and mine could be brothers haha! X

Water supply is likely to be disrupted if there is a cyber attack, because technology runs water as it does other basic services, the internet affects so much we take for granted. I think cyber attacks are what the government is more worried about than anything else.

We have wine, beer and snacks…

Much the same as Doodledog.

Some cash - power strikes may take out ATMs but some stores will take cash if they can open.

Car is kept charged.

We have 4 rechargeable lights in the house that give really good light that we can read by or play Scrabble or cards or move about the house. They last for quite a long time before needing to be recharged.

I don't expect there to be an emergency of apocalyptic proportions but even if the power is off for a few days I see no sense in being uncomfortable if it's not necessary.

Doodledog

I always have plenty of food in the house, so could manage for some time, even if we had to eat strange combinations.

I have bottled water and lots of soft drinks, so we'd be ok there too - I think we'd last a week, or even two if we were very disciplined about it.

I have a camping stove and gas, but it would have to be used outside, so not ideal in a serious storm. I have an emergency box, which is just a means of keeping things together- on the whole I could just go and get blankets out of the linen cupboard etc, but I don't want to be running around looking for things in an emergency (or in the dark).

The box contains, from memory: several battery operated lanterns, 100 AA batteries and 100 AAA ones, thermal hat, gloves and neck warmer sets (one each for husband and me), hand warmer heated things, power packs, a first aid kit and OTC drugs such as paracetamol and Imodium, playing cards, a wind-up radio/torch, a whistle and loo rolls.

I may have forgotten something, and I will be adding to the supplies with each weekly shop. Obviously if we need anything in there outside of an emergency we will use it, but keeping things like that in a box in a spare bedroom means that I know what we have and where it is. Things like batteries in the kitchen drawer get used, so in an emergency there could be none left. Same with loo rolls. My husband is more or less oblivious to it all, as he thinks the advice is scaremongering, but I am always more comfortable being prepared for things.

A whistle? What’s that for?

On a serious note, we have a dual fuel range, gas bottles for BBQ, all our devices can be charged in our cars. Cars have full tanks. Some bottled water and four weeks worth of medication along with a rescue pack for me.

GrannyGravy13

We have wine, beer and snacks…

Party round yours then!

merlotgran

^I have bottled water and lots of soft drinks^

Am I being dense here? Won’t there be water coming out of the taps?

Interruptions to mains water systems can happen. This year several areas had prolonged periods with no mains water supply to domestic premises.

How better to paralyse a country's economy than by making the public water system unusable? Hospitals, schools, factories, industries, sewage systems, food processing are all reliant on a working mains water service.

A big problem for urban dwellers would be having enough water to flush domestic lavatories .

I’ll have to use rain water from the butts to flush the loo and brush my teeth in Pinot Grigio - singing, ‘I will survive.’

Also the water system is very reliant on electric pumps. If there is damage to the electricity production or distribution system (filtering equipment, pylons, and cross-country wires and so on) it could affect the supply of clean water.

all our devices can be charged in our cars.
Good thinking!

Perhaps we should have saved that bag of cashews we ate last night . We have wine, cider, a bottle of pink gin.

jenniRen make sure you have plenty of fuel then!
Re: water, there is a liner you can buy to put in the bath to store water. I do wonder why you might need one. Can’t you just put the plug in?
That used to work when we had a water shortage back in the day.

A box in a spare room is a good idea. I shall prepare one this weekend.

I must buy some new matches. The last box I bought is absolutely useless. And it wasnt a cheap one.

I have plenty of candles and a box of tea lights so will put them in all the tea light holders and candles into the candle sticks and then keep them together on a tray on the dining room table which is never used now.
And buy some extra batteries. I dont need a sleeping bag unless I needed to go to a shelter somewhere. I suppose I would roll up a single duvet. I disposed of our sleeping bags some years back! Should I buy one while there are some. Mmmm will think on that.

In a dire emergency we surely don’t need to cook food. Baked beans straight from the can will do for a few days.
I have nowhere to store bottled water or loo rolls, how are you supposed to prepare if you live in one room or a tiny flat?
My priorities are cat and dog food and cat litter.

I have succumbed and just ordered a wind up/battery all singing and dancing torch, USB charger radio.

DH thinks I have finally lost my marbles.

(If you find them I would be grateful if you could return them)

I quite regret following government advice during the last emergency so I have completely ignored it all.

Time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted Galaxy.

Weird how prepping is now fashionable.
When say up to two years ago, people scoffed.

Diversion tactics to scaremonger

I probably have a ciuple of questions.

Why lanterns and not torches?

And why has the government not told of places people are supposed to go/run to, without looking things up ourselves.