Preparedness for when

Tink_04

i have a stash of pre made formula 6x singles and steralising tablets as this was my major concern - i dont know how to use a camping stove and with a 4yr old id not try unless there was no power anywhere - im more likely to jump in the car and leave for my parents (who have more stuff like that) think ill get some more formula and some carton juice drinks in for DD4 so i can have some more on me if we leave.

maryb

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

That is just the greedy energy companies panicking that their golden goose will be well and truly cooked, it is corporate blackmail and if they do turn off the power it will be classed as terrorism as they are all foreign owned, therefore the government can seize the power stations and take them back into public ownership with no compensation, so the companies are just blowing a lot of hot air

.

BB the real problem is that we haven't built any new power stations for years and this isn't going to help persuade anyone they should go ahead with any plans in the pipeline. Shortages of generating capacity and storage are a disaster waiting to happen and ALL the political parties are bickering their way towards it and avoiding any sensible decisions, while at the same time uttering platitudes about the market operating efficiently because we can buy on the spot market. Translated, that is like saying it doesn't matter if you didn't buy enough food when you went to the supermarket, you can always pop down to the corner shop.

And in the short term prices will rise to give them a cushion in case they do have to freeze prices post 2015

mardatha

ALIBOBSY - sorry! Nairns oatcakes slabbered with peanut butter!

RAS

Tink_04 wrote: »

i have a stash of pre made formula 6x singles and steralising tablets as this was my major concern - i dont know how to use a camping stove and with a 4yr old id not try unless there was no power anywhere - im more likely to jump in the car and leave for my parents (who have more stuff like that) think ill get some more formula and some carton juice drinks in for DD4 so i can have some more on me if we leave.

Hi Juice contains a lot of fructose which is a sugar, so could lead to high and then low sugar levels within an hour or so. It may be better to have something with low G carbs or even protein that you can just sling in a bag.

So oaty biscuits or rice cakes and cheese would be good journey food.

Also some juices encourage loose bowels and peeing both of which you might want to avoid in transit?

lobbyludd

on the subject of water - keeping hygenic can be done without it - most bodily excretions are fat soluble rather than water soluble (hence the need for soap and lots of scrubbing), so a large pot of very cheap non-perfumed aqueous cream can be used to keep your whole body hygienic (which is what we've had to do with dd when her eczema flares very badly) or even olive oil on a cotton wool pad works very well. The bugs in general come off with the action of scrubbing during water-washing rather than anything else - but if you're worried an antibacterial hand gel/spray can be used. throwing or sterilising the washing implement (in milton/alcohol whatever) keeps everything hygienic.

nuatha

Tink_04 wrote: »

Ok im wanting to prepare for power outages throughout winter as we had a few last year but have a newborn this year or having to leave our house in an emergancy - im slightly overwhelmed by this thread as i rememberd it as more of a safty net but reading a few pages its a bit too much for me (lots of expensive equiotment that i have no where to keep or really want) im looking for tips on a smaller scale really (or id never sleep) i already have a good store cupboard, warm clothes blankets, rches/candles, important documents all in a file easliy grabbed, steralisingg tablets, car bag, car always at least half full or petrol. What else can i do without preparing for the whole "blackout" situation? (yes i watched, yes i was terrified) but i dont have the money or space to do these large scale things. Any tips for people like me with two kids small budget and no space?

Hi Tink
You don't need lots of expensive kit. The important thing is to think through what you'd go in a given situation and what you've got that would work or what you might need to fill in the gaps.
You sound like you've got things fairly well sorted already. You have a bug out location with supplies from the sound of it (your parents) and the means to get there (half tank of petrol) as well as having things organised if you need to bug out.

I'd been concerned about heating a bottle for little one (having premade formula is a useful head start) the stove BSB describes is as easy to use as a gas hob and isn't expensive but might still be an expense/gadget too far.

I've known parents who were really well organised and kept a baby bag always topped up for everyday use, I've known parents at the other end of the scale as well. If you're nearer the former then you'll have most of your emergency preps sorted, make sure there's stuff like the juice cartons for the 4 year old and something they can nibble on as well as something to entertain them (book?) That's your most important preps right there, your children are looked after.

Find alternative routes to your parents - what happens if your usual route is closed, is half a tank still enough fuel - remember that roads may well be busier and have stationary traffic which may eat into your fuel).

We do descend into gadget discussion every so often, it does pass. Quite often its sharing the knowledge of what we think would work for us and why - just because its a gadget doesn't mean you can't come up with your own solution. GQ's water carrier is a case in point, a 25l carrier needs a fair amount of strength to carry - in GQs case supplied by her ex-newspaper trolley, but is of less use to someone on the 9th floor of a block of flats with no working lift. The 2 litre bottles of water that get mentioned are portable and reusable and I'd far rather carry two or three of those up 9 flights of stairs than a 25 litre poly container.
Baby wipes are perfect for emergency hygiene, and those you'll already have, add a couple of small bottles of the alcohol hand washes and you've cut down on your water requirements.

