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.

Wetter and stormier is enough, isn't it?

Could mean flooding, road blocks, loss of power, contaminated water supply....

I would strongly suspect the government's motives for saying that about Russia. What are they trying to distract you from? I've heard several experts say the UK has nothing that Russia could possibly want, and they're stretched to the brink with the Ukraine anyway. Not to say you shouldn't prep, but in terms of war I think it's more likely to be violent civil unrest than the Ruskies.

There's such things as rivers, lakes and ponds. And garden water butts to collect rain. Not to mention the odd reservoir.

River water's really manky, though, and you shouldn't even try with pond water. In case of flooding, there's plenty of water - full of sewage. I've got chlorine and filters for worst case, but absolutely no enthusiasm for the tedious process of making unsafe water potable. If anything does happen, I hope my 10 litres of Highland Spring will be enough!

I'd say the UK's geographic position is something Russia could want. We are far to the west and so we're a good outpost for defence against threats coming from across the Atlantic, or for setting up a military bases here.

How do you sterilise them please? This seems a very good idea.

Can I add an idea if you like fresh veg and salad and don’t look forward to a week or so without in a crisis situation - mung beans, whole lentils and other seeds sprout in a few days providing a very nutrient and protein dense salad or stir fry ingredient. Store so easily prior to activation but does need a bit of clean water.

I have a version of this for allotment tea and it’s brilliant. You can boil enough for a few cups in minutes with a handful of twigs, wood chips pieces or rotting garden bamboo scraps.

edited to add mine is a ghillie kettle, pretty much the same thing.

The area I live in will be at the start of the panicked looting as a less than genteel city suburb. My small hoard is to avoid having to go out for anything if we have a few weeks of any civil unrest, whatever the cause. I’d want to hunker down with the doors locked, just checking in with a few near neighbours.

In part, my town is elevated and floods don't affect us . Yes can affect transport to get to us.but we have loads of shops around.

Have you missed the regular threats by Putin to attack the UK? To be fair, he does rotate the threats towards all the major European nations on a weekly basis. Everyone said he wouldn’t attack Ukraine until he did.

I mean, your house not actually flooding is only one very small part of the impact of flooding.

My village floods, but it'd be a bad day if it got to my house. But all routes in and out become impassible and no deliveries get to the shops.

Also, it may impact the water supply, they may have to stop providing mains water. And it may interrupt the electric supply.

Walking to shops is fine, but if they have nothing in them, either through lack of supply, looting, or being unable to operate due to lack of electricity, what's the point?

Yes I get all of that don't worry I'm.small.prepping ! I'm just wondering if I've missed any wider intel on one impact of el nino.

Eg massive snow storm and so on.

With Milton or Johnsons sterilising fluid, similar method to baby bottles 👍

Shops are no use if there is a power blackout are they?

Omg god Im doing small preps why are people so touchy 😂.

In the past when some parts of the UK have had bad floods we have been ok !
That's all !!

So for me im merely wondering if others have intel on bigger issues for me !!

You can follow el nino online. Where is it now and what is it doing there. You can see the estimated predictions on when it'll come to where you are.

It’s common sense to be prepared for things going a bit wrong. I grew up in the sticks where winter power cuts were not uncommon and my parents always had supplies. I now live near a city centre, on my own, with limited storage. I’m preparing for prolonged power cuts (storms) and supply chain interruptions (fuel crisis) rather than a zombie apocalypse. I have 15 litres of water, battery lights, batteries, candles, lighters and matches and a torch. A battery pack for phone and extra charger. Cash. A fully stacked box of otc medication. I keep dried and canned goods in anyway but have slowly been buying extra, especially things I’d eat that don’t need cooking. (Biscuits 🙄). Cleaning and hygiene products including wipes if there is no shower. I already have a thermos, warm clothes and hot water bottles etc and I have ordered a wind-up radio. Just need to stock up on wine now!
People who don’t prepare to be ok for a week or so stuck at home are the exact people who go out panic-buying and annoying emergency services. (Covid).

magicbeanie, I agree 100% with you, I have always kept at least a month in advance just in case of illness, being busy or just not feeling like shopping. When Covid struck I had just done a big shop as it was obvious something was going to happen and I had fresh fruit and vegetables for a week plus my deep freezer was fully stocked, by that I was able to sit back and relax and sort out what I was going to do to occupy my time. No panic.

