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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To stockpile 72 hours of supplies

542 replies

seriouslessness · 27/03/2025 13:23

..in case of disaster or attack. A new preparedness strategy inspired by Nordic countries and Germany, who already do this.

Is this something you already do, or will do?

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/26/stockpile-supplies-72-hours-disasters-attack-eu-tells-citizens

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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EdinburghTimezone · 27/03/2025 15:06

JasmineAllen · 27/03/2025 14:26

What !!! That's only 3 days FFS!!!

IMO you'd have to be that way inclined to kill someone for food after only 3 days.

You never know on the internet, but I thought that was a joke. In Family Guy (I think it was) they had an episode where people started eating each other at lunchtime of the first day they were locked in somewhere!
I don't think it would happen in 3 days but there would be some level of civil unrest pretty soon if resources were cut off due to some crisis. Look at New Orleans - looting and theft almost at once, and violence against weaker people.

seriouslessness · 27/03/2025 15:07

tiredofthisusername · 27/03/2025 14:50

People in Nordic countries are accustomed to stockpiling anyway, as they are used to severe weather in winter so sometimes get cut off for days or weeks at a time.

I live in Sweden and have not been cut off in 20 years. I do keep stuff in my car, because that is where it’s easy to get stuck in snowy weather. I have friends who got stuck in their car for 48 hrs a year ago (together with 1000 other cars and trucks).

OP posts:
godmum56 · 27/03/2025 15:07

lightweights....take a look at the NZ advice. https://getready.govt.nz/prepared/household/supplies

I have kept stores all my adult life. our first home was some 45 years ago in Wells, Som. We used to get frequent powercuts, had no gas and the road between us and Bristol and the local roads used to get blocked by snow. We also kept camping gas stoves and candles (still do) and waterproof matches.

Work out what supplies you need

In an emergency, you may be stuck at home for three days or more. Figure out what supplies you need and make a plan to work out what you need to get through.

https://getready.govt.nz/prepared/household/supplies

DrPrunesqualer · 27/03/2025 15:07

Shetlands · 27/03/2025 15:02

On moonless nights it can be pitch black here in the lanes - visitors are often surprised how dark it can be.

@ScottBakula
head torches are the best so you’re hand free
@Shetlands
we have the same here. Those who are out and about wear head torches. It can be quite scary the first time you see it.

Snorlaxo · 27/03/2025 15:08

Shetlands · 27/03/2025 14:49

I suppose those of you in cities don't have access to fast flowing streams - I can imagine city dwellers being without water if the taps ran dry for longer than a few hours but how likely is that?

This is all unlikely to happen but I know where there’s giant potholes and puddles where I could gather rainwater 😈 If anyone is serious about this and lives in a house, a water butt is probably a good idea.
If it’s the right time of year then I know where to find apples and blackberries

Butchyrestingface · 27/03/2025 15:08

loropianalover · 27/03/2025 13:36

If there ever was a serious disaster or attack I dare say the issue would not be resolved/Waitrose would not be fully stocked again after 72hrs.

Feck. Might have to go to ... Aldi.

GlomOfNit · 27/03/2025 15:09

I carry around so much crap in my daily bag that like Habib, I would probably be able to live out of my bag for at least 24 hours! Grin Bottle of water, packets of nuts and chocolate, an apple, a utility tool, SAFETY PINS, pens and paper, a packet of paracetamol, various emollients, a book and most importantly my knitting. I suppose I could attempt to stab an enemy agent with my 2mm DPNs.

But in all seriousness, I do think a lot about being prepared. We used to have a 'Brexit box' in the study/lumber room, back in the days when I thought we might run out of nice vegetables so would have to resort to tinned ratatouille, etc 😂and always had lots of tins, dried goods etc. Most of that has been used, disposed of or is out of date, because I'm a very bad prepper and don't cycle my goods. Our main food issue is our younger DC, who is severely autistic/LDs and won't eat anything he's not already sanctioned (no, not even if he's hungry). His diet would anyway make the angels weep but we'd go through all those rice cakes, crisps etc very quickly and with none of the 3 or 4 fresh food items he has, we'd be buggered. He would also be impossible to contain in one room so I honestly don't know what we'd do. And I'm sure anyone else with a family member who has LDs would feel the same.

Sometimes I think - but we're screwed anyway, we don't actually HAVE an indoors, downstairs room without windows! The best we could do would be to shore up the door to the study, the front door, the door to the living room and the door to the kitchen, and then try to exist in the hall, assuming the front door hadn't been blown off. Four of us, two cats, in a really small space. Whenever I think about this sort of scenario I get intrusive thoughts, mental images really, from When the Wind Blows. All those bottles of water fallen over. Sad

And I don't really have a safe means of cooking indoors if the gas and leccy go off, unless it's safe to move to the living room where I suppose we could risk carbon monoxide poisoning and use the wood burner. I used to use gas cartridge stoves when camping but one blew up on me and I got rid of them! Now I have one very elderly Camping Gaz thing that would still produce carbon monoxide, and a rocket stove which is great - if you're outside.

We used to have about 12 plastic bottles of water in the porch until DS2 opened all the caps on them, rendering them useless apart from flushing the loo, and we got rid because they kept falling over. Seriously, do many people have that much room to store enough water for their household? Plastic bottles are no good for long-term storage anyway, I think the limit is 6 months?

