Page 3 | What Else Can I Do to Get Ready For The Storm?

RedToothBrush · 17/02/2022 21:46

[quote SandAndSea]**@RedToothBrush - Please tell us more about your zombie box.[/quote]
Well theres an axe...

(its an emergency box but we base it off what you might need if you had to run from zombies, rather than being more practical)

TheDoveFromAboveCooCoo · 17/02/2022 22:05

@Loocheeyar

Imma eat all the ice cream in the freezer tonight don’t want to waste anything :-)

Now that's my kind of prepper 😂😂 I had best finish the gin in case my ice cubes melt!

CripinIsCommonAsMuck · 17/02/2022 22:10

I live in a tower block in a city and all I’ve had to do is close all the windows. Here’s to the high life. Why don’t people bring their bins in the house/garage for the night instead of weighing them down or wedging them behind something?

Rupertgrintismyguiltypleasure · 17/02/2022 22:18

Luckily we have dual oven so can still use gas even with a power cut, we’ve got about 20 Yankee candles ( got a lot for Christmas,) torches, lights (battery powered ones) lanterns. I’ve charged the kids iPads and phones and switches aswell as the laptops just in case. We’ve secured everything in the garden or put away.. not more we can really do.

YorkieTheRabbit · 17/02/2022 22:21

We moved the garden furniture on Tuesday. Bins won’t shift from where they’re stored so that’s fine
Phones and power bank charged
Camping stove and torches handy
We’ve a wood burner so have filled the wood baskets and brought extra into the house from the garage
Storm Arwen left us without power for several hours, from early morning until around 4 in the afternoon, this could be far worse. We’ve checked around the house and garden, all looks ok so far but we have loads of trees across the road and seven in our garden so I’m hoping they all survive.

ShallWeTalkAboutBruno · 17/02/2022 22:27

Err… nothing.

Akire · 17/02/2022 22:29

@CripinIsCommonAsMuck

I live in a tower block in a city and all I’ve had to do is close all the windows. Here’s to the high life. Why don’t people bring their bins in the house/garage for the night instead of weighing them down or wedging them behind something?

I’m in tower block in amber area. Had notifications we could lose power which means no water either. Sensible have few things ready just case.

Luredbyapomegranate · 17/02/2022 22:38

@PurpleCarpets

We've just been working on it. On the whole my view is always to err on the side of safety, and it could get pretty bad over the coming days.

Water (four gallons for four of us for drinking and sanitation)
Food (I always have in stock one month supply of non perishable food)
hand crank radio
Torch
First aid kit
Extra batteries
Whistle (to signal for help)
Dust mask (to help filter contaminated air)
Plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter in place, not during the storm)
Moist towelettes, rubbish bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
Pliers (to turn off utilities)
Manual tin opener (for food)
Local maps
Mobile phone with chargers and a backup battery
Cash
Important documents, insurance policies, ID and bank account records saved electronically and in a waterproof, portable container
Sleeping bags
Complete change of clothing
Fire extinguisher
Matches in a waterproof container
Personal hygiene items
Paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils
Paper and pencil
Books, games, puzzles

This is hysterical. Both ways. I have a vision of doomsday preppers meets the von traps

But the zombie box still wins the thread

ABitOfAShitShow · 17/02/2022 22:43

All I’m worried about is the bins. They’re empty and I don’t want them flying into the whinging neighbour’s house. There’s nothing I can do with them anyway - nowhere to wedge them or store them so I’m off to bed. 😬

DockOTheBay · 17/02/2022 22:50

I have games on my PC which work without the Internet so still worth charging it up.

Luckily we have a gas stove which I can light with a match so we will be fine for food and hot water. Plenty of blankets if the heating isn't working - although it runs on gas, I think the ignition is electric.

Other than that not much. We have food in the fridge which will stay cold a long time if you don't open it too much, and plenty of tins and food that doesn't need cooking. Kids will be entertained by books, painting, board games etc. and I'm charging up my kindle for evening reading if necessary.

Borisjohnsonshairbrush · 17/02/2022 22:52

Nothing. I still have to go to work tomorrow, help look after patients and get on with it.

DockOTheBay · 17/02/2022 22:52

Manual tin opener (for food)
Do most people have an electric can opener? I've never seen one.

Sobeyondthehills · 17/02/2022 22:53

@RedToothBrush kindred spirits. We had a power cut the other day and I made DP go out and check to see if it was zombies, while myself and DS debated whether if he got bitten on the arm, whether we chop the arm off and hope its some kind of poison going through the blood stream that affects the brain, or whether once you are bitten that its it and we might as well chop of his head.

DP came back unhurt and with dinner.

I have done very little, but I have my emergency box, which gets checked once a month, but I live in the south east, if a slate gets blown off the roof its going to make national news while the rest of the UK could be flooded

Talia99 · 17/02/2022 22:53

I’ve put a torch by the bed and made sure I know where the candles and matches are. I live in a flat where we lose water with power so I’ve done some jugs/bowls of drinking water.

Luckily I have an older model gas stove so I can light it with a match if necessary. If that doesn’t work, I’ve got plenty of cold food in.

Fingers crossed none of it is needed.

GlacindaTheTroll · 17/02/2022 22:53

@Iputthetrampintrampoline

I don;t think we are going to have it as bad here as other places but just incase I advise Yorkshire folk to get their big coats out!!

