Preparation for war

winterwhite

How long are we supposed to be preparing for? An article in the ‘i’ today quotes 2.5 litres of water per person per day for drinking, but adding in laundry and personal hygiene ‘you’d be more comfortable with 10’. How many families of four could store 10 litres of water per person per day for two weeks?.

For personal hygiene, I would be thinking of a good stock of wipes rather than bottled water.

fwiw, I think AB would need to be dragged kicking and screaming, not literally, to even 3%.

I would like the defence budget raised to 5% in order to feel greater security.

And spend less money on what?

[I dont subscribe to the theory that the Uk can spend whatever money it likes, and there being no financial problems].

Also having now watched the War Game - I am more convinced now about the need to be able to stand on our own two feet.

You dont mean without NATO?

I think new money has been allocated.
Whether it will be "enough" I have no idea.

I think I need to read up more about it sometime.

I always think that first, reduce any waste spending.
I do know of bits that occur[not saying what].
But possibly a drop in the ocean.

I would like the defence budget raised to 5% in order to feel greater security.

With you on that 100%, with immediate effect.

😀😀. I ve done exactly the same!!

Radio arrived this morning. Kept DH amused looking at all the stuff on it.

Also having now watched the War Game - I am more convinced now about the need to be able to stand on our own two feet.

I would like the defence budget raised to 5% in order to feel greater security.

Thanks MOnica and Whitewave we are only 2 so a week is prob feasible.

I’m hedging my bets. On the same day I booked my Waitrose Christmas slot and ordered a wind-up radio🤣

We have several battery radios and torches so don’t need to cover that. However, DH is adamant that most of this should be ignored because it’s just scaremongering. I don’t quite agree but I certainly can’t secrete lots of bottles of water anywhere. Our store cupboards could accommodate more tins and packets without much comment and I think I can empty a small savings account for some ready cash in case of emergency.

winterwhite

How long are we supposed to be preparing for? An article in the ‘i’ today quotes 2.5 litres of water per person per day for drinking, but adding in laundry and personal hygiene ‘you’d be more comfortable with 10’. How many families of four could store 10 litres of water per person per day for two weeks?.

DD who works in this field, says that informed sources say that any event that causes extreme disruption is unlikely to last more than three days. She also recommends having a water butt, good for watering plants etc, but can also provide water for tasks like flushing loos, washing etc.

2.5 litres per day for drinking sounds excessive. I would have thought 3 x 2 litre bottles per person should be sufficient. The bottles are sealed and packed in 6s, so you could always put them in a garden shed or even outside with a plastic ground sheet over them weighted down.

Lots of things are bad for the environment, but the need for them transcends the damage. Disposable gloves, dressings and hundreds of other items in hospitals for example and we are not talking about people buying vast quantities of bottles of water on a daily basis.

MrsMatt

I am sure WWIII is Trumps goal. He wants to be able swoop in and end another yet another war.

End another one he started, you are meaning?

winterwhite

How long are we supposed to be preparing for? An article in the ‘i’ today quotes 2.5 litres of water per person per day for drinking, but adding in laundry and personal hygiene ‘you’d be more comfortable with 10’. How many families of four could store 10 litres of water per person per day for two weeks?.

I read minimum 3 days but ideally 7 or if you want to go down the Prepper route 14 days.

I’ve consulted ChatGPT and it says try and plan for a week or if not a minimum of 3 days.

It will give you a list of what you will need without going overboard.

I can’t believe we are having this conversation! What with this and I’m watching War a Game - I’m in danger of getting paranoid!

I would head for my daughters farm,they get their water from the mountain,we have nowhere to run to, perhaps have a go at growing our own vegetables etc

How long are we supposed to be preparing for? An article in the ‘i’ today quotes 2.5 litres of water per person per day for drinking, but adding in laundry and personal hygiene ‘you’d be more comfortable with 10’. How many families of four could store 10 litres of water per person per day for two weeks?.

I am sure WWIII is Trumps goal. He wants to be able swoop in and end another yet another war.

The government don’t care what you have in reserve to drink, as long as you have something, it’s just that water is more adaptable to other use than anything else. They aren’t making a point of being environmentally unfriendly for the sake of it, it’s just that water is most commonly stored in plastic bottles.

Casdon

As long as you’ve got something else to drink if the water supply is cut off, it doesn’t matter if it’s bottled water or not. Stock up on cans of beer, or coke, or whatever your preference is.

