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?

The way i see it, is just sensible advice that will stop people fussing if there's disruption, because we have what we need to quietly and calmly get on with our lives in the event something we rely on is temporarily unavailable.
I'm going to get water, the radio/phone charger thing and keep some cash in, because it will save a lot of inconvenience, if for example, the water goes off for a bit or I can't pay with my card because the ITs down, or can't charge my phone.
I'm not panicking or expecting impending disaster, for me it's just about minimising my personal disruption if there's a break in services.

It still doesn’t specify what we’re preparing for!

It’s to increase general national resilience. We are rural and every time we get a power cut or water outage the local Facebook group is full of people (DFLs mostly) wailing because it’s never occurred to them to have some candles kicking about in a drawer, or a few bottles of water stashed at the back of a cupboard. The level of performative helplessness on display at the mildest of setbacks (a fallen tree blocking a road, a downed power line) is frankly pathetic.

The increasing severity of weather events, and the increasing risk of cyberattacks on national infrastructure merit remind people to not be a bit more self-reliant.

I am doing what I have always done and making sure I can deal with utility outages or inconvenient incidents and possibly help others. If its the end of days then it will be and no food stash or wind up radio will save us so I don't even bother about it. Honestly I am surprised that people even need reminding to do this. Even if they haven't experienced it themselves, long power or water outages are freely reported on TV and radio

The advice is the first stage of a three-year campaign to help households across the UK feel better prepared for events such as severe weather, which can occasionally affect services including power, water, phones and the internet.
The campaign focuses on straightforward things people can do in advance, including signing up to the Priority Services Register - a service that helps gas, water, and electricity companies identify customers that may need extra support in an emergency - and keep a small supply of non-perishable food and bottled water at home.
With storms last winter and the wildfires this summer showing how severe weather events can cause disruption to our everyday lives and impact the services we rely on, from phone signal to water and the internet, launching the campaign brings the UK into line with European peers who all run similar campaigns already

From the web link I shared, OP.

Crap happens, be prepared for it to take a few days to improve, don't be a burden on services meanwhile.

Let the government deal with whatever problem and help the vulnerable, not the idiots who don't want to do anything for their own safety and comfort.

It’s right there in the first line of the webpage 🙄

No it’s not. Is it weather, or war? At the moment they don’t seem to know!

I live in a part of the country where we can get power cuts during bad weather.

I've already got battery operated lights, candles, phone power banks, a gas camping stove, several spare blankets, a few bottles of water and I keep a few days worth of instant and tinned foods. The lights and power banks are kept charged.

I understood the Government to be saying just do what you already do, so you can manage for a short time if the power was lost.

I don't drink nearly that amount, maybe I should? Is it recommended? What's an Owala?

Because there isn’t one thing TO prepare for. There are many potential issues that can affect your life, and they are the same ones there always have been, more or less. Bad weather, natural disasters, or some sort of man-made issue such as sabotage, terrorism or war. The last one is the least likely, but could happen nevertheless. All you need to know is, if I have to stay at home without power and/or water for a few days, can I do it. No need to worry about what the threat might be.

Whaley Bridge dam. The woman who had left the house without so much as a clean pair of knickers. The build up to the actual flood was mentioned on TV for quite a few days before it actually happened.

It's because they don't know!! It's just general advice to help out in a number of unlikely but possible scenarios.

Its not some big conspiracy where the government are withholding information!

You should be doing 2.5 litres a day anyway.

I have taken it to be referring to fairly reasonable things that we've already seen in the last year or two, such as flooding last winter, drought and power cuts in the summer, cyber attacks on supermarkets (in France). And the likelihood is that there will only be one of these at once. The headlines have implied some kind of terrorist attack, but when you look at the government website it talks almost exclusively about the weather.
I had a power cut in the summer due to the heat and realised I'm very unprepared - my torch is rechargeable but wasn't charged, the power bank wasn't charged, didn't have much to eat without being able to heat it up or open the fridge. I think lots of other people would've been in the same position. If you are anxious because it's a government message, then maybe think about it like the alert about wildfires - we needed to be sensible and careful because of the extreme weather, but the whole country didn't go up in smoke. I think also maybe have a think about what you're actually buying and why, because 12 tins of beans will generally be more useful than 12 packs of wet wipes

Edited to add: my biggest tip from the power cut is to make sure you have some candles that aren't scented! It was horrible in the heat with 4 different scented candles going

me too and have done it all my adult life. I honestly do not get the Chicken Little reactions on here.

You drink way too much water.

I can't afford to stockpile until payday so if anything happens before that then I guess I'll just die.

They’re not clear on purpose either because they don’t know or they do know but don’t want to cause panic.

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

• Advice helps people feel better prepared for events such as severe weather, which can occasionally affect services like power, water, and the internet.

^events such as severe weather, which can occasionally affect services including power, water, phones and the internet.^

I'm going to cut down the quote for you even further OP.

Essentially they're saying: stuff that can disrupt essential services for a few days. Your preparedness doesn't change whether it's a storm or a cyberattack or a general strike. But it's mainly weather. The substance of the advice hasn't changed since 2024, they're just raising awareness of it now.

Is panic usually your default response?

The point of the post is complete nonsense though. Sounds like you need help with excess anxiety.

Try not to think of every eventuality. Just ensure you have sufficient food, water, medications, torch, candles etc for 3 or so days. I personally believe the biggest issues will be extreme weather and possible power cuts/Internet disruption and thats what I'm prepared for. I am extra prepared because I have a severely disabled DH (and he's ex military so he's always been the prepared type) but everyone has different approaches.

I don’t.

They had better not cry ''wolf'' too many times - unless ''they'' know something we all do not!