Following on from the Iberian power outage there has been talk about personal emergency preparedness. News to me that the Government "promotes" this including emergency supplies and grab bags. Link below.
I've never actually seen this promoted by politicians (probably for good political reasons) but interesting that this is the official advice. Not sure how prepared we are - I think we've got most of the obvious stuff but don't keep water as a backup
https://prepare.campaign.gov.uk/get-prepared-for-emergencies/
I just kit myself out head to toe in Thrudark clobber.
I am the grab bag.
We keep saying that we should have some bottled water stored, cos if the power goes then our borehole pump stops working and we (and next door) have no water.
I've also wondered about getting a cheap dinky generator for powering said pump should it be necessary.
When the apocalypse happens, best to prepare for it with lots of supplies, or have weapons that you are prepared to use to take supplies from others?
Best apocalyptic preparedness you can make is friends with your neighbours. So I'm buggered.
Not recommended, but probably won't kill you, most houses have a water tank in the roof that will keep you hydrated for days / weeks if you don't use it all flushing the loo. You could always throw some purification tablets in there if you were worried.
Ditto food, the minimum calories you need for a few weeks is zero. The cupboard is well stocked with dried foods and essentials anyway so even in a dire scenario I'd be OK on rice and beans and multivit's.
My emergency plan if the government falls and all utilities stop working? Head home, crack open a beer in the garden before the fridge warms up and wait for things to get back to normal whilst the rest of the world panic buys toilet paper. Basically Shaun Of the Dead, but I'm an introvert so will be able to avoid the whole pub full of zombies issue.
If after a few weeks of anarchy we end up in a Day of the Triffids style long term survival scenario, have a 2nd beer and wait for the Gravy Seals to shoot each other / themselves.
Think that about covers it?
I just go on the principle that if there's a real apocalypse then any stash I had would be looted by bigger more violent types and I'd just meekly hand it over anyway so no point building up a stash!
When the apocalypse happens, best to prepare for it with lots of supplies, or have weapons that you are prepared to use to take supplies from others?
Back during the pandemic, loads of US "preppers" had caches buried in case of an emergency. They had plenty of ammo, but neglected to think to stash food.
When the apocalypse happens, best to prepare for it with lots of supplies, or have weapons that you are prepared to use to take supplies from others?
In my thrudark tactical hoody..
I am a the weapon
Yesterdays power-cut-in-Spain has really invigorated my wifes plans for the next UK 'apocalypse' 🤣
We already have;
1) candles and matches
2) 12 litres of bottled water
3) 6 tins of Baked Beans
4) 6 tins of Rice Pudding
5) Wind-up Light
6) FM Radio with batteries
7) Open Fire in the living room
8) Gas hob (chosen specifically because it's not electric)
Sooooo "bring-it-on!" 🤪 🤠 🤓 👍
Back during the pandemic, loads of US "preppers" had caches buried in case of an emergency. They had plenty of ammo, but neglected to think to stash food.
Having watched some of those preper programmes on tv that doesn’t surprise me.
I've also wondered about getting a cheap dinky generator for powering said pump should it be necessary.
The problem is cheap generators are usually petrol. Petrol engines often don't respond well to neglect / being ignored. What sort of power does your pump need? Many motors are quite picky about cheap invertors - so you need a "pure sine wave" which pushes cost up. Any potential to add a manual hand pump? Does the pump feed a holding tank?
That government website suggests 10L per person per day for comfort. That feels like quite a lot to me not sure where most people would store that, unless their supply was often interrupted.
The one thing I realised yesterday when someone discussed this, was that we no longer have a battery (or windup) radio. The car has a radio of course, and USB outlets to charge phones.
Yesterdays power-cut-in-Spain has really invigorated my wifes plans for the next UK 'apocalypse' 🤣
We already have;
1) candles and matches
2) 12 litres of bottled water
3) 6 tins of Baked Beans
4) 6 tins of Rice Pudding
5) Wind-up Light
6) FM Radio with batteries
7) Open Fire in the living room
8) Gas hob (chosen specifically because it's not electric)
Sooooo "bring-it-on!" 🤪 🤠 🤓 👍
Have you told her which hot young thing you will shack up with if she doesn't make it?
