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 think they are unclding washing and minimal loo flushing in that. My best advice would be to have a water butt or more than one if you can.

How often do you urinate??

The government should be providing this for every resident?
Have you seen the state of our economy? 😅

I’m not normally a worrier, but I think all this subtle messaging by the government is trying to warn us that something may be happening that they have intelligence on. They won’t obviously go all out with headlines of course because it would cause too much panicking. But I think we need to do a little bit of prepping. What worries me atm is the threat of cyber attacks, wiping out the banking system, so i do have cash tucked away at home. I do have a stock of tins anyway, and water, but that was because of the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine when there were threats of a cyber attack. The world is becoming an increasingly scarey place to live…

This!

Probably once an hour if that

I have lived in a rural area for the last 27 years. We have water, electricity , we used to have a landline and we have fibre broadband. We don't have sewerage, gas, mobile or TV signal. Our heating is oil, a woodburner for backup, our cooker is bottled gas, our TV is satellite. I insisted on the woodburner as the central heating needs electricity to run it, and the propane gas cooker, as I knew there were frequent power cuts. Often we are unable to get out to the main road in snow and ice, even with a 4 wheel drive. This year alone we have lost electricity 6 times, once for a stretch of several days. In one of the winter storms we also lost internet and landlines for over a month and had to drive a couple of miles to keep in touch with the world. We have frequent burst water mains in the area and during the drought lost our supply for a week as each time they fixed one burst pipe another would go. It's normal for us to have candles, power packs, torches, canned foods, dry dog food,, large containers of tap water and bottled spring water for drinking - and wine, of course.
Being prepared is just a way of life - it gives us peace of mind.

How on earth can they do that ! Where would they store thousands of sleeping bags which are invariably going to be in the wrong location to where they’re needed. And could quite possibly never be used , what a waste of money. Some people really have no idea ie the thread this morning about setting up cafes with water and some magic electricity to help people

Is it just you at home?

No, I’m adding extra for cooking on top of that. I’m considering a rain butt for flushing.

That is quite often!

The government is just promoting common sense. Namely that people should be able to cope if there was a disruption in shops/power for 3 days. If people are prepared, it means that emergency support can be targeted at the more vulnerable members of society.

Personally I doubt things would get back online in 3 days, but I reckon the government knew that if they went for the 10 day advice used by other countries, most of the population would think it's unachievable and do nothing at all.

Shopping habits have changed and today's "buy a little, visit more often" pattern makes us vulnerable in a crisis.

It is NOT a prediction of ww3 or a pandemic.

To answer some of your questions:

• they’re not asking you to prepare for anything in particular. There’s no single emergency that is about to happen. It’s just so that in the event something does happen, you’re prepared.
• a sleeping bag could be used for example if you evacuated due to flooding and had to stay in a temporary shelter (usually a school, community centre, etc.). You’re not expected to camp. OR to keep warm if you have no heating in your house (sleeping bags conserve heat better than duvets).
• its recommended to have 3L drinking water per person per day for an emergency situation. You won’t be going to the gym in a situation where you need to use these stockpiles. 3L is more than enough.

Got it, they’re putting the onus entirely on us while not doing anything themselves!!

Candles, gas camping stove and spare bottles, dried/tinned long life foods, hand sanitiser, bottled water, blankets, gas hob. We'll manage, even if I don't buy any more. But I will get a few litres of milk for the freezer.

Just use a standard match, or a cigarette lighter 🤷‍♀️

Probably neither, they are just saying (as they do every winter really) be prepared for possible disruption and just have enough basics to last a few days if a storm causes a power cut or any other problem, it's really just common sense. These days I think government feels it has to spell out the most obvious things. I mean in the hottest summer for years with wild fires all over the place having to tell people not to light fires in the countryside. But now the conspiracy theorists have got it between their teeth preaching doom and destruction.

How many sleeping bags do you think they've got sitting in a warehouse ready for a series of major storms and floods, OP? Where do you think the warehouse is? How long to get it from said warehouse to a flooded area with transport disruption due to the event that caused the evacuation?

This sort of passive demand for government to be nanny and be ready to sort everyone's problems immediately is exactly why this campaign is needed - to jolt you out of that mindset and help people to realise that in an emergency, public services will be very thinly spread and it's prudent to prepare if you can so the government can support the most needy, rather than the healthily well-hydrated.

I really hope OP isn’t flushing them down the loo.

Oh come on OP, anyone with half an ounce of critical thinking skills must realise what it's "for". In the last few years it has become abundantly clear how very many people aren't even prepared for a bit of light snowfall let alone sustained power outages. Back in January we had four days of no electricity and water because storm Goretti brought down trees which in turn ripped up water mains. Don't you think people having some water supplies in might have been helpful? There's this overriding attitude in the UK that "the government" will take care of everyone at all times (and Labour don't generally do much to dispel this). Well sometimes they can't and people need to rely on themselves.

As well as the weather of course there's the threat from hacking. So yes, have some food and water supplies, some emergency heating and lighting, adequate supplies of medicines. Have some cash stored safely. People in other countries do.

Why should “the government” provide essentials? I despair the welfare state really has gone too far. Some people are so childlike in their relationship to the state. This talk of “they” etc. we are adults we need to take personal responsibility for ourselves and those we are responsible for.

OP, are you actively obtuse or do you have a panic disorder that needs tackling?

So here’s the crux of the issue - you want the government to do everything, and provide everything for you, rather than taking some simple steps to take responsibility for yourself.

The authorities will not always be there for
you - they may not be able to get to you immediately, or they may have to deal with more vulnerable people before you. They might have a limited supply of bedding and will prioritise the elderly and sick. Take some responsibility and start working on your self-reliance.

I see this all the time locally as we have a lot of incomers into a rural area who simply cannot cope with the usual ups and downs of rural life: power cuts, downed trees, blocked roads, localised flooding, snow. They wear their helplessness as a badge of pride. It’s pathetic.

No. That's a myth. Normal thirst is your body's signal that it needs more water soon. That's not the same thing as being dehydrated.

Drinking 4 litres of water a day isn't necessary, normal, or healthy.

How are wet wipes useful in all out war?