To be really scared by this messaging from the government?

[sookiestjames77]

As someone who really struggled during the pandemic this has really scared me. I have done a big order of hygiene basics to arrive tomorrow (12 x packs of wet wipes etc) and will be heading out for a stock up shop tomorrow to fill up on tins etc.

I’m considering ordering 12 of those water refills for water coolers and a pump that fits in the top, but I don’t know if that’s overkill. I alone drink 4-5 litres of water a day, plus cooking water!

I am really scared. How is everyone else dealing with this?

Kindly, OP, please seek medical assistance for your obvious anxiety. It is not normal. The government advice is simple; make preparations for lack of power/a break in supply chains/weather related incidents so that you have at least three day's worth of provisions. That's it. It's really clear. As for what you are preparing for, well that could be any number of eventualities. The same eventualities that most other countries have had the same policy/advice in place for for many years. I imagine the most likely scenario in the next couple of months will be the effects of the much-publicised strongest El Nino for decades but it may well be some other issue that nobody has even thought of yet. Please get help.

I think they have though. The Government have sent this message. To everyone. Via The Media. It is scaremongering though I do agree......

Even so, it's not a bad idea for everyone to have a weeks supply of essentials - or even more, like a months supply or two! Bottled water, tea, coffee, cans of soda/pop, biscuits, white rice, noodles, cereals, stir fry sauces, pasta sauces, pasta, oat cakes, crackers, crisps, tinned goods, (soup/beans/peas/black beans/kidney beans/tuna/ravioli/tomatoes/chickpeas/canned meat/meatballs/canned fruit, etc,) flour, sugar, baking powder, nuts, stock cubes, dried mixed fruit, powdered milk, and candles and matches and torches and batteries.

You can keep cheese and butter and orange juice and a pack of bacon in too as they often have 2 months shelf life. Make sure you have a manual can opener as well as an electric one.

But yeah, this was issued earlier in the week...

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/households-encouraged-to-take-small-simple-steps-to-stay-prepared-in-an-emergency

.

I have the same already in the Baltics. Plus 5k€ in cash. I don’t think it’ll happen here or be anywhere near as bad.

Well as someone chronically dehydrated I have to say your commitment to hydration is quite impressive

I'm intrigued, can you explain how it's scaremongering to advise people to have what you acknowledge is not a bad idea to have?

Goodness. Has s/he offered any practical suggestion, or merely that you should worry?

Hang on, you drink 4-5 litres of water a day?

I can’t believe people on this website are so used to being this unhealthy lol

@sookiestjames77 my solution has been to have a little more stock than we normally have. Like I normally have rice in a jar (it takes a kg) and one spare because otherwise we found ourselves out of <insert regularly used ingredient> a few times.
And I’ve checked that our camping stuff is ok to go - eg we have a couple of trangia and the fuel to go with it).

The sleeping bags could easily be replaced by some blanket or extra duvet etc….

I do have some water purifying tablets just in case.

I really wouldn’t worry as you very likely already have most of the government advises. Like a power bank, 3 days worth of food, essential medication.
One thing is worth looking at are batteries and some head torches. You can get some very cheap too.

Out of interest why do you think its unhealthy to think 5 litres is excessive?

Clickers on cookers create a spark that lights the gas it doesn't create gas flow. That's created by turning the knob relevant to the hob you want to use. You can light a gas cooker with matches or a lighter and it doesn't need to be plugged into electric to work, that part is for the electric oven they often have.

The 5L of water per day comment has convinced me this is yet another troll

I am on LPG and can light the hob using a match. Just need the gas which you get by turning the dial. The neighbours who are on all electric came in yesterday for a cup of tea during yesterday's power cut because they knew I have gas.

The town centre flooded here in 2000. There was a photo in the national press of the railway station, with the track flooded almost up to the platform.

I live near the top of a hill, so all was fine here, but to get to the other side of town I had to go via the bypass.

Can I ask why you feel you need to drink 4 to 5 litres of water a day?

It's not normal, or usually healthy, to drink that amount. If you haven't been already you should see a doctor about a diabetes test. That's usually the only people drinking such high amounts, to attempt to dilute the sugar in their blood and flush it out. Your kidneys will be working overtime drinking that much. Unless you're also using electrolytes those could be out of balance too, causing you to constantly crave water (that you don't need at that moment and which never slakes your thirst). People are only commenting because they're concerned about you.

Ooh, it's just Like Raymond Briggs' When the Wind blows!

Why do you say that? You think drinking 5 litres of water a day is healthy/normal?

1.5 to 2 litres of water a day is the recommended amount.

.

Does a mojito after battling my way to the supermarket and back count as emergency preps? I mean, it's hell out there. My umbrella went inside out twice.

It definitely could be much worse.
I am old enough to have had a mum and nan who were bombed out twice in WW2.

Drinking 5L of water a day isn’t healthy, it’s probably diabetes. I hope you’re also taking electrolytes because you could end up very ill. Maybe you’re American? I’ve noticed that young Americans are often obsessed with drinking huge amounts of water daily for no particular reason.

Yes, I live in a village that is prone to lengthy electricity outages. Since we've lived here, we've always had dual fuel cookers - a gas hob with an electric grill/second oven with an electric fan oven.

The gas burners light from piezo ignited nobs. But if the electricity is off, I can still light the gas burners with matches or with a piezo gas lighter.

This means that when the electricity is down, we can still use the hob for cooking, boiling water for drinks etc.

Funny thing is - our household has plenty of tinned/longlife food, plus sleeping bags and mats, camping stoves with fuel, matches and ferro strikers, wood piles, dry soap, candles, battery lanterns, a wind up radio and a solar battery. Not preppers though - Scouts 🤣

It's looking possible

Along with the constant lol-ing.