Preparedness for when

kidcat

Asd@ sell foldable water carriers which fold really small, I think I may invest in several of those to sit in the back of the cupboard. Assuming we get some notice a few of those would be ideal for washing etc.

valk_scot

mardatha wrote: »

You're at home with your family including a baby .....

I've just been re-reading this and one thought...if you're really serious about prepping well in advance for disaster scenarios it would be one more good reason to breast rather than bottle feed, especially since you might not be able to ensure a source of clean water to make up bottles or any way to sterilise feeding equipment. To go back to the long time camper thing, one reason I chose to breastfeed my babies up to about 15 months old was so I didn't have to worry about bottle hygiene in a tent!

But if someone is bottle feeding remember it's okay to sterilise bottles in a pan of boiling water for ten minutes. Or you could keep a bottle of Milton and a big plastic ice cream tub or box to use as an emergency steriliser. Also if you intend to use bottled water (boiled) to make up feeds make sure it has a low sodium/mineral content. In France for example, where bottled drinking water is used extensively, water is marked as to whether it's suitable for using to make up formula. If there's no fridge to store bottles you can store the boiled water in sterilised bottles at room temperature and make up the formula as you need it. You don't need to warm the milk either, most babies will happily accept room temperature milk. (Freshly made RT milk of course, don't leave it hanging around for hours!)

Tink_04

kidcat wrote: »

Asd@ sell foldable water carriers which fold really small, I think I may invest in several of those to sit in the back of the cupboard. Assuming we get some notice a few of those would be ideal for washing etc.

Thanks think that's a great idea will have a look next time im in there

meme30

kidcat wrote: »

Asd@ sell foldable water carriers which fold really small, I think I may invest in several of those to sit in the back of the cupboard. Assuming we get some notice a few of those would be ideal for washing etc.

Have a good smell of these before buying, some have a very heavy plastic/chemical smell which taints the water taste.

Cheapskate

mar, thanks for taking the plunge and starting this thread, along with PAH and smiley. It's NOT scaremongering, it's simply taking the Scouts' motto to a slightly higher level, that's all.

If it all went wrong one quiet winter night, I think we'd struggle a little right now, simply because I've let things slip. Having said that, right now I could re-open my old coal fire with little effort, our gas barbecue has some gas left, we have decent stores of tinned things that could be eaten cold, we have torches, nightlights, matches - and I can find them in the dark! :rotfl:

My brother and mum live 5 mins walk away in opposite directions from my house, my sister the other side of town, probably a good hour if we couldn't drive, but she's near in-laws, so we could be together in one house for comfort or safety.

None of us are hothouse flowers, so I like to think we could cope with roughing it for some time. I can keep us all warm, loads of blankets, fleeces, etc., but really need to address the water issue - am thinking several 5 litre bottles of water, plus some extra storage and purifying tablets/filters. No babies here, DD is nearly 3, still in nappies at night, but not for long.

My to-do list so far probably entails:

• Water/purifying means
• Gas for barbecue or buy small camping cooker plus gas
• Waterproof outerwear for all (serious stuff I mean)
• Increasing stocks of long-life milk/tinned goods/high energy foods (dried fruit/nuts/choc)
• Keeping car maintained and full of petrol in the event that I could still use it
• Cat litter etc for toilet use (got a big garden if we had to bury stuff!)
• More torches/nightlights/matches, including waterproof matches
• Plenty of books/board and card games
• Keep laptop and Ipad charged up - prob no internet or news, but could still watch films stored on them
• Having a serious amount of money in the house

Along with rising food prices, I think people have to seriously consider the real possibility of the SHTF - could be a cyber attack paralysing one or more major systems, having such a tiny margin of power stored in the National Grid or owt else - it wouldn't take much I don't think. Even just 24-48 hours of no power would cause massive chaos; to paraphrase something someone said earlier, most people under 35 have no memory of short times in the 70s, or even worse during war times, so maybe we are the sensible ones. To those you know who think we're barking, quote Frankie Howerd at them - "titter ye not"! :rotfl:

A xo

meme30

Just remembered, in the 3 day weeks of the 70's we had to use candles on the days we had no electric. My Dad positioned a mirror behind the candles on the mantel shelf. The reflection quadrupled the light in the room.

kidcat

For anyone using tealights its an idea to keep a few old jars so that they can sit safely inside.

skintscotslass

Tink_04 wrote: »

I do worry about these things especially with having a 3 year old but my plan is for us to live off tinned custard and rice pudding!

This is a really thought provoking thread. I'm wondering what everyone would cook? I could imagine us living off tinned custard/rice pudding and fruit!

rachbc

Disappointed that no one has mentioned checking on vulnerable people locally - infact some are even taking of hiding the fact they have provisions.

very very sad

elona

Things to eat without cooking facilities -

Crackers and cheese, jam,tinned sardines, tuna, sliced meats etc.

Bread or rolls or ryvita type as above.

Tinned meat with tomatoes, pickled onions, salad type veg or coleslaw.

Cereal with milk (long life)