Russia and Ukraine, US preppers in high doh, potential impacts here?

[BiddyPop]

A number of US and Canadian based preppers seem to be getting even more anxious about the potential for DOOOOOOMMMMMM than usual - partly transport and logistics issues, but also theories about "government interference" and impending potential conflict situations.

Here, I am seeing

• Bird flu outbreaks happening (no longer just warnings and odd tiny spots)

-Potential that Russia will invade Ukraine thus shutting off gas supplies to Europe causing even more energy price increases/potentially shortage of supply

• Continuing logistics issues caused by the combination of Covid and Brexit
• Relatively high inflation on food and many other items

But, on the less pessimistic side:

• the weather is not as bad as many years,
• there is food on the shelves in shops, (gaps yes, but plenty of food)
• lots of countries are trying to talk Russia down,
• Covid is less of an issue as Omicron is making people so much less sick in general, even if it is making more people mildly sick
• and China is being very quiet at the moment.

So I'm trying to decide if I should be optimistic or pessimistic (currently at a point of starting to use up some of my back up supplies and run down stores again, but wondering if I should just be turning them over and replacing what I use rather than depleting them).

And if I should be looking at things like water purification systems or other areas of prepping (am ok for alternative cooking, reasonable alternative heating, some backup power and some water storage etc).

Honestly it's a hard one to call how it would affect us.

Personally I am making sure to keep some cash in the house incase of cyber attacks. Making sure I have plenty of warm blankets etc incase of an even greater energy crisis. And makinf sure I have food in the cupboards that may be harder to get.

I got some cash out today. I will get some more out another day.

@Sideorderofchips

Honestly it's a hard one to call how it would affect us.

Personally I am making sure to keep some cash in the house incase of cyber attacks. Making sure I have plenty of warm blankets etc incase of an even greater energy crisis. And makinf sure I have food in the cupboards that may be harder to get.

What food do you think will be harder to get? Things like cereal,pasta etc?

I rotate food stocks. I started doing a store cupboard meal a couple of times a week (good practise for emergencies and I can make most tinned things edible now)
I also dropped a few bits at food bank once a month or so. All were still well in date and I kept an eye on what they were asking for.

I've reduced the store, quite honestly, purely because we are all adults with no food issues. What I now keep is enough to last for about a month, assuming power is on as some is frozen. And then there's the emergency food: a shelf of tinned beans/meat/fish/long life milk etc.
I found a great site detailing cooking tinned tuna over candles. Must look it out. Think it needed to be canned in oil. We always have porridge oats too.
I've kept car refuelled from when it's three-quarters full since before brexit, which stood me in good stead late last year.
We have water purifiers, a working water butt and 3 large water bottles. Currently an area near me had no water or power for 3 days. Its possible.
We wouldn't survive long term but we can ride out bumps while things got sorted out. Communities tend to pull together quite quickly in my experience.
Interesting thread!

@BlackeyedSusan

I got some cash out today. I will get some more out another day.

Having money in the house is always good in case of a cyber attack and the card machines are out. Cereals, bread, pasta, rice, oatmeal etc are all made from grain so maybe stock up on them.

Anything made from grains really

I am more concerned about cyber attacks at this point as although we are told our systems are secure, we've heard all thst before

I would also make sure you have a basic medicine cabinet on the go as well

@Sideorderofchips

Anything made from grains really

I am more concerned about cyber attacks at this point as although we are told our systems are secure, we've heard all thst before

I would also (if this applies to you) fill your car up with fuel. It'll no doubt go up.... again!!

Agreed

Atm it's definitely cash in the house and a full petrol tank as extra to food stores.

I think having a bit of cash about and at least half a tank of fuel is always wise. I've often thought how impressive it is that the systems can support so many people (power/water/sanitation/food/medical services/communication) Occasionally we get a taste of how things would look when even a tiny part of it breaks down.
I simply can't fathom why people in certain threads shout 'scaremongering' or 'panic buying' if people want to discuss ways of preparing for unforseen events.
I'm well aware how little we can control, and how in a really bad situation, my meagre preps wouldn't save us for long. I like to think that having fuel in the tank (never less than half and usually more) and a bit of cash could get us out of town quickly if (say) we needed to evacuate
I like the idea of a grab bag too and an evacuation planner and think I'll get onto it - I think it would ease the panic to have a strategy for what we'd do about important things/meds/pets/hard copy contact details/blankets etc etc if we had to either hunker down at home or leave the house fast. Today's job is to put something like that together I think.
Happened in our next door county when a street was evacuated due to a gas explosion, as an example. I wouldn't want to be relying on a car with a nearly empty tank and be wondering what to do with the cat.
I can appreciate that many of us don't think of these things till its a bit late, but actually arguing against it seems to be lacking in any form of imagination.

