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?

I can't figure that one out either. I'm bloody sick of all these 'warnings' telling us to 'prepare.' Pure scaremongering. They keep repeating the same thing over and over again - but in different ways.

Most people have emergency supplies and foodstuffs in at any given time anyway. I certainly do.

All this 'scaremongering' is going to do is result in panic buying, and the bloody shelves being cleared again!

The point is, why are they all telling us NOW to have all our important documents? Surely this is something you should have to hand all the time anyway. I know it would make life easier if your house set on fire, (to have your important documents closeby.) No need to be so rude. You can respond without personal attacks you know.

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If they'd told you 5 years ago you'd have asked the same question. Why not tell you now? When you have preferred they give you this advice?

(Personal attack? Where?)

I think for the people who are so resistant to helping themselves or any kind of resilience...just leave them to it.

I’m actually slightly surprised that people don’t ensure they have well stocked cupboards (subject to finances) after covid. Surely that taught us all how fragile everything is.

Apart from toilet roll and flour I can't think what else was in short supply. It must have been stuff we don't eat. I know you couldn't get garden furniture for love nor money

It will prevent panic buying. It's true there's a bit of a run on the things on the list just now, but it's not a panic.

Panic buying would be in an emergency when suddenly everyone rushes for the same thing they need immediately.

I wanted to prep for years but my husband thought it was daft until the government advisory and he recognises that there's more extreme weather and knows that cyberterrorism is a thing. So, he's now on board and we are now getting squared away. Just simple things like jerry cans for water storage, a camping stove, a gas heater, and some extra tins of food.

@JustGettingStarted DH and I are preppers, as we live rurally, in the sticks, and our little market town - 4 miles away - sometimes doesn't have stuff in for several months at a time. So when we do stock up, we get a couple of months worth of stuff. We are always prepared for emergencies and shortages, and I don't understand why everyone isn't the same. You don't need to worry or panic buy then, if you always have 2 months or so worth of non-perishables and emergency supplies.

Yes yes yes, I KNOW some people aren't in the position to stock up with several months worth of supplies, before someone dives onto the thread, and jumps down my throat and says 'tell me you're tone deaf and privileged without telling me......' But if you ARE in a position to keep 2-3 months worth of supplies and emergencies in (of non perishables, and emergency supplies) then I think it is wise to do so....

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Because some of us don’t live rurally. We live with dozens of well stocked shops within a mile radius.

There are at least 160 0000 households without power today. Torces and candles will be coming in very handy I would have thought.
How many of those will have an emergency kit I wonder.

If the supply chain is impacted shops won’t get restocked as normal and shelves will get empty quickly as supermarkets work on a just in time basis.

Yes, exactly what I was going to say! This is exactly why you need 3 days' supply, because they may not be able to get the power back up for a while and emergency supplies take time to organise. If you have three days'.worth of food and water there's no threat to life.

It's so obvious.

If anyone is interested, Asda do frozen cooked chicken which you can defrost and eat without reheating. Just thought I'd share that one. You're welcome. 🤗

It’s amazing how quickly shops sell out of water, when we have water problems in this area, which isn’t uncommon.

Because (some) people don't keep those documents together or anywhere sensible I mean the number of posts on here about "help I/DH/other family member has lost their passport/needs their birth certificate yadda yadda how can I get one quickly?" Or they keep them locked away/in the top of the wardrobe or in another inaccessible place. I keep coming back to Whaley Bridge I know but people left their houses with nothing even though they had some warning that the risk of flooding was rising. Not sure about driving licenses but birth certs and passports take money and time and FAFF to get replacements. "They" shouldn't have to tell you what sensible people already do but heigh ho it seems like some folk need it.

For two months? I’ll take my chances.

It’s hardly the end of the world to get a replacement though.

Within 1–2 days: noticeable shortages of fresh and popular products.
Within 3–5 days: potentially widespread shortages, depending on existing stocks and customer behaviour.
After a week: serious disruption to normal grocery shopping, with availability varying considerably by product and location.

But unnecessary if people keep their important papers together and easily accessible.

no but it costs time and money and is easily avoided. I used to know people who lived in a listed cottage on the edge of the Somerset Levels some 45 years ago. They kept all their documents and important stuff in one bag upstairs. Stage one of being flooded was to move upstairs and wait the flood out, stage two which happened occasionally was to be rescued by RIB out of an upstairs window.

I’m unsure what to make of it all. I’m wondering why now? Do the government know about a specific threat but are keeping quiet so as not to really alarm everyone? The vagueness is unsettling though.

Nobody I know IRL has mentioned stockpiling, but people on here seem really well prepared. So I need to start having a proper think and creating some emergency supplies I suppose.

They have to be vague, as there is no specific thread. But given what's happening the world, there are various things that might impact on us - weather, El Niňo, wars, cyber attacks. So it's GENERAL advice that it's a good idea to have 3 days' worth of food and water.

Not sure why people find it so difficult to believe/accept that. Other countries in the world have been preparing like this for a long time.

what do you expect them to do? deliver the water themselves?

we have too...or some of us have.......