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Original poster

So if the power went off (indefinitely) how long would you last on the basis of what you have in the house?

395 replies

atticusclaw · 16/03/2015 13:23

So the power's gone off. Everything is suddenly dead, shops can't sell you anything since the electronic tills don't work, petrol pumps don't work, lifts don't work, traffic lights don't work, tap water won't last for long since the pumps won't work, mobile phones won't work, gas/electric heating won't work (and most oil and solar systems also need mains electricity to make them work unless they're off grid systems) - MN won't work!!

How long could you last with what you have?

There are no zombies, this isn'"t necessarily a "top yourself now - who would want to live?" scenario since the power could be restored at any time….or it could last months…

OP posts:
MidnightDinosaur · 20/03/2015 20:54

My plan would be to have all our staples in the attic space, (small space in roof of garage with pull down ladder, not really noticeable unless you're looking for it) then have a generator running the fridge/freezer and chest freezer (with all meat etc) also in garage. I'd be hoping that if anyone came to steal supplies they would just see the fridge/freezer and generator, think they've hit jackpot and steal all that, leaving all the supplies in the attic space. ;)

We could still use meat from the freezer until it was stolen.

If we really needed to, we could all hide in the attic space. Not much room but I reckon we'd be safe there until they've gone. Actually I should probably check if we would be able to get back out once inside and ladder/door closed.

After watching those Blackout films yesterday I am worried about it actually happening.

Stratter5 · 20/03/2015 21:17

Brill, thanks for that link Breaking Grin

Stratter5 · 20/03/2015 21:29

Blimey, do you really get money back on solar power systems, or is that a myth/slightly dubious selling point?

mousmous · 20/03/2015 21:32

stratters the idea is that you sell the energy that you don't use to the grid. you could get a big akku instead of feeding back but that is expensive and takes up a lot of space.

exmrs · 20/03/2015 21:33

I think mumsnet should come up with a contingency plan.
We need a secret location and who can bring what

Stratter5 · 20/03/2015 21:51

I think mumsnet should come up with a contingency plan.
We need a secret location and who can bring what

Please God, could you all come up here, otherwise I'll die of boredom. It's quite idea, rural farming area, and coastal so we've got the land and the sea providing for us.

TheWindowDonkey · 21/03/2015 07:59

Perhaps we need to chip in to fund a MN bunker, or maybe two, a northern and southern bunker. Everyone who chips in gets spaces, or can nominate another mner in their place iftheycan make it. There could be hot running tea/ cold wine on tap, and a biscuit room. :)
Just bought hurricane lamps we have oil fired heating which is seless if no electricity but will laso in lamps for years!
www.lifesaversystems.com/CatalogueRetrieve.aspx?CatalogueID=238221&ProductID=5279625#.VQ0kiBiQGrU this is what i reallywant though! Well, that and a bunker!

TheWindowDonkey · 21/03/2015 08:00

Oh, and whomever mentined books? Was it you Stratter5? Any recommendatins, we have a few, but aways on the lookout fo any decent new ones...

FuckYouChrisAndThatHorse · 21/03/2015 09:08

I've decided on my plan and it's ingenious.

On day one I will still have enough fuel in the car for the journey. I'll pack up everything i can in the way of food, essentials, etc.

We will then head off to a nearby visitor centre. It is a remote place, easily defendable, and I believe it will initially only be defended by hippies and pacifists. I will use this to my advantage.

Once all occupiers have either been ousted or kept for their skills, I reckon we'll be pretty much sorted.

It has functioning examples of renewable energy, composting toilets, huts made of straw, super efficient wood burners, as well as some farming stock as exhibits to show how pigshit etc can be used for renewable energy.

It's basically got everything you need to survive long term.

Whilst the vast majority are still fighting it out in the supermarkets for the last Apple. I'll be sitting pretty in my fully heated, lighted and stocked new home.

And the best thing? All the information about how to build and run the things is there! I won't even miss Google.

dratsea · 21/03/2015 09:11

At least a year, hopefully two.

exmrs · 21/03/2015 09:18

You know how people say it's best to leave on day one as after roughly day 3 roads are blocked etc how would you know its a major emergency and not just a powercut lasting a couple of days?

