Preparedness for when

[Deleted User]

Witless wrote: »

I prefer the top of the stairs, that way you have the chance of another way out: depending on where the fire is.

I have mine in the bedroom.

I figure the most likely times for a fire to start (and get out of control without me becoming aware) is either when I'm out or in bed.

In the former case, I'd simply ring the Fire Brigade and wait.

In the latter case, I'd want the extinguisher to clear an escape route (sod trying to put the fire out - that's what the Fire Brigade are for), hence I'd want it close to hand, in the same room as I am.

I'm also considering getting myself a couple of smoke hoods.

One for the home, and one to carry with me when I travel.

[Deleted User]

newthrift wrote: »

bob think I'm going to have a look at those jump starter packs. Based on where we live and usually more than one power cut per year as it is AND having holiday cottages, may come in handy!

My next purchase will be, a bulb socket, a 3 pin plug, and 4 or 5 metres of lighting flex.

I intend to make a trailing, extension light fitting, that I can hang through the existing room lampshade, then plug into the Jump Starter pack.

vivatifosi

Regarding fire extinguishers... we have several, plus a fire blanket in the kitchen. If people have fire extinguishers, it is important to know how to use them... what types of fire they can be used for and how to handle the device. Without that knowledge they could be a liability. For example using a water extinguisher on a fat fire or a powder one in limited visibility in a space you need to escape from.

My husband teaches fire safety as part of his job. The other thing we do is have an escape route for every room. Also, latest fire brigade advice is to have a detector in every room apart from kitchens and bathrooms. Excellent advice.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

I was in £land earlier, and picked up a DVD called Home of The Brave, starring Samuel L Jackson and Jessica Biel.

A quick Google reports it as a flop, but I've never been one to judge a movie by the opinion of others.

If I was, I'd probably never have watched Howard the Duck, which is, IMHO, a brilliant film, starring one of the truly great and talented actresses of our time.

OMG!!!!!!!!!! I HAVE FOUND A SOLE MATE... I remember loving this film, and people thought I was mad..lol... had it on video... this is one of the best films ever.... so wacky..... wonder if I can watch on the old internet. or if it is on a cheap dvd...


'what a blast from the past'

Frugalsod

I bought a fire blanket recently. It is kept in the kitchen, but I doubt ever using it because I do not use the stove or oven. While a fire extinguisher is an option there is an expiry date on them. So you will need to replace them. Personally I think that if you maintain your electrics and have a fire blanket that might be all that you need. I protect all my electrical items with surge protectors even in the kitchen, so that eliminates them as potential causes. The building I am in has them and so that really covers that if absolutely necessary.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

BB .. can I pick your brains..please..


do you know how much this freezer would cost to run per week? based on it being not less than half full
http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/household-appliances/refrigeration/chest-freezers/lec-cf300l-chest-freezer-white-20078206-pdt.html


with the SHTF financially, I can now see the effects in sight so to speak, so we are going to grow as much as we possibly can this year...


we already have a chest freezer full of pork and a few lamb joints, and an upright fridge/freezer, but I want another chest freezer for veg etc...


I am trying to work out how much veg we need to grow to potentially feed ourselves all year...and some surplus to help cut the pig's food bill now and again...

GreyQueen

herbily wrote: »

This page has a little more on proposed changes to pension age:
https://www.gov.uk/changes-state-pension

It says

"The government has proposed that:

• people born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961 will reach State Pension age between 66 and 67
• people born on or after 6 March 1961 will reach State Pension age when they’re 67 or older

This change hasn’t been approved by Parliament yet."

I'm assuming that means if you're born before 1960, your state pension age is still 66.

Looks like my age will become 67. I fully expect that to extend to 70+ and perhaps there to be no such thing as state retirement for most of us, we'l lwork until signed off as permanantly too decrepit to continue/ actually dead. Barstewards.

CTC, had a look at the spec for that freezer and the advertised consumption of 273 kWh per annum equals 0.75 per day. How much are you paying per kWh atm?

I run a much smaller freezer, only 50 li capacity and my entire household leccy consumption is just over or under 2 kWh per day which works out very cheaply.

It seems like a good deal to me.

Re how much veg to grow, it's hard to say because people eat different amounts, children might be hollow-leg teens or nibbly toddlers. What you could try experimenting with is actually counting the amount of each commonly-used veg you use, say for a month, and multiplying those figures upwards.

A complication with veg is you can't predict the yield precisely. Not even farmers can, which is why they have to over-sow when growing to deliver to contract. For example, my best ever return on h.g. tatties was 9kg back for every 1kg planted. This was weighing them at harvest compared with the known weight of the seed spuds.

That was a very good year, when the rain came at the right time, and other years have been a bit worse as it was drier and the crop came in lighter. So, you might want to factor a return of about 6-7 kg back on 1 kg planted as an average.

Commercial crops tend to be irrigated to keep the yield consistantly high. You can see it in the fields around here. Sometimes the irrigatators are even running in the rain!

With other stuff, you will have to factor in losses to pests and disease, which will reduce predicted returns.

Could you also look at growing pulses such as some peas and beans for drying, to give you some non-freezer storage?

Hey, we're going back to the olden days but with a modern spin.

I was shooting with the longbow again last night. Whee! Not too shabby hitting a few tens and nines without any sights on the bow. Using wooden arrows (cedar wood) with turkey feather flights. They were dyed blue, and the 'cockfeather' was shocking pink.

At least I hope they were dyed as I'd hate to think that something the size of a turkey came in parrot colours.

nuatha

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

BB .. can I pick your brains..please..


do you know how much this freezer would cost to run per week? based on it being not less than half full
http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/household-appliances/refrigeration/chest-freezers/lec-cf300l-chest-freezer-white-20078206-pdt.html

The product details quote 273 KWH for annual consumption. Using the Energy Savings Trust figure of 13.72p per KWH the running costs would be £36.90 per year, replace the per KWH price with your actual tariff figure for a more accurate forecast.

with the SHTF financially, I can now see the effects in sight so to speak, so we are going to grow as much as we possibly can this year...


we already have a chest freezer full of pork and a few lamb joints, and an upright fridge/freezer, but I want another chest freezer for veg etc...


I am trying to work out how much veg we need to grow to potentially feed ourselves all year...and some surplus to help cut the pig's food bill now and again...

You might find this interesting. Unfortunately I can't find their 1m intensive plans and the summaries linked from that page look interesting.
Google also threw up this link which gives someone's initial plans for their allotment, and the rest of the website looks useful.

HTH

Karmacat

Nuatha, I love that second one in particular - the first is helpful, but the 2nd sounds like somebody's individual experience - setting aside areas for the shed and the water butts and the paths and then the permanent beds, thats great.

I planted out my Alexander's from Amazoon last weekend, and I was just filling the kettle first thing this morning and there was a black cat staring straight at me, peeing in between two of the bulbs. Sigh ... I have some dead twigs from the rosemary that died last year, must get them to lay them over everything.

I had a bit of a shopping recce last weekend, and saw a solar panel for a 12 volt battery, reduced from £35 to £20 - thing is, it was 4 watts. Its not really very much, is it

[Deleted User]

CTC - there is a leaflet published in WW2 under the dig for victory campaign that lists amounts of veg to grow to keep you in veg all year round. I found it here:-

www.earthlypursuits.com/AllotGuide/.../DigForVictory/_ /.htm

go to page 2 to 3 in the Ministry of Agriculture Leaflet No1 and it lists amounts to grow. hope that helps. Lyn xxx.