Your ‘emergency supplies/stockpile’.

[ohyouagainclarence]

Has anyone else started stashing a few things away in the event of some kind of ‘national emergency’ and if so, what sort of things are you storing?

I’m certainly not going to turn into a prepper but as I have plenty of storage space, I’ve got two big plastic boxes filled with dried goods (rice/pasta etc) and then some tinned stuff. I’ve also stocked up on batteries, candles and matches and I bought a solar charger. And oh, got two 5 litre bottles of water.

The temptation to go a bit nuts and plan for Armageddon is high! 😂😂 But I’m being sensible and just having enough for the basics to keep us going for about a week. I’m also cycling through the food so it doesn’t get wasted - use a tin of beans and then replace it etc.

Inverter and leisure battery should give a bit extra time with a freezer.

It sounds obvious but I think it's a useful reminder, especially for younger people who may only ever have known ring pulls.

In case anyone ever needs to know it - you can also open a tin can by rubbing the end repeatedly against the concrete surface. It does take awhile but it is a way to do it.

Im actually going to take some of the stuff in my freezer and cook it. I have various things like constructed lasagnes and bags of marinated chicken. if i cook the lasagnes and refreeze and cook and shred the chicken ready for use an then refreeze then if the power goes out those things will still be ok to eat

Quite. If we can all put some stuff aside it stops the pressure.

My Dad was shocked by what he's seen working for the food bank. Houses the other side of his town which are destitute. These are not people who are freeloading and buying huge TVs.

There is a complete lack of awareness of just how a lot of people live in this country.

This is the hobby of people who’ve got time, money, gardens and storage space.

No its the extra household job squeezed into the busy lives of people who don't want to have to rely on others or take their chances in the event that we have serous disruption to our lives - which is looking increasingly likely.

Its really not. My mum always did it and I grew up in poverty. We had a blackout box under the stairs containing candles, torches and batteries, and we were all educated on what to do if things went wrong. We always had a few extra tins, oats and powdered milk. Even as young kids, my siblings and I were taught to fill the bath and kettle if the power went off, just in case the water went off too. My grandparents also kept emergency supplies and food. None of them had lots of money, time or storage space.
To me, its just common sense.

I can't agree with that. A few spare shelf stable food items, a tin opener, means of light ( torches, batteries, candles) and a wind up radio are not really the preserve of the rich. My mum grew up in poverty, during the war, and then as a young mum had to deal with food insecurity and power cuts on a low income, and has always been well prepared. She came into money later on, but the habit never left her. It's what I learnt as I grew up, so second nature to have a bit of a contingency plan. We're not being asked to do full scale prepping, just develop a bit of resilience.

Perhaps being prepared is more common in people who know what it is to go without? Quite the opposite of being the preserve of those who have plenty of time, money and space.

We'll be scuppered in our family if we can't get our medication too. That's not something we can prepare for, with the way repeat prescriptions work, so I'm not worrying about that. We'll work with the things we can control.

It’s not. It’s your responsibllity to be able to manage on your own for a while and not waste resources other vulnerable people need. Common sense.

It is not looking increasingly likely at all.

I assume this was the 70s.

If it’s just a torch and a few extra tins of tuna then why do we need endless threads about it?

Sorry, but most people have a couple of tins in their cupboard at any one time. The endless talk about spare litres of water, camping stoves, water purification tablets, an array of torches, getting in 10 days worth of emergency food, etc.

It’s ridiculous.

Who decides who is vulnerable?

No, 80s to present day.
Covid 6 years ago was a timely reminder how quickly things can go wrong.

Have any of these been used in the almost 50 years since the 80s?

You do you. You're wrong to call others 'ridiculous' for doing what they can to care for their families in the event of a change in circumstances. I was brought up to do just that.

I hope someone has a defibrillator because the 80s being almost 50 years ago might just make me need one!!!! 💔

Yes. Regular power cuts, financial hardship, being totally snowed in for days, shortages during covid etc. We had a 3 day power cut last winter. We had heat and light.

We had no water in the area a few years back ( pre covid) for several days, and the local shops ran out of bottled water very quickly. The council delivered some to known vulnerable people and there were places to pick up free bottled water. The fights that broke out made the local tv news.

Exactly. Those who think this will never happen to them will be in trouble when it does!

I don't know anyone who only has a couple of tins in their cupboard at any time.

That sounds totally ridiculous to me.