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

[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.

@RedToothBrush

Yeah sorry, you are not the only ones, we regularly argue about the best place we can go to defend ourselves, which will have a generator and emergency supplies. Ultimately it does come down to which type of zombie it will be, we also have plans in case something like squid games (slightly more likely than zombies) would ever happen as well.

Also the boring, fire, earthquake, flood, sudden volcano in the middle of town, we were fairly well prepared for plague, so there is that

My main task is to stop meteorologist DP from reading news articles about it as grumbling about how wrong their explainers about sting jets are is bad for his blood pressure 🤣

@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

🤣😂

We laid the basketball hoop down and weighed it with sandbags, stacked up all the garden chairs and put them in the garden store, have a large dog crate ready with perches in case it gets too windy for the chickens, checked electric lanterns batteries, sandbagged the trampoline snd moved the cars away from the massive oak tree in our front garden. But I'm sore something will still take us by surprise!

I don't know why but 'whistle (to signal for help)' and 'moist towelettes' have given me the giggles.

Taken the bird feed cages down, away from windows. Then felt guilty so the birds will arrive to find little plastic saucers of seed

Ahh and I’m going to put the radio on for the dog.

Not supposed to be so bad up here in the frozen north but just in case (2 x 2 day powercuts last time) I have my old generator plus fuel and a second generator in case the first one fails. About 150 4 and 8 hour tea lights, lots of loo roll, enough pet food for several weeks and human food ditto. Hen house secure, fences and trees checked as far as possible. Phones etc charged, torches at the ready and enough LPG to keep the hob going for weeks! Logs for the fire, lighters etc.

I've RTFT..but don't remember if someone said small cash notes and coins..if electrics is off can't use cards.
Also, leave your shoes in an accessible place close to your bed at night...if a tree falls on your house there will be debris and glass..you'll need to protect your feet.
I've witnessed a trampoline flying through the air ...pretty amazing..like a flying saucer and it flew far away from its owners garden.
You could select a friend or relative in a different unaffected area to check in with to let then know you're OK and give all family members the number...you might not be at home together when those zombies come.

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail!

Stay safe out there folks

@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

Thank goodness you've got the manual tin opener ready. The wind plays havoc with the automatic ones

@Classica

I don't know why but 'whistle (to signal for help)' and 'moist towelettes' have given me the giggles.

'Moist Towelettes' has given me a 'Warm Leatherette' by The Normal earworm. As if things weren't bad enough tonight. Sigh.

News keeps saying 90mph winds but I've checked the met office and cannot find anywhere in the red warning Zone with this high wind speeds predicted

@AuntieStella

In MN speak, a zombie box is an OFRS

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

Love that! My OFRS is a campervan. It handily has everything you need to drive merrily away from a zombie apocalypse/flood/twister/or go somewhere that still gas electric and hot showers. We do have a family favourite campsite where we will rendezvous if the SHTF. We call it The Winchester. (I’m not even a little bit obsessed with zombies. OTOH, having spare clothes after your kid fell in a puddle, or your PJs if you spontaneously fancy a couple (more) drinks with a friend is jolly handy….)

@Sunwillcomeout

It’s going to be a huge anticlimax.

Let’s hope so eh?

13 dogs already killed

Likely that many areas covered by the Amber zone will say “what was that all about?” And other areas will say “wtf just happened here?”

I really don’t get the “I’m too cool to worry about this shit” type posts. Am guessing if nothing was reported and even just one or two areas were badly hit, then there would be loads moaning that there was no warning. Can’t win either way!

On another thread, there’s been a few posters who were in the red zone for Arwen. Given their location, they are used to adverse weather. They’ve said that being in that red zone was not a nice experience.

Anyway, got this link from another thread - definitely one I’m going to bookmark. Really interesting to see where in the world systems are building up. Same as looking at lightning maps site, love watching what’s going on with the weather.

earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/orthographic=12.83,58.15,299

This thread reminded me to put my bin out. Thank you.

In Yorkshire but I've got an extra woolly jumper and socks on! Stay safe folks.

@Furries I do get it. My ex used to be a right Drama Queen over weather, and it got right up my nose. I used to be nonchalant about it just to annoy him back (also, we lived in Bucks. We didn’t have any Fucking weather! fannying about sweeping 2 inches of snow off the whole driveway, wittering on endlessly all day about it and expecting a fucking medal when a) it’s Sunday, b) no one is going out c) if we were, we could just DRIVE CAREFULLY THROUGH IT d) it will be gone in the morning anyway and e) it’s 2 inches of snow. Shut up already! Honestly, it was like living with the Daily Mirror!)

So yes, a lot of hyperbolic hand wringing is annoying if you’re not slightly relishing being swept up in it (and are literally left inside holding the baby while your OH plays extreme-weather games in decidedly mundane weather!) Although for my nonchalant fellows, they are saying it’s the worst storm for thirty years. They don’t usually make a fuss about them, do they? There’s a reasonable chance of power supply issues at least, and it’s a lot easier to haul the camping stove out of the garage today, in the light, without a gale in progress, when I had coffee first. A few minutes forethought today seems like the easy option, and if we’re lucky and don’t get problems, I’ll pop it back next time I go out, no drama.

I didn’t do anything last night (apart from read announcements from my council about all the services they are shutting because of the weather), now wondering if I should have

We seem to have power still and I can hear the birds chirping. I don’t hear any wind or rain.

I shall have to get out of bed and investigate soon.

I’m lying here slightly worried now as the Met office have just issued a red warning for the south east corner. Our house is old and timber framed. I’m having visions of something similar to the wolf blowing down the little pigs houses

@Borisjohnsonshairbrush

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

Same I was planning to cycle the 5 miles to work as usual but reading this thread I'm wondering if that's a good idea now, ha. No buses though, maybe I'll walk.

We went through this last week. Washing up to date, dishwasher loaded and cycle completed. hair washed.

Always store plenty of candles & matches (and candle holders so they don't drip everywhere or burn something).

A few movement sensor solar power lights were already installed outside following a theft a few years back.

Always keep a pantry load of food.

Small chinese generator and plenty of fuel.

Gas bottles filled for the cooktop and BBQ which is normal for us anyhow.

Kettle and gas top kettle both filled before bedtime. Matches to hand to light gas hob instead of the annoying child friendly built in clicker thingo.

Good neighbours.

The wind is really howling here in Hampshire/surrey.

Am so surprised our schools are still open. AND even if they are still open, there is no way I am walking my kids to school in that. Its diabolical. ITS A MILE WALK EACH WAY, with 5 kids to 3 different sites, infants, juniors and seniors and having to hold a rain cover down so Storm Eunice doesn't blow it off! Plus holding onto them to stop them.being blown up the street.
Also my Asda was cancelled and so now wondering what the hell to do. As fridge and cupboards are empty!!! Grrrt

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?

Sadly, I’m the liability. My zombie apocalypse plan is basically to sacrifice myself to save others, my imminent death would be inevitable anyway.