HTH

[Deleted User]

Ever dropped your mobile phone down the toilet?

How about into a puddle?

Or maybe out of your pocket, while running for the bus, resulting in bits of it flying off in different directions?

If so, I think Aldi may have the answer to your payers.



Waterproof to 1m, shock proof to a 2m drop.

Quad band, MP3 music player, Stereo FM radio, Video player and camera.

£40.

The ideal prepper's phone.

jk0

paidinchickens wrote: »

Just a quick word on Labour wanting to cap any fuel rises, most new tariffs have a "unless the government" clause in the small print. ***** put the price up in the middle of our fixed plan and then laughed at us for not reading the small print.

As we arranged over the phone they had to compensate us more than the rise as they did not send us any terms but we will be extra careful in the future.

PiC x

That's shocking PIC, though no more than I'd expect from that particular company.

Are you on the gas tariff that has a different ratio of cheap/expensive units according to what month of the year it is?

(Obviously done to confuse price comparison sites. What a fiddle, eh?)

GreyQueen

short_bird wrote: »

From an opsec point of view, would you be better off having a collection of assorted empties in a crate for use at a standpipe? You could still use the trolley, but a selection of random empty bottles might look less suspicious than a proper carrier.

A Proper Water Carrier may make people think you are someone who knows where their towel is. (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in case it's too early or late to play spot the reference )

Whatever water we need in a SHTF situation needs to be carried up 9 flights, so perhaps it's time to sort something out! Yes, the drinking water did go off a couple of years ago but we could still flush. Which wouldn't be an option in extensive power cuts :eek:

Y'know, that is a most excellent point and something I hadn't considered. Thank you. I do have a lot of water in 2 litre bottles, which would be very portable and not look "prepper-ish" and could leave the larger carriers in deep cover at home.

I've just re-sorted the 2 litre water bottles in the dead-end corner behind the washer. Have 30 bottles (60 litres) hidden up there. They wouldn't defeat a good ransacking but are well-hidden from more casual snooping but they are just some of the water on the premises, with the 2 x 25 li carriers and another 16 litres in deep cover, in the hidey hole of last resort.

I also have quite a few more 2 litre bottles lurking among the deliberately-disarranged shelving at the back of my bike shed in the communal area. Because this area can be seen into by passers-by when the door is open, I aim to have the door open as little as possible. It's actually a very well-organised space but has a surface of mess all over the top to make it look like a load of old carp.

I particularly keep the water bottles well-hidden. In an emergency, I'd smuggle some of them across to SuperGran on the other side of the Towers, but I'd be very discreet about it, thinking 1 or 2 bottles at a time in my town rucksack.

I've often thought that it would be a very fine thing indeed, should one have an attached garage which was longer than it needed to be for the car, to construct a false wall across the back, with a concealed entrance, to make a skinny storage room. Deep prepping............:rotfl:

mardatha wrote: »

I seem to be prepping for SHTF and zombie invasion by eating a lot of peanut butter oatcakes and drinking a lot of tea. I am sure this will help.

:T One has to build oneself up to endure possible hardships and this combo of all the major foodgroups is just the ticket. Only lacks a choccie bar and it's perfect.

*************

:question: I'd like to canvas opinions on how people would choose to proceed in the event of a SHTF situation of severe impacts but unknown duration.

Would you immediately hunker down and use your stores, however plentiful, in a lean and rationed sort of way? Or would you say to yourself that it'd all be over in a week/ fortnight/ month and I have plenty, so use as normal and hope TPTB resolve the issue before the stores run low?

I'm imagining that news might be scarce and propaganda-laden and a sensible person might be of the belief that TPTB have no idea of what they are doing and just telling the people something to stop them panicking.

I think I'd assume that the outage might be indefinate and my supplies finite, so would be careful not to overeat, waste stored water or too much cooking fuel or battery power.

Over to you, troops.

ETA ; Tink, you're doing great already. Nuatha's right; I couldn't carry my 25 li carrier and wouldn't even try to carry it more than across the flat. I'm on the ground floor and my heavy-duty trolley is only a few metres away in a ground floor shed.

We each have to tailor our preps to our own needs, resources and also our temperaments. If you're gone as far as thinking What would I do if......? you're probably ahead of 9/10 of the general populace. More power to your elbow.

[Deleted User]

nuatha wrote: »

the stove BSB describes is as easy to use as a gas hob and isn't expensive

Of course, if you are really struggling for cash and/or space, you could get one these, for £3-95 (P&P free)

Pick up a C100 canister locally, for about £4, and you have a pocket sized (so you can take it with you, even if you have to bug out on foot) stove and fuel for about £8.