Yes, I keep a lot in anyway. Some kind of scarcity mindset plus having the storage space.

But I've still got in some tins of fish, curry, beans, potatoes, peas, carrots, rice pudding, various fruit, soups, beans. Uht milk. Dried fruit. Pickled cabbage, beetroot and olives.
Because these are the things I'll need to fall back on when my "in" stuff, which is mainly fresh food, runs out.
So, I've got at least a month of food in the freezer. If the freezer is off, that can only be relied on for a few days.
I always have about a week of fresh food anyway.
So, once that stuff is gone, or no more use, it's time to turn to the tinned/dried/pickled stuff.
I always have loads of tea.

Also have 24 loo rolls, 25 lites of water and a bag of cat litter. Camping stove (X2) etc. Am thinking about a Kelly kettle but they're mad expensive.

I'd be OK for about two weeks even if no power.

My biggest concern so far has been my elderly dad and his wife who live 40 miles from me. I oversee their care and am with them once a week to do their general household jobs, groceries, meds etc. I told them today that while I’m (optimistically) not expecting a big drama, if ever there was a prolonged power or internet outage and they couldn’t get hold of me, we’d load up the car and go to them. They rely on me for everything and we’re on the phone 3 or 4 times every day so if they couldn’t reach me, it would be very difficult for them.

And so with that in mind, I stocked up a bit more to account for them too and I’ve decided to keep my petrol tank full instead of driving round as I usually do on a yellow light (too lazy to go to the petrol station usually).

I have put them on the Priority Services Register and bought them some extra tins too. Biggest problem for them (if the power went out) would be keeping them warm. They both have chronic illness and need the heat. My dad assures me they’d just go to bed and pile on a bunch of duvets. Both of them have been in hospital recently which has meant their regular medication at home hasn’t been used…I’ve stacked that up in a cupboard so we have some spare if we need it.

I think I’ve realised that ‘prepping’ can become a bit of a cult or an anxiety loop so I’m now stopping. I have all we need for a couple of weeks and a plan too, should things go a bit nuts. I’m also mindful that for decades, the West has always lived under some kind of ‘doom is coming’ warning (anyone remember Y2K?) but at this point in history, to me it feels like there’s possible threats from lots of different sources - economy, weather, terrorism etc.

ANYWAY, I’m closing the door on the ‘stockpile cupboard’ and refuse to add anything more. I will trust that everything will be ok.

We actually had a power cut last night, which lasted just a few seconds, or minutes (I was out, so going by what my DH said). No idea if it was just us, the road, or a wider area. It only lasted a very short time.
So, I was not surprised that certain clocks required resetting - they were just flashing with no times, etc. (Clock on oven, and bedside radio - which is only ever used as a clock).
Many years ago, there was a prolonged power cut in our area of SE London. I cannot remember the date, or how wide this was, but it was my elderly mother who was affected (still SE London) and her neighbour came in with a candle, and sat with her for the hour or so the power was out. I think this was very kind of him, as at that point, no one knew how long it would last. My DM talked about it for weeks afterwards. I think this must have been late 1990s or maybe 2000-1.
Meanwhile, I know of some people who have had a water outage recently. The water company came round and gave everyone bottles of water (a 6 pack x 2).
So without expecting an apocalypse, I thunk there is no reason why we should not be prepared for some things like the above.
I think the main thing to remember is that if there is a power cut, then I think that even if shops had emergency lighting, then they would probably close, as they would be unable to operate cashpoints or tills.

I'm aware of them. I just don't think he means any of it. It's political chest beating.

I could be wrong. I hope not.

I spent several years in a house with no heating (when our boiler broke and we had no money to replace it.) I could work during the day, and they had showers, but I still had to come home to a cold house every night.

I focussed on keeping my body warm (layers, hat, hot drinks and food).
Then making a warm space around me (sleeping bag with a hot water bottle or two inside it); loads of blankets; improvised tent over the bed.
Then warming the rooms - open the curtains as soon as the sun is out; close them as soon as it is dark, and use extra blankets as insulation.

Give the house 20 minutes to "breathe" on dry sunny days to avoid mould building up from the damp.

Prepping isn't usually about war and societal collapse. Sometimes it's just about "what do I do if I have no heating for a month?"

I grew up in the 1970s, with power blackouts, lack of food in the shops, inflation, and in a household with very little money, and with parents whose attitudes were shaped by growing up during WW2. I think it has shaped my mindset.