Are you all prepping for power cuts?

[User112]

BBC reported the other day about possible power cuts this winter due to gas shortage. Other than having a few torch light and candles, are you all prepping with anything else?

I have a lot of candles that have been christmas gifts to me in the past. Any power cuts here are going to be very fragrant.

Would you be able to afford boulders that you could then attach something reflective to? Or paint them in a reflective paint.

You do realise that the likelihood of domestic users
Being cut off Is vanishingly low ? Any blackouts will take place on factories and other industrial businesses

They prioritised business last time, it worked well. Why would they reverse a successful policy. SA had this around 15 years ago again industry was prioritised. There's a difference between your dinner being served late and a factory producing food etc

This is absolutely the opposite to what is likely to happen. The government will try to minimise the impact on businesses schools etc

As a child of the 70s I prep every winter for black outs and being snowed in. My main worry is the societal changes since then and what power cuts will mean in inner city areas.

Inner cities will need to change working hours as they did in the 70s. Ditto cooking, washing. We spent two decades in the hills windy, coastal. Power cuts meant generator in the barn. Torches, log burner, oil lamps and candles. My DS is in a flat with a gas hob otherwise he's stuffed heating wise. Told him to go to bed early and read. So many people no longer have land line phones which is a pain

"You do realise that the likelihood of domestic users
Being cut off Is vanishingly low ? Any blackouts will take place on factories and other industrial businesses"
Tory government notorious for putting people before business... no, wait ...
Google " rolling blackouts ". They have them in the USA.
It's gone from "pretty unlikely " to "pretty likely ". High dudgeon won't keep you warm

For me, I'm not only prepping for blackouts caused by supply issues but also other scenarios such as damage to infrastructure through bad weather, lack of maintenance, sabotage etc. I prep every winter for blackouts, and while this OP specifically mentioned supply issues this year, I think quite a few of us on this board prep generally for blackouts.

I'm not in the UK anymore, so won't comment on whether those governing you will make good choices, I'll just say, good luck.

You can get reflective material. On those high Viz jackets for a start. Youcan buy on t'internet

If you can't afford to get reflective material, at a pinch, wear something white. There was a public information film in the 70s (pre-ready access to hi-viz) which recommended this. Wrap some white material around your arm/bag or whatever.

I’ve got camping light bulbs, they are actually quite good and you can just hang them up on anything. Have had them for a few years now.

www.amazon.co.uk/Winzwon-Waterproof-Suitable-Mountaineering-Emergencies/dp/B07Q85F283/ref=zg_bs_3076599031_sccl_1/260-4351149-5750741?pd_rd_i=B07Q85F283&psc=1

Also don’t forget extra water if you have the space, to flush the toilet if there are planned power cuts..

Your loos run on electricity??

If the water doesn’t work either.

@justasking111 if there is a longer power cut, it is likely the water will stop running.

Actually just checked, where I live water may stop running even after one hour if there is a power cut..

They will have back up power for the water pumps. They will most likely be exempt though.

Even in our 3rd world country they won't purposely cut off our power and water at the same time.

You will be able to flush your loo.

You should generally be able to flush your loo during a planned blackout because they will try to prioritise water treatment. It’s generally in unexpected power cuts that water is affected.

Not if your water comes from a well powered by an electric pump you won’t.

Grannies used a windmill to draw the water up. I had forgotten that. They were very self sufficient

@RosettaTheGardenFairy I wonder if you can get cats eyes for the end of your driveway, or some reflective paint to mark it? Now I'm going to Google cats eyes instead of peeling potatoes for dinner!

They were, weren’t they. 🙂 Mine had an outhouse too, it was a leeetle cold during winter!

@RosettaTheGardenFairy Google reflective road studs and you will find an array of things like this. These are on amazon.

I can highly recommend the brochure If crisis or war comes, which was sent out to all households where I live. It has a really good list of things everyone has to have at home.

rib.msb.se/filer/pdf/28706.pdf