Obviously you would know if there was a major terrorist incident and you have to go but a powercut how would you know it's never coming back on as I'm sure if you had a radio a message would say they are trying to resume in order to avoid chaos.

Original poster
atticusclaw · 21/03/2015 09:34

I think it depends on where you are going. If you have somewhere to go eg parents smallholding then I'd go immediately if it was a nationwide thing. If the power comes back on then you've lost nothing but you've escaped quickly. You'd need to be ready to put as much as you can possibly fit in the way of supplies into the car. If you have nowhere to go then stay put and bug in, at least for a while. That's when you need to be prepared.

Those with caravans and motor homes really are in a good position.

We would stay put and family and friends would probably make their way to us. We live just outside a large city but have woodland and security gates (which give us some protection but probably also make us a bit of a target).

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 21/03/2015 10:09

I always have Plan B ready to roll. (Plan B being a couple of bottles of very fine whisky and enough meds to make the difference) so I think I'd take a view at the time.

It would largely depend on how obliged I felt to the youngsters. In our family they're of a mindset that 'If it moves call cozie, if it doesn't move, microwave it'. I suspect I may be the only person in the family who has actually hunted, dressed and cooked prey, milked a cow by hand, built things with stone and mortar and so on. (They certainly go 'Duh' when asked to do/help with anything practical: pretty darned 'gormless' as my own elders would have described it. There's not a one of them that wouldn't have been laughed out of an early 20th century farm.)

There could be a quite interesting skills gap if anything was to go seriously wrong. Seasoned and genuine experience of practical issues being at a premium compared with facility on a defunct internet.

Hey Ho.

ThatBloodyWoman · 21/03/2015 10:45

FuckYou but there may be hippies there with prepper streaks.
There is often a crossover between the sustainable communities and the prepper communities.
You might get a hippy like me.
You wouldn't like my war face...

FuckYouChrisAndThatHorse · 21/03/2015 11:16

Ah but you would be ripe for recruitment BloodyWoman, I would very much want to team up with anyone with skills :o

You need a small but sustainable community with diverse genes :o I'm thinking long term survival.

Stratter5 · 21/03/2015 11:16
ThatBloodyWoman · 21/03/2015 11:41

Brilliant!
Community building!

My plan is very fluid really.We're in a good position to begin with.Initially I would sit tight,bugging out to a camouflaged and defendable shelter in the woods when unrest hits the backwaterz,using my and my dh's skills to survive.But this could not be a long term sustainable plan,and at some point,once the die off has reached a certain level,we would need to move on and build community.

Of course,like FuckYou says,if you're already in an off grid community you've got a whole world of trouble coming your way.

I do swing between being part if such a community to begin with , and being one of the bad guys.

Depends really on whether I can talk the family into composting toilets and lentil stews before we go dark,really...

Stratter5 · 21/03/2015 11:46

I think anywhere like that is going to attract bad people, farms will too.

ThatBloodyWoman · 21/03/2015 11:55

So are we lovers or fighters?
Are we forming the MN Commune or the MN Militia?

Can we take a bit from Stratter5 long standing zombocalypse plan and advance towards a dock,take a ship,and go to an island?
Bit out of the way for many of us,but Findhorn has an established sustainable community.
Perhaps MN Academy can run a boot camp on survival skills/permaculture/field medicine etc,and we can bring something useful on our arrival,and enhance the community rather than having to be bad assed.
AIBU?

cozietoesie · 21/03/2015 11:59

If the balloon goes up, Woman, where are you actually going to get lentils from? There are only so many shops to loot.

I'd think more basic, myself.

cozietoesie · 21/03/2015 12:00

I think a 'Survival' board on MN is probably called for.

Smile
ThatBloodyWoman · 21/03/2015 12:05

Every households top shelf, in the back jar,covered in dust, cozie Wink

I think a Survival board is a great idea.
Who's approaching MNHQ?

Stratter5 · 21/03/2015 12:14

I will, if you'll all pop over to Site Stuff, and back me up

ThatBloodyWoman · 21/03/2015 12:17

Stratter5 I've got yer back,dude.

Stratter5 · 21/03/2015 12:22

Tis done, in Site Stuff