Parents starting an air raid shelter

No.

..and to answer a previous question: does the UK have the ability/capability shoot down a ballistic missile?,

The answer again is pretty much no, though there is a missile system on a few of our naval vessels which may have a limited anti-ballistic missile capability...

We certainly have nothing close to the Israeli multi layered system of which Iron Dome is one component.

As for us instantly firing back....would the PM authorise the use of Trident if he believed the incoming from Russia was conventionally tipped - the sort of thing Russia has been firing at Ukraine .....???

Iron Dome is cutting edge,and as we have seen is not comprehensive: have we got something better than that?

Thanks for the detail OP. Some level of preparation for an attack or a cyber attack is reasonable, whether this is too much only time will tell.

Nuclear attack is the least likely, hybrid attacks are the most likely as they are already happening, and after that attack with conventional weapons is more likely than nuclear so yeah, preparing for a few days in case something happens is wise, because for a few days you won't have access to anything.

Though I'm not really too worried, at least not for the next few years. After that, maybe its time to worry.

I vividly remember my neighbours in the 80s building a shelter in their dining room with "fall-out blankets" (whatever they are) covering the windows and doorways, tins of food and supplies, camping stove, etc. They were far from the only ones as well.

It may seem silly or futile to some people, but when you're worried it can make you feel better to be doing something rather than nothing at all. AT the end of the day, they're not doing anything that could end badly, and having some extra supplies could be a good thing if rising prices cause a run on the shops one day.

Get a copy of "When the Wind Blows" by Raymond Briggs & give it to them.
The radio version with Peter Sallis is brilliant.

Absolutely agree with all of this and I'm no prepper. But I'm going to start to have a few back up systems in place with a household power bank and wind up radio coming soon.

What is their plan after the 7 days? 🫤

It's worth just thinking what you'd do if your local water company had to shut off the water due to a threat of it being contaminated by a terrorist, or due to a cyberattack on water systems.

OK the local council might well start dishing out bottled water in a day or so but what about until then? Have you got some 2l bottles of supermarket water just to see you through a couple of days, at least?

The same goes for power, it's worth keeping a couple of power banks charged up for phones, and having a few tins and packets of ready to eat food to get you through a couple of days of not having power to cook with.

If every UK household had only that most basic level of preparedness, we'd instantly be way more resilient as a nation.

Govt and army would be able to focus more on fixing the results of an attack and less on doling out rations to totally unprepared citizens.

Heh yep and then it was all our fault nobody could get their home deliveries seems few people have learned their lesson, want to mock and stick their head in the sand.

Everyone should be prepared for disruption anyway. Not so much bombs, but cyber attacks. Even our local rag is pointing out portable generators. Other countries are advising to have some stores in.

But no, your average mumsnetter would prefer to scoff and blame everyone else when the SHTF.

This stuff makes you feel out of control, if anyone wants to make themselves feel better by feeling a bit prepared then let them.

It’s highly unlikely we would be physically attacked anytime soon. As PP have said we are a long way from Russia (or Iran for that matter) and anything pointed in our direction would be shot down.
I do think there is a more real chance of cyber attacks. Particularly aimed at taking down the banking system, internet or the national grid.
so I don’t think it would be unwise to have a few solar power banks, cash and some non perishable food about for if something were to happen. Look at how successfully hackers have crippled M&S.

I'm sure if Russia wanted to take us out they could do so easily. But having stayed with my friends on a RAF Base I'm not sure a home made bunker would stand up to much. If it makes them feel less anxious I'm all for that. Where's the harm.

Exactly. We are in Europe right now for my husband’s work. I don’t really get the whole banter about it on here. Especially Finland must be so scary right now! I mean if we get hit by a nuclear bomb that’s the end anyway. But that is clearly not what governments are concerned about right now. Frankly I’m surprised that clearly this is not well known in the UK where it’s pretty common in Europe to know that you have to be prepared to last 72 hours with water, a radio, food and cash. Seems not then!

Tell them they need to build a nuclear bunker not a bomb shetler!

Show them this map, set it for hitting the army base and go for a 750kt warhead with ground burst and radiation on. Then point the wind direction towards them.

Hopefully they will see the futility of the shelter. If they want to stockpile potassium iodide they will need a lot if they plan on staying in the area.

Nukemap: https://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/

We have technology that an detect and counter fire immediately. We have submarines and aircraft and god knows else watching all the time. It's nuts you think this would happen

An old Anderson shelter? My GP's and their neighbours in Birmingham all had these back in the 60's. We used to play in them. Happy memories

Yup, I'm in Finland and we're told to have 72 hours worth of supplies at home, in case of any emergency like extended power cuts (which could be due to sabotage) or cyber attacks affecting banking and shop systems, and other things like that. 72 hours is to allow for the government to be able to organise other help.

In Sweden, where I grew up, recently every single household was sent a leaflet on how to prepare for war. This included advice on food, communication, water and shelter. Most housing blocks (in cities the majority of people live in blocks) have cellars that double as bomb shelters with huge steel doors. The Swedish government expects their population to be able to look after itself at least for a short while until services can resume.

Maybe building a bomb shelter is a bit overboard, but having basic things prepped isn’t completely left field

Surely you are pretty much guaranteed to be buggered one way or another once the nuclear strike Rubicon is crossed.

Wow: not saying they're going to,but they really fo have the capability. Do you think it comes in a tree top level over Europe?!

Love and enthusiastic pepper. Made me laugh. Your parents, if they are my age (Mid-late 60s) will have lived through some mad times with threats of nuclear war and all sorts. If it brings them peace of mind, why not?

I have a working and calibrated ratemeter (geiger counter) which I use normally for work, but in a nuclear strike its just what you need to determine whether you are buggered or not.