What room I have available for emergency drinking supplies would be water or fruit juice, I really don't think getting your day's supply of fluid from beer or coke would be a good choice 😉 I thought we were supposed to consider the environment and our impact upon it. Single use plastic bottles of water (or any single use plastics) have a big impact but I suppose criticism of them will now totally cease 🙄

As long as you’ve got something else to drink if the water supply is cut off, it doesn’t matter if it’s bottled water or not. Stock up on cans of beer, or coke, or whatever your preference is.

We're being encouraged to store extra food and bottled water in preparation for an 'event' I just googled "is bottled water good for the planet?" This is the answer that came back.

AI Overview No, bottled water is not good for the planet.
Environmental Impacts
Resource extraction: Making bottled water has a resource impact up to 3,500 times higher than drinking tap water.
Ecosystem damage: The harm to natural ecosystems from bottled water is roughly 1,400 times greater than from tap water.
Carbon footprint: Manufacturing, processing, and transporting bottled water—sometimes shipped from thousands of miles away—releases massive amounts of carbon dioxide.
Plastic waste: Billions of single-use plastic bottles end up in landfills, incinerators, or as litter in oceans and on land, where they break down into harmful microplastics.The Guardian+4

Given bottled water carries an expiry date this will mean using the supplies and replenishing them on some sort of rotation. Those that will be storing gallons of bottled water when they wouldn't normally use it will probably outnumber those for whom it's a regular thing. Just worth a thought. I'm in the group that lives in such a tiny space I wouldn't have room even if I had the inclination. Of course maybe people are stocking up with water in glass bottles but at an average price of £3 a litre that's beyond the pocket of many I'd say.
www.tesco.com/shop/en-GB/products/330722272?srsltid=AU7gw4Uy3XGsTlRyshRezB-RJXZPvzaEwOXmVxQGEMfYXNh_6rAlKtw5

Googled it.
The suggestions are Scottish Highlands, Aberystwyth and Inverness - areas away from major cities and military zones.

Casdon

Would that not depend on what the threat was fancythat? It’s impossible to predict where it would hit, and whether it would be fire, flood, chemical, bomb etc. etc.

It would.

But I was interested to know what people had in their minds.

MT62,I wish I could be that organised

Doodledog

As I have said before, I have always had a small surplus, and an 'emergency box' which has been variously ridiculed and raided over the years. I am not preparing for war - to be honest, if that happened I would rather go up in the first blast - but I am thinking about how we could go to ground for a week or so if there were power cuts, water supply interruptions or similar. Maybe natural forces, maybe malice, but I feel happier knowing I am prepared.

I have bought extra items, and plan to store them all in a large bag, or maybe clear out an under-bed drawer for the purpose. I have a wind-up solar powered radio, a power pack, two sizes of batteries, camping lanterns and a head torch. Oh, and one of those plastic long lighter things. I will put in a few foodstuffs, although the kitchen cupboards would keep us going for some time. If we had to leave the house, I could take the packs of lentil casserole and tuna salads with us, though - they wouldn't need heating and would be relatively tasty and better than nothing. I have been adding things like Imodium, paracetamol and sticking plasters, and have a four pack of loo roll in there, despite the numerous ones in the bathroom and boot room cupboards. I could donate them if there were a scarcity. I've ordered a pack of playing cards to arrive with my next grocery order, as in a power cut we'd be without TV or music .

I have 36 litres of water and a camping stove (with gas), and plenty of lentils, rice and pasta in the pantry as a matter of course.

In the absence of rioting and looting we'll be fine for weeks, but realistically if others don't 'prep' and shortages bite, it will be everyone for themselves, and two older people in the centre of a relatively wealthy town will be vulnerable.

I am considering asking the neighbours if they want to share numbers in case of emergency. We are mostly older people, and there are two widows in our small street, so I think it would make sense. If they haven't prepared I'd happily share what we have, as IMO if 'things' go on for long enough for us to run out there will either be central intervention or we'd just be deferring the inevitable.

It's just my way, though. I also have six baskets on a spare bed - one for each of my children, their partners, my husband and miscellaneous, and am adding Christmas presents to each as I find them. I like to spread the cost and cut the stress of it all by doing things gradually. September was aways my 'return to work' date when I started collecting stocking fillers, and I have continued the tradition.

I have all that bar the wind up radio (do you need a license btw 😂) & the sterilisation water tablets.

Would that not depend on what the threat was fancythat? It’s impossible to predict where it would hit, and whether it would be fire, flood, chemical, bomb etc. etc.