To ensure the survival of the human race.
We have a manual for this kind of thing in Sweden. I got my new, updated copy last year.
That said, I live in the country, have a well and solar. Should be fine.
One reason I won't be getting a combi boiler is keeping the water tank, should last us a few days... after that you're looking at guns with ability and willingness to use them...
We've a fair amount as we go camping, so big battery, portable solar charger etc, gas camping cooker etc and there is always food in the cupboard. Would need to ensure there if food for the four cars otherwise I may wake up missing a leg if they get hungry. We may end up with some strange concoctions though, spaghetti hoops and tinned peaches anyone ?
Slight diversion, but following borehole comment, suggest get a buffer tank, then at least you have some stored water, but also note you'll need some power for UV lamp to reduce bacteria, unless go for LED type as they use much less power but still need small generator and back to maintenance OR get a EV or invertor to run off car/van/tractor etc, but bottled water is useful as most basic need covered.
I just kit myself out head to toe in Thrudark clobber.
I am the grab bag.
I just shared this in my circle, much laughs. Bloody brilliant.
I’ll do it on the night.
Back during the pandemic, loads of US "preppers" had caches buried in case of an emergency. They had plenty of ammo, but neglected to think to stash food.
I just go on the principle that if there's a real apocalypse then any stash I had would be looted by bigger more violent types and I'd just meekly hand it over anyway so no point building up a stash!
Haha, kind of mirrors what a friend said. All the preppers were IDing themselves on social media, so he knew who and were to go and take supplies if required. He's a rather 'capable' chap so was quite chill about the whole thing.
My emergency plan is to use up the insulin I have in the fridge, until I either run out or it goes off from not being correctly stored, and then die. More or less also my pension plan
Is this not why we have all developed moobs and a belly.
Flab Bag > Grab bag?
All this is assuming any of us actually want to survive an apocalypse.
My emergency plan is to use up the insulin I have in the fridge, until I either run out or it goes off from not being correctly stored, and then die. More or less also my pension plan
Okay genius what is you plan if you run out apocalypse chocolate before the insulin?
Food -Rice is considered one of the best foods to store long term, but you'll also need uncontaminated water
Soy sauce is not optional
Weapons - Probably a bow. You can reuse its ammunition and in use it won't attract attention.
Personally, I'd opt for a 3' crowbar as one of the most important items for such eventualities.
Not all your neighbours will make it, and access to their stuff will need something robust.
Light - When it gets dark go to sleep. A few candles/wind up torch for emergencies, but as above, do everything not to attract attention to your location.
Emergency food - Well depending on how bad things get, I think we all know what that is going to be.
Yesterdays power-cut-in-Spain has really invigorated my wifes plans for the next UK 'apocalypse' 🤣
We already have;
1) candles and matches
...
3) 6 tins of Baked Beans
No. 1 may come in handy after consuming no. 3. 😉
I’m a prepper. Grab bags? Got a house full of ‘em…
Food -Rice is considered one of the best foods to store long term, but you'll also need uncontaminated water
Soy sauce is not optional
Weapons - Probably a bow. You can reuse its ammunition and in use it won't attract attention.
Personally, I'd opt for a 3' crowbar as one of the most important items for such eventualities.
Not all your neighbours will make it, and access to their stuff will need something robust.
Light - When it gets dark go to sleep. A few candles/wind up torch for emergencies, but as above, do everything not to attract attention to your location.
Emergency food - Well depending on how bad things get, I think we all know what that is going to be.
Anyone else slightly concerned that they might live next to dyna-ti?
7. Open fire in the living room
Are you not worried about richochets?
Food -Rice is considered one of the best foods to store long term, but you'll also need uncontaminated water
You mean I can't just boil it in my own piss Bear Grylls style?
I think i will learn from the animal kingdom.
First things first find a hiding place until things calm down.
I have a couple of torches ready to go in places i know where they are in case of power cuts. I also have camping stoves if the gas goes off.
