AIBU to wonder whether the three day emergency advice is serious?

[Mich1986]

I know I might sound crazy, but is anyone else worrying about all the posts about stockpiling and prepping for 3 days that the government is telling us to do? Is anyone actually taking their advice and buying torches, extra water and wind up radios? I just don’t know whether to take it seriously?

I don't know. I haven't stocked up yet. (Well I've just done a weekly shop so technically I'd be fine for a while)
I'm trying to find a balance between panicking and burying my head in the sand.
I'm considering trying to grow some fruit and veg next year to go someway towards combatting rising costs. Although it'll cost a fair amount to get set up.

Stocking up effectiveness really depends on what the cause of any disruption would be.

3 days is optimistic if it’s war related.

We did have a brief power cut the other day and it's made me think about keeping torches somewhere handy. We had candles, more because I like them than for practical reasons! I've ordered batteries. Might get a couple more lighters for the candles so we can keep some upstairs too.

It's just common sense and we're behind most other developed countries.

Does the presence of fire, police and ambulance services make you worried that you're going to get robbed, your house will burn down etc or is it more reassuring that help will come if you need it?

The government has had a national risk register for nearly 20 years and it's just putting in place measures that will help it easier to deal with emergencies, ie if the majority of the population can stay at home in comfort until emergency provisions can be stood up, the situation will be easier to deal with.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-risk-register-2026

It would be more worrying if the government was sitting with its fingers in it's ears going 'la la la I'm not listening' to threats due to climate change, infrastructure failure, political instability etc.

I am surprised how many people don't have a torch at home. We got headtorches.
If not for emergency, makes slug hunts easier

Have the government actually given official advice or recommendations on this? I've only ever seen it talked about on MN.

Yes this is exactly how I feel! Want to ignore it, but if something did happen and we are low on food and have no torches in the house I would feel bad for my young kids because I ignored advice.

I hadn't been taking any notice, but in the past several days I've read so many articles about it, I'm starting to take it seriously. With Ukraine bombing Russian oil refineries, I think we're at a real risk. The Russians were already pissed off at us for helping to arm Ukraine, and threatening retaliation. It will likely come as some sort of cyber attack in my opinion, affecting our infrastructures and power networks. Ireland have been sending out leaflets to their citizens, so there must be fear of something happening. I've started buying a few extra bits and pieces - water, canned goods, hygiene products, pet food, packet snacks etc - to store in the garage. Just enough to last a few days, nothing more. Also have a radio, some cash and extra batteries for torches.

Of course you should take it seriously. Most of Europe has had this advice in place for years. It's all common sense stuff anyway really - it's torches, food and water. They're not asking you to dig a fallout shelter.
Doesn't mean anything is expected to happen.

I don't know why anybody would not want to be prepared for whatever emergency might come their way.

It's irresponsible to NOT have the ability to look after your family for a few days in an emergency.

People have forgotten covid shortages way too quickly.

I've been wondering about this also. I've only ever found articles saying that the government have reportedly given this advice. I've never seen where they have actually given this advice. A leaflet? Announcement in parliament? Twitter? The news? Nope. But seemingly reliable news sources seem to believe it exists.

Surprised at the paranoia about all this.

The regulations, which aren't even the first version, that require the country to prepare for emergencies, are from 2004.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/preparation-and-planning-for-emergencies-responsibilities-of-responder-agencies-and-others

There's a whole industry of emergency planning involving local authorities, emergency services and government departments and agencies. Some of us have spent decades planning for things that will probably never happen but we need to have provisions in place in case it does.

Don't all people have enough for 3 days? We have.

Some people live hand to mouth.

Of course they don't. Some people don't have enough to eat ordinarily, so how can they afford a stockpile?

Here is the government advice.

https://prepare.campaign.gov.uk/

Additional information will be released on social media and by radio if something happens. Leaflets are less useful because they go out of date or people lose them. There was a leaflet delivered to every household some years ago. How many people still have it?

Enough for three days food?
Or enough for three days if infrastructure is down?
Two very different things.

No I’m not doing anything.

all you’ll get from this thread is ITS STANDARD ADVICE ALL OF THE WORLD DO IT ROUTINELY THE UK IS JUST BEHIND AND SO ARE YOU. Just wait for it

3 days food. As the poster says, most people keep a reasonable stock of food as part of normal life. I might have to live off baked beans and porridge for 3 days but it’s not exactly a big deal in the context of a major
emergency

Yes torches, water and tinned food. Pet food.

Wes Streeting, Defence Secretary said it in an interview a couple of weeks ago.

Today I do as got my weekly shop yesterday! But if something happened on a Friday then no! Especially if the electricity went and my fridge/freezer defrosted.

Is it? 3 days worth of cupboard food isnt very much food. Cereal, wraps, baked beans, biscuits etc. Any of that works. Doesn't need to be 3 days of eating your usual diet.

I've always got enough stores to last a fair while. Dinners may get odd and will run out of fresh stuff like dairy, bread and eggsbut I could always knock up something with pulses, Chilli, pasta, oats etc if we were able to cook. If not we could eat tuna and beans I guess. I think anyone who doesn't have three days supplies is vulnerable.

We’ve been prepping for the last month. Joined a few uk based fb groups and there was a handle. Just look at how many there are now!