And Geordies - find the thicker tshirt!

Talia99 · 17/02/2022 22:55

Oh yes and I’ve plugged in everything that can be plugged in and will use all electronics plugged in tomorrow so if we do lose power, everything will be fully charged at that point.

TheDoveFromAboveCooCoo · 17/02/2022 23:02

@GlacindaTheTroll Friday night? There is not one thicker t shirt or jacket in Newcastle city centre tomorrow 😂

Booklover3 · 17/02/2022 23:37

I asked my OH if we have house insurance. He tipped the trampoline over. I’ve not long got home so that’s about it till the morning and then will reassess

JuliaSways · 17/02/2022 23:59

Just a tip I saw yesterday during our power cut. If you do lose power, unplug/switch off as many of your electrical items as possible so that when power is restored you don't risk a power surge damaging your stuff. Keep one light switch in the "on" position so you can tell when power has been restored.

Mo1911 · 18/02/2022 00:01

@Shouldbeworkingnotreadingtalk

Wasn't overly worried (still aren't tbh) but thought back to 1987, and decided to get a bit organised tonight in case of power cut tomorrow.

I'm asking for tips, or things I've missed that would be useful. So far I have:

Charged torches, batteries, will charge pc, phones, power banks tonight.

Got out big flask to put hot water in for hot drinks all day.

Will shower / wash hair tonight in case nothing working tomorrow.

Got a frozen batch meal out of the freezer that can be re heated over the camping stove in one saucepan.

Got camping stove, gas, out of garage.

Put candles, matches, all in an east to find place.

(Love being prepared - will make a master list and laminate it I expect )

Appreciation in advance for you thoughts and tips.

Oh wow, I'm impressed! I haven't even given it a second thought to be honest and I'm in bed now so what will be will be I suppose 😄

RedToothBrush · 18/02/2022 00:01

[quote Sobeyondthehills]@RedToothBrush kindred spirits. We had a power cut the other day and I made DP go out and check to see if it was zombies, while myself and DS debated whether if he got bitten on the arm, whether we chop the arm off and hope its some kind of poison going through the blood stream that affects the brain, or whether once you are bitten that its it and we might as well chop of his head.

DP came back unhurt and with dinner.

I have done very little, but I have my emergency box, which gets checked once a month, but I live in the south east, if a slate gets blown off the roof its going to make national news while the rest of the UK could be flooded[/quote]
Dh and I have a plan for where we would go in the Zombie Apocalypse. Its a place he know relatively well. He took me and DS there last year and we had a good scout oit and developed our defence plan. Several of our friends know the location and we figure we probably have a good idea of how we could defend it long term.

Other people go for nice walks. Me and Dh go for Zombie Planning Sessions.

And yes I am not being in any way ironic. We really did do this. And had a good day in the process of indulging the looney.

I genuinely think its a worthwhile excuse to think about what you would do in an emergency and what kind of emergency is possible

Ok so zombies are probably below volcano eruption in the immediate vicinity in terms of threats, but there's a good point here.

Who is in your trusted network nearby. Who would you feel able to rely upon. What skills do you have to offer. What happens if you have no internet and you need to know essential life saving skills as there's no power and no emergency services and you cant goggle what to do? Who do you trust? Who is a fucking liability? Which little old lady living on your road is most likely to try and eat your brains?

These are important questions and its a fun way to think about them without getting too bogged down in disaster movie thinking.

Theres a middle ground between prepper and being vaguely aware of possible crisis and how best to manage them.

Strangely enough a couple of Christmases ago over beers we got taking about zombie boxes to some good friends of ours. It turns out that we were not the only ones at the table who really had considered it and had a zombie box. I really did think it was a niche idea but nope, it seems more people than you think do have them! (again this is truthful)

GlacindaTheTroll · 18/02/2022 00:04

Which little old lady living on your road is most likely to try and eat your brains?

That'll be me

[weneedazombieemoticon]

AuntieStella · 18/02/2022 00:05

In MN speak, a zombie box is an OFRS

(Oh Fuck rucksack - swear, grab and go!)

Mo1911 · 18/02/2022 00:08

@PurpleCarpets

We've just been working on it. On the whole my view is always to err on the side of safety, and it could get pretty bad over the coming days.

Water (four gallons for four of us for drinking and sanitation)
Food (I always have in stock one month supply of non perishable food)
hand crank radio
Torch
First aid kit
Extra batteries
Whistle (to signal for help)
Dust mask (to help filter contaminated air)
Plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter in place, not during the storm)
Moist towelettes, rubbish bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation)
Pliers (to turn off utilities)
Manual tin opener (for food)
Local maps
Mobile phone with chargers and a backup battery
Cash
Important documents, insurance policies, ID and bank account records saved electronically and in a waterproof, portable container
Sleeping bags
Complete change of clothing
Fire extinguisher
Matches in a waterproof container
Personal hygiene items
Paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils
Paper and pencil
Books, games, puzzles

Oh that's cheered me up, I love someone with a good sense of humour. Thanks so much for posting 😆😂

MrsFezziwig · 18/02/2022 00:16

Hurrah - looks like my summer impulse purchase of a campervan might be coming into its own (I can live off grid quite happily for several days).

Boo - assuming power cuts I just need to work out how to scale over the 10 foot electric gate to get it out of storage