If it gets real apocalyptic then i do have a crossbow on the wall. Its a tourist piece from Malaysia from the 60s and hasn't been pulled for 50 years so probably best as a club
Is it really that bad? We were fine with no power after Arwen and whatever that recent one was called, Eowyn or something. Some of the local farms were without power for a couple of weeks, so probably needed a bit more prep, but a wood burner, the gas stove from the van, half a dozen of Exposure's finest and a well stocked tins and jars cupboard should be fine for ages.
Water stayed on, but if it didn't I know where the local drinkable streams are.
Bog standard storm damage though, probably different if WW3 kicks off, but if that happens I think a few more tins of peaches is just delaying the inevitable.
Yesterdays power-cut-in-Spain has really invigorated my wifes plans for the next UK 'apocalypse' 🤣
We already have;
1) candles and matches
2) 12 litres of bottled water
3) 6 tins of Baked Beans
4) 6 tins of Rice Pudding
5) Wind-up Light
6) FM Radio with batteries
7) Open Fire in the living room
8) Gas hob (chosen specifically because it's not electric)
Sooooo "bring-it-on!" 🤪 🤠 🤓 👍
Tin Opener?
Excellent thread.
I have a Tesco Extra very close,so am getting my hand to hand fighting skills sharpened up.
My super efficient trolley dash is looking good and I also have a plan on how to booby trap the garden/house so my haul can be kept safe.
My only worry is that Tesco change the layout just before the blackout.
We would last about a week. 🤣
My only worry is that Tesco change the layout just before the blackout.
You're probably fine with Tesco. It's Food Warehouse (big Iceland) that are bastards for this. Every time I visit it's a case of "OK, where have you hidden what I need this week?"
Surely if the plan is do do some ram-raiding you may as well go to Waitrose and get a free coffee whilst you loot the place?
Also you need to think laterally, the supermarkets will be looted quickly but Craft Breweries will be a great source of oats for porridge, and you can pick up some double hopped NEIPA whilst you're there.
You're probably fine with Tesco. It's Food Warehouse (big Iceland) that are bastards for this. Every time I visit it's a case of "OK, where have you hidden what I need this week?"
I see your corporate monolith discount frozen supermarket and raise you Jack Foultons. It wasn't so much a question of where particular food was this week, as what food was it.
I've also wondered about getting a cheap dinky generator for powering said pump should it be necessary.
Power packs, batteries, and generators are on all the lists, but seems redundent (to me) for the 99% of the population with a car.
Dont leave your car on fumes for any length of time, pressumably an engine on tickover will provide charge for mobiles etc for aaaaages.
A 12v inverter might be useful?
Dont leave your car on fumes for any length of time, pressumably an engine on tickover will provide charge for mobiles etc for aaaaages.
Indeed, although in the post apocalypse there won't be much phone signal so it's moot.
I sense STW artisan coffee fans are already stashing smug-roasted, Four Horsemen’s blend in a suitably ambient nook of their kitchen. 😉
Is no one else planning to hit up the local drug dealers hoise and try everything once?
We lived in Auckland, NZ for a number of years. Our emergency kit was in the attic.
Although Auckland wasn't so much in the earthquake risk area, it used to get plenty of knocks and rumbles. Main concern was the overdue pop-up volcano.
The idea of putting it in the attic was that if the (wooden) house fell down all the stuff would be on top of the pile of sticks, not buried under it. We had stuff to cook, something to cook on, water and a rain collection/purification kit. Tarps and tents to make shelters from, ropes, string, gaffer tape and tie-wraps etc. Stuff to keep ourselves clean and healthy. Radios, torches and batteries...
The main hassle was the annual turn over of perishables as Kiwi houses don't generally have easy access to the loft space.
Still have slight fetish about this and keep a couple of rucksacks with the absolute bare minimum in them for a get out of the house for a couple of days situation.
It's standard for Queensland because there's a storm season each year. There's increasing risk of fires and floods and other weather ****ery.
I've a fire pump, thousands of gallons of water. Face masks (for smoke) and food and medical kit etc etc.