Shetlands · 27/03/2025 15:09

Just had an email from National Grid (are they reading Mumsnet?):

"Visit the Switched On Hub and you’ll find lots of useful help and information about what to do if the power goes down. Plus safety advice should you come across fallen power lines, or if your home is flooded."

mushroomshroom · 27/03/2025 15:10

If there ever was a serious disaster or attack I dare say the issue would not be resolved/Waitrose would not be fully stocked again after 72hrs.

Agree, do people really think they will be browsing their wall stocked pantry and debating about what to have for dinner if there is a nuclear attack or zombie apocalypse?!

ScottBakula · 27/03/2025 15:11

Shetlands · 27/03/2025 15:02

On moonless nights it can be pitch black here in the lanes - visitors are often surprised how dark it can be.

I agree , part of my walk to work is on a unowned road with no street lights and tall trees on both sides .
It's pitch dark in winter.

JustSawJohnny · 27/03/2025 15:12

Quit with the scaremongering already.

seriouslessness · 27/03/2025 15:13

Unpaidviewer · 27/03/2025 14:47

Last time ours didn't run dry but it was undrinkable. It was yellow/brown and smelled bad. Took 3 days for them to fix the pipes. They did provide bottled water at the end of the first day, the local shops were completely sold out of water at this point.

We have lost water pressure as well on a few occasions.

We are also advised to keep water carriers in case you need to get water from provided water tanks/trucks. But not so big you can’t carry them yourself.

OP posts:
Smallmercies · 27/03/2025 15:13

Snorlaxo · 27/03/2025 15:08

This is all unlikely to happen but I know where there’s giant potholes and puddles where I could gather rainwater 😈 If anyone is serious about this and lives in a house, a water butt is probably a good idea.
If it’s the right time of year then I know where to find apples and blackberries

Labour are about to STEAL FIX YOUR POTHOLES!!!!!

Butchyrestingface · 27/03/2025 15:13

mushroomshroom · 27/03/2025 15:10

If there ever was a serious disaster or attack I dare say the issue would not be resolved/Waitrose would not be fully stocked again after 72hrs.

Agree, do people really think they will be browsing their wall stocked pantry and debating about what to have for dinner if there is a nuclear attack or zombie apocalypse?!

I have zero desire to attempt to survive a full-on nuclear attack. I will run outside to make sure I get taken in the first blast (cheery).

Still undecided on the Zombie apocalypse.

seriouslessness · 27/03/2025 15:14

JustSawJohnny · 27/03/2025 15:12

Quit with the scaremongering already.

Quit reading then.

OP posts:
AgnesX · 27/03/2025 15:15

neverknowinglyunreasonable · 27/03/2025 13:42

It's a nice idea but I simply don't have space to keep 15 bottle of wine in my house.

I'm sure you could find some 😃

BaconMassive · 27/03/2025 15:16

I've got 36 days worth of bacon in a freezer and an emergency diesel generator.

seriouslessness · 27/03/2025 15:16

mushroomshroom · 27/03/2025 15:10

If there ever was a serious disaster or attack I dare say the issue would not be resolved/Waitrose would not be fully stocked again after 72hrs.

Agree, do people really think they will be browsing their wall stocked pantry and debating about what to have for dinner if there is a nuclear attack or zombie apocalypse?!

Who is talking about zombie attacks? There are other things more likely like cyber attacks or severe weather.

But zombies would be scary!

OP posts:
mainecooncatonahottinroof · 27/03/2025 15:17

Onlyvisiting · 27/03/2025 13:33

Who has less than 3 days supplies in?????
Edit other than utterly skint people who are forced to live hand to mouth

Edited

Or someone who has run their supplies down in anticipation of a food delivery?

Mudkipper · 27/03/2025 15:18

I've just got back from a holiday and have enough food in for a week anyway.

Nobody is going to starve in the space of three days.

ThaTrìCaitAgam · 27/03/2025 15:19

Onlyvisiting · 27/03/2025 13:33

Who has less than 3 days supplies in?????
Edit other than utterly skint people who are forced to live hand to mouth

Edited

I don’t. We live in a very small apartment and I’d have to pile boxes in the hallway or in our small living room if I’d buy more supplies. 🤷‍♀️

JanglingJack · 27/03/2025 15:21

seriouslessness · 27/03/2025 15:04

You can’t? A cyber attack is not unlikely.

Our reservoir had some strange bug in it years ago so none of us were to use tap water. Went on for days.

No bottled water to be found anywhere.

Bignanna · 27/03/2025 15:21

Differentstarts · 27/03/2025 13:44

Medicine I'd be screwed as I'm only allowed a week at a time.

In the case of disaster or attack, it’ll probably be the least of your problems

seriouslessness · 27/03/2025 15:21

mushroomshroom · 27/03/2025 15:06

Don't encourage the panic buying

Noone is. It’s only you who has mentioned it.

OP posts:
mushroomshroom · 27/03/2025 15:21

@seriouslessness Clearly I was being a little facetious! Cyber attacks would fall into my crazy situations though depending how bad it was. No one is being unreasonable to have some food in if you are at risk of severe weather. But in a crazy situation you have a lot more to worry about than just food.