Germans told to stockpile

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Germans are being told to stockpile enough food and water for 10 days, in case of a national emergency.

Sensible or scaremongering.

Any thoughts?

Found you!

I used to be a prolific worrier, and stocked up after 9/11 like the Americans were told to. I've become more relaxed lately, but this has rwally unsettled me. I don't know why. Maybe because the Germans seemed more stoic and less dramatic.

It'll be interesting to read more about advice being given.

I think it's the official advice but that's unsettling. People stockpiling are prone to ridicule. Tin foil hats and all that. If it becomes government advice then it's no longer a laughing matter?

Yes, when I heard about this earlier, it did make me wonder what sort of intelligence they had. A government must know that such advice is going to cause anxiety, so they must have their reasons for issuing it.

We're in an earthquake zone and everyone is expected to prep for at least 48 hours, longer if possible. 10 days seems a lot, particularly somewhere like Germany!

10 days is probably a timeframe someone has worked out they could get minimum infrastructure resources back into place on a wide scale

Water bowsers don't just appear full for people to use and as food starts to run low panic and fighting breaks out as the supermarket shelves empty

Society in general is said to be 9 meals (or 3 days) away from starting to collapse

In a national emergency supermarkets would empty within hours, people without any preps would be fighting over food as panic sets in

I would be more worried about long term bog roll shortage as we a reasonably well prepped on food for a few weeks

I think it's sensible if just general advice, I think we are very lax in this country (UK) and when disaster hits we just wait for someone to fix it for us; despite flooding and gas shortages in winter being relatively common.

I too think it's sensible advice. As poster said on the other thread, people often live from one week to the next - if their delivery doesn't arrive they don't have enough food in the house.

Our cupboards are always full, it's fresh food that gets topped up weekly.

I've also got 20l of water stashed away. (tap water thats renewed every 6 months).

Not sure I have space for 10 days worth of food / water.

What sort of quantities are we talking about for say 2/3 days?

Recommended water is 2 litres per person per day Sandpit, I believe.
I suppose food is calculated on the individual family?

I've got enough food for ten days. I've 10k of pasta & enough jars of tomato sauce to make my family wish they had no Italian connections.

But on a serious note, I can think of many reasons this is the advice they have been given. My friends in Germany are very worried about their country right now.

Enough food & water for 10 days, fine. But security is something else I'd be very concerned about atm

I'm in Germany and have been watching the news, it's likely to be officially announced tomorrow......not completely decided yet afaik.

Am off out to start stocking up (a bit more) - what do I need to remember?

My personal inclination would be to buy food that can be incorporated/recycled into your main larder as needs be and that could also - at a pinch - be eaten without prior cooking.

Do you have any food allergies or intolerances in the family?

If you are near a water source I would just buy water purification tablets.

I keep tins, tinned fruit, rice pudding aswell as other bits and a store of medicines Calpol etc. Not masses but enough to last us a couple of weeks.

If you have space to keep a camping stove and gas that would be useful I guess.

Fortunately space is not an issue..... Have a big cellar to fill!

I have a gas barbecue and some gel fuel things for a fondue set. On top of a gas/electric hob and oven. And an open fire too.

Water - I need to buy/store more. There is a source nearby which I hadn't thought of, but would need to get purification tablets (?) for that I think.

Have today bought pasta, rice, cous cous etc along with tinned veg, fruit, fish and sausages - most of which could be eaten cold. Also bought some ready made sauces - which we wouldn't usually have but if needs must they're quick and ready.

The pasta etc would need cooking...... But so would all the other carb sources I have.

Have medicines, etc , but would need loo roll. Topped up on batteries too and wine and have lots of candles as I went to ikea recently

I think they were also talking about stockpiling some cash.,.... What would be recommended levels for a 5 head family?

Clearly Armageddon is on its way to Germany.....

I was going to say medicines, especially if you have prescription stuff. We were one day away from running out of DS' meds because of a problem at the supplier. I tried literally 20 pharmacies all over the city before finally unearthing a dusty box.

Since then we stay 1-2 weeks ahead.

Definitely get more loo roll!

How about a windup or solar powered radio ?

Water, food, meds - if they keep/are capable of rotation - semi-medical and household supplies and pet foods etc as well. (I believe that pet food can actually be eaten by humans in an emergency as well.)

People usually wildly underestimate the amount of liquid/water they'll likely need.

A windup radio and windup lantern are good ideas.

Yeah it's water that many underestimate, I think none of us who are used to fresh running water out of the tap knows exactly how much we use every day.

Then if real panic sets in someone who hasn't prepared could just swoop in and clean you out with a knife to your throat

Scary times man.

www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37164960

Here is a list from a German government disaster agency - scroll half way through the article. They seem to assume that everyone will have access to power / fuel in order to cook all that pasta

These announcements have made me feel a bit vindicated, especially with DP who is very dismissive of prepping.... but like pp I am a bit worried - if the German government is issuing this sort of advice then this must be looking bad.

I must come up with some way of organising and using / restocking my stash!

I'm afraid that my German is no longer up to the detail.

Ten days doesn't seem very long if it was going to be a major 'operation'. I think they are just giving disaster preparation advice.

I recall the '10 days' being the length of time used in various other scenarios in different countries. I doubt it bears much relation to the real time requirements whatever they might be. It rather means 'quite a while', I reckon.

I can't imagine a scenario in which you would need 10 days supply in western Europe. It would only be 3 days or zombie apocalypse.

Carol

A few Christmases ago we were snowed in. We had no power/running water for 6 days!

That was quite a task.

Luckily we live rurally so are used to it & are of course peepers. But it's very likely that 3 days wouldn't be sufficient.

Carol: What about the major flooding problems we and other countries have had over the last few years.

Carol do you swing as well?