Preparedness for when

PipneyJane

Did someone mention Zombies?:rotfl:

This is a brilliant thread. Thanks for starting it, Vanoonoo.

What is your SHTF scenario?

The scenario that haunts me is one that was dreamed up by the BBC , in their brilliant series from 2004 "What Happens If....The Lights Go Out". Set in 2014, Britain is in the grip of a severe winter (think 2010 all over again). With the North Sea gas drying up, we have become heavily dependent on gas imported from Russia in order to power our homes and the unthinkable happens: Russia cuts off the pipeline. (I don't remember if it was political or due to terrorist activity.) While the episode is fantasy, this has actually happened to the Ukraine in 2009 and to Belarus in 2006. Given how touchy Putin is, it could happen here, too, although maybe not on the scale envisaged in the episode.

When you look into it, it is scary how much stuff is driven by electricity. Even my gas central heating has an electric pump. And the boiler is controlled by a circuit board. I don't want to be caught out, so am planning to install a multi-fuel stove in the lounge. Something large enough to cook on. (This is usually item 3 on the save-up-and-do list, after replacing the kitchen roof and fitting a kitchen. Sometimes it gets bumped up to item 2.)

missrlr

Yes, that is a scary one, we had solar panels installed to give some tizzy when it all goes out and I am working on a UPS type device to store this for heating pump purposes, but its a big old task that one! best combo seems to be coupled to a water storage system just like the old water tank we have .......
Mum pointed out that we would have been OK when living in the ancient house with no central heating as the answer was take a walk in the wood and chop some wood, then stick it on the wood burner. Other family have gone for ground source heating, again quite efficient, but pumped so combined with storage efforts (they are in the back of beyond of no where literally the end of the telephone line, sewage is still septic tank, bore hole water and what is this gas thing???? they are going for solar panels next too.

lally666young

I have read this thread with great interest. I watched Soylent Green last night, you know were society has totally broken down and they are living anywere and eating rations of these coloured wafers. That was prodicted to happen in 2022. It makes you wonder if these writers are crystal ball readers. Do we end up eating our dead when food runs out. Except people do not know they are eatingdead humans.
I think it is a really good idea to have a back plan. God we even went as far as a couple of years ago of looking at buying an old nuclear bunker which had gone up for sale. I wish we had bought it now. Especially when you see the state of this planet now. We own a cottage in the lakes in the middle of nowhere, we would just move to there. And carry a gun. I wouldnt stay were we are now as they are total idiots now, what would they be like if something did happen.

missrlr

I really want a nuclear bunker, just think of all the storage spaces! DH will shake is head in disbelief now and think I have lost the plot

boultdj

kittie wrote: »

we had a 6 hour loss of power this week and some of my shtf prep came into play but I hadn`t calculated for boredom, which will be pronounced if we cannot get out. It was too dull and dark to knit and I couldn`t be bothered reading too much. Anyway, thinking cap on this week re boredom allevitors

A pack of card's,quiz book's, chess/draughts set, seeing as it's heading for the festive season get's ready to duck writing the card's out, or even making some if you like doing that, an early night careful young 'en's, don't want to be responsible for a baby boom listen to the radio/cd or how about having a couple of book's on tape, I know they reley on power, but if it's not going to last to long you can use the batter's and replace them next time you go out, or the radio might be a wind up 1.
What else? You mentioned knitting and it being to dark for that, so how about crocheing[sp?], french knitting, write a letter to friend.

Kitchen_Garden

We are at the mercy of so many things. As a population, we have lost all the skills that we used to have..proper practical skills that our ancestors were so good at. Hunting, fishing, cooking, baking, making everything from pots to houses, growing our own food.

I'm not sure we have really evolved that much as a species in the last 100 years, actually I think we are going backwards.

ALIBOBSY

missrlr wrote: »

I really want a nuclear bunker, just think of all the storage spaces! DH will shake is head in disbelief now and think I have lost the plot

Did you see that episode of doomsday preppers where that couple had bought an ex missle base in the 80's (I think) for just 40k. They had a log burning stove, jacuzzi, lovely kitchen etc etc and to all intents and purposes it was a nice house to live in. But it also came with blast doors, miles of storage, and all around barbed wire fence lol.

Sad to say my OH is worse than me lol. He got a book from amazon turn up this morning-the SAS urban survival guide .

We both loved the idea of an ex gov bomb shelter or missle base (don't tell anyone we know tho rofl). I had asked him to get a few bits from the shops and he came back with some more value tinned spuds:T as well as some dried potato as I happened to mention to him about the potato harvest being down this year because of rain/blight a couple of days ago.

It some ways its easier if you are both into prepping, but in others I sometimes think we could egg each other on too much.

Ali x

ALIBOBSY

Just realised I haven't joined the group so to speak, so can I join up pretty please. Have a serious stock cupboard with at least 40 toilet rolls at last count and trays of tinned veg/soup/beans etc. Wind up torches and candles at the ready and OH can shoot, clean and skin a rabbit ready for the pot no trouble (obviously once he has finished reading his SAS manuals he will be a lean mean fighting machine rofl).

Skills ummmmmm well kids reckon I am a good baker, DS reckons my choc brownie can't be beat, and can man handle a chicken (and hypnotise it) as we have some girls out back-so plenty of FR eggs as well .

Ali x

2tonsils

jamanda wrote: »

2T

I may be muddled, but I think I saw an article somewhere in the last day or two saying that the troika had instructed that all the tax inspectors were to be sacked and they had to set on temporary people (unqualified) to collect taxes on a performance basis. I take that to mean they will be like nasty debt collectors.

I hope I am muddled.

Actually its strange you should mention this as I just heard from one of my friends in the underground news sites (as in knows what is going on rather than conspiracy theorist lol). He told me that its true that Everyone from the top down to office managers are being taken out of the tax offices and local government administration offices . Some offices are being closed altogether and brought under a new grouping that has not been announced yet.

Word has it (not officially of course) that some kind of receivership is being done and the country prepared to leave the euro. That would make sense as its in such a mess, the bailout will go straight to a special account to pay the banks back, so no money will be available for pensions, health care or anything else.:eek:

I saw a translation of an official document tonight that says the EU financial group (German) want all the taxes, vat and other incomes the government collects to be paid into a special fund that someone else will control, not the Greek government. It said 'curators' but that could just be the translation.

It's going to be a scary run up to Christmas and beyond, and not just because of the December Mayan date thingy! Excuse me while I shoot off to the shops.....I need some chocolate!:rotfl:

Popperwell

D&DD wrote: »

Pops that was what I rang him about as the borough we live in we are happy with services wise and council tax etc..the one we will come under if plans go through is decidedly dodgy all round for kids services etc but I've been assured by said MP that its only for voting purposes and for everything else we would still come under our original borough hope that reassures you

Thank you for that. I wonder if it will happen as without the Libdems support it seems unlikely in this Parliament. TBH the local council(we only have a county council these days)and the local Housing Association is not held in very high regard and most preferred renting their property from their district/borough councils and are not seemingly too happy being ruled by the county council when it comes up in conversation but that's how it is...:(

D&DD wrote: »

I meant to add yesterday about those spiky things don't forget to fold them down/remove them when you are not using them on ice I went for a thrilling skate last year while using my Yaktrax when I entered the shop and no its not available to view on youtube but it would have made me a fortune :rotfl:

I always wondered about what may happen if you wore those on footware and went indoors, I had a feeling they may have to be removed...