Germans told to stockpile food and water

Hmm. Odd

It's called "being prepared" Mutti Merkel was clearly a Pionierin or East German girl guide in her youth!
I think having 10 days (isn't it?) of water and food that doesn't need cooking isn't at all stupid. Emergency rations of course, but we went through a spate of the water being turned off in our village some years ago OR being advised not to drink it as it had gone a funny colour (!) and Anglia Water were dishing out giant bottles of the stuff. No bad thing to have your own supply as water can so easily be contaminated.

It seems a bit strange. Will it not lead to panic buying and empty shelves if conspiracy theories start doing the rounds? It reminds me of when we got that Protect and Survive advice in the early 80s. I took it on board at the time and had quite a stock of emergency supplies all ready in the cellar We had babies then and the times seemed very scary.

Though as I get older I seem to be better stocked up anyway. My DMIL always had enough food in to survive a long siege and I appear to be heading that way too. Perhaps I'll stick some bottled water on the next online order, just in case

Makes you wonder what, Merkel, Hollonde and Renzi were really talking about in Italy curiorser and curiorser.

Back in 2008 or 2010, somewhere around the possible bank crashes, I did some storing.
Ironically, just started to get rid of some of it last week. Most is still there though.
I suppose it had better stay there for now.
We are fortunate to have our own supply of water, so no problem there.

Is she being prepared or scaring the nation?
Being sensible, or maybe getting a bit paranoid?
I expect being sensible? So she must know something.

It's very strange and alarmist in my view, and considering how many immigrants/refugees are now living in Germany, they must be very worried that people are going to be fearful of them now.

Has she given any reason for this advice?
obieone Hope you don't mind me asking
Do you have a well or a spring ?

Have pm'd.

This hasn't even been announced yet. My understanding is (but could be wrong) is that the recommendation is to cover emergencies such as flooding, as the emergency services are likely to be diverted to 'terrorism watch'. There is also talk of reviving conscription to a civil defence force, for the same reason.

Not a bad precaution. Those of us who live in the middle of nowhere know it's sensible to keep a supply of tinned food (haven't really considered water) in case of severe weather/power cuts etc.

It doesn't mean rush out and strip the supermarket shelves just add a little more to your normal shop each week.

I can understand the 'what does she know that we don't' feeling though.

I always have a stash of candles, we get so many power cuts.I also like to have a stash of Maltesers ( but that's another story.)

I always have a supply of bottled water, which I buy when it's on special offer

a) because Essex tap water tastes horrible, so I keep some in the fridge for the times I want a glass of water;

b) because Affinity Water has a habit of cutting off the water supply at short notice.

I also have a box of candles and torches. I could live on the contents of the tins in my cupboards for a few days if I really had to.

Yes, I too could live out of the store cupboard for several days, but of course if we had no power then some of what is there would be useless anyway. I like to keep a stock of long life milk also. Pity, though that this suggestion by Merkel might make people panic buy.

If I was living in Germany, and up to now they have thought she is like a mum, many will panic buy I would have thought.
I was going to write, poor people, but she must be preparing them for something I think.

I saw photos of empty shops in Germany yesterday. What struck me was the sheer amount that was recommended to be stockpiled. An average family would need lots of space to store the crates of water alone far less the quantities of food. A worrying time.

It could that she is thinking of possible cyber attacks on the utilities
Such as gas water electric.

We could probably live out of the store cupboard for a week. The freezer stuff would need to be eaten in a hurry. We have an open fire and a camping stove. Water? We'd have to boil the pond and water butt stuff.

If you live in a small flat where could you store enough water for ten days?

This does sound slightly sinister! Why now? Surely this will encourage panic buying?! Is it to do with terrorism? It's what we don't know that worries me more than what we do.
We too have our own water supply, and have a Woodburner with an oven attached, and endless supplies of timber. This all sounds a bit 1939ish to me and a bit scary!!

I see to remember that we here were advised to keep a stockpile of food and water at one period. I just asked DH and he remembers it too, but neither of us can remember when it was, now, or for what reason. It is sudden, this, though, and curious.

Think my grammar is odd - apologies!!!

It reminds me of cold war days, when we were advised to have a stock of tinned food and bottled water. Then there was the power cut era, when you might have no electricity for a while. We went out and bought a camping stove and a cylinder of propane/butane too, as well as tins of easily-heated food and supplies of things that could be eaten without cooking.

You can even get self-heating tinned food.

This is a bit strange! I've definitely started to stock up more over the past few years; it can't hurt!

As we get a bit older and less keen to go shopping in rotten weather, it makes sense to stockpile enough food for a week or two - but advising a whole country to do so does sound a bit ominous.

Is it perhaps because of German history, and they are used to stockpiling if there is a possible big problem heading their way?