Really wish I'd put petrol in the car yesterday, it's very low. Going to go first thing before everyone else gets the same idea!

I’m in a Scandinavian country, yesterday all police cars were ordered to fill their tanks, so I know many people here did the same. People are also getting prescription medicine out, in case of a cyber attack.

Name changed for this as I think I’ve been spotted by a family member and I don’t discuss prepping in real life.

I’ve been quietly been building up my stores of pasta and flour and most importantly ketchup for my autistic teen. I’ll take a look at batteries and get more water in too.

Get your cash in smaller denominations if possible. I’ve also got some gold chains on the principle that it’s easy to break links if I had to. I hold onto single earrings and broken jewellery too.

After March 2020 I’m more conscious of the importance of sugar, coffee, chocolate because morale is a priority.

I’m thinking through alternatives to heating (reconfiguring rooms) and to cooking. Thinking about meals that can be cooked with very little fuel, meals for black outs.

Another lesson I’ve taken from 2020 is that I can spare energy to be jolly and reassuring when I’m not frantically thinking on my feet. I also find that planning different contingencies keeps my stress levels down. I fully understand that others manage their stress by putting their heads in the sand though. But overthinking works for me!

I’m not going to try growing my own just yet - im a terrible gardener/farmer so things will have to get a lot more desperate before that. But I have some grobags set aside in the shed to get started if I need to.

I simply can't fathom why people in certain threads shout 'scaremongering' or 'panic buying' if people want to discuss ways of preparing for unforseen events.

because that is easier than doing something or thinking about it.

I think having the basic store cupboard stuff in really does help.
When covid hit in March 2020, I was 8 months pregnant and everyone was trying to reduce contact at that point. Dh was shopping for us, and two neighbours. Because he was mainly getting fresh milk/bread/ fruits for most it wasn’t too bad. Had everyone needed every single thing, three large trolleys alone wouldn’t have been possible

We are running low now on basics kitchen stuff due to kitchen renovations, so have been using up more.

I get cash out then use a twenty to pay for a bottle off milk or a drink, thus getting smaller chunks.

I used up a lot of change on busfare to the hospital in December and am building up the change again.

just thinking about it, a two week referral can rtock your world and need resources pdq s o worth keeping in bus/taxi fare./

Get your cash in smaller denominations if possible. I’ve also got some gold chains on the principle that it’s easy to break links if I had to. I hold onto single earrings and broken jewellery too.

Sorry I don't understand what the benefit of this is?

IF there is a cyber attack on a bank, you may still need to buy stuff with cash. having the right amount is helpful. If everything goes really tits up, gold is a currency that holds it's value as compared to a coutry's currency when there is rampant inflation and you need a wheelbarrow full of cash to buy a bottle of milk.

I actually feel slightly reassured to come over to this board today and find that discussion is mostly about preparing for cyber attacks rather than nuclear winter

So the usual - keep petrol tank topped up - keep household supplies topped up. A

Oop pressed send!

But meant to say prepping for the usual concerns - supply issues, blackouts etc - is reassuring.

Cash on hand is a very good shout.

I suppose there’s not a lot of point trying to prep for nuclear strikes anyway, in the U.K., where would we go, what would we do.

#lemonviolet I was thinking the same. I have been quietly hanging around these boards for years. As such have a well stocked and mostly well rotated food stock, alternative ways of heating and food prep etc. Which meant I felt and was mostly ready for covid and the recent storms. I have been checking in the last few days and it feels resuring that posts are calm and considered. I am a little jittery having many miltary links on a personal level I need to concentrate on emotional preparation should things change.

I agree @LemonViolet. It's soothing to do a bit of prep for potential short term catastrophes.
I'd prefer not to survive a nuclear attack I think.

It’s for ease isn’t it. While we also aren’t prepped for anything major, and def not nuclear. I usually have enough petrol to not have to queue for ages with toddler if needed. Same as bad weather, enough in that I don’t have to head out in bad rain/ snow/ wind and can wait 24/48hrs until calms