prepared for the worst

[chesters1]

just thought i would do a poll on how prepared people are for emergencies .

the poll things lacking in questions unfortunately so no questions if you have a stand by submarine or igloo etc .

 

is it our duty to think ahead so we dont rely on others?

is the expense worth the effort? (its not expensive in reality)

 

in Sweden by law you must have provisions for a set period (and i expect the means to use them) so is it time we did here so were not dependant on others?

 

remember in a power cut your freezer has 3 days of edible use (fridges less) so have you the means to eat .you can use other means but calor gas fridges and freezers are expensive ,very handy if you have them but impracticable to buy for only emergency use.

being a camper were lucky to have a gas fridge so our milk will be fine for our cuppa.

looking towards a freezer but veeery expensive even for camping

 

we decided long ago after turning up at a campsite missing vital bits for the tent to make them all totally independent ,all have their own bag with two mallets ,plenty of pegs and gyelines etc.We just grab that tent from its steel trunk (dont want mouse nests either! and trunks in several locations) and we know everythings there .Note we didn't splashout on purpose the mallets accrued by not taking one with us so we had to buy another one.

then we decided to not only make the tent itself independent but the "hardware" as well ,not decided until the family borrowed one when we were using another! so each tent has its dedicated air beds ,table and chairs etc etc.Handy really you grab a tent and its bits and your away! The trailer tent (we use this most) ofcourse has its own hardware built in plus in the trailer the bits that go with it like electric leads ,bog etc etc.

 

most anglers i expect will have all those boxes ticked but i think most other people will suddenly get caught out and then depend on others to help them ,most will help but should they need to? should they possibly go without to cater for those that cant be bothered to look out for themselves.

 

we can look after ourselves totally is it unfair to ask others to try to do the same ,i hear on tv the residents are running out of food ,the place isnt completely cut off is it?

 

the last box was deliberate to show if you need to go elsewhere to keep going its a bit pointless having the means but then having to either go out yourselves or depend on others to bring you the fuel etc.

Edited November 23, 2009 by chesters1

[Tony U]

It would mean moving into the caravan but I have at least a week's worth of alternative facilities

 

Tony

[chesters1]

caravan luuuuuxery

i had thought us anglers would have the facilities being outside its nearly camping anyway .

what would happen if you ran out ? today were depended on outside influences unfortunately ,no village shops ,ours sells little more than fancy sweets at 2 quid a quarter and newspapers so nothing for the masses there if it were cut off.the garage has gone so no fuel (petrol ,paraffin or calor gas) so unless you can walk there (if you haven't a car) your buggered.

our nearest sainsbury that sells fuel (not calor gas unfortunately) is 4 miles away well within walking distance.calor a few hundred yards further.

the emergency services could help the needy but should they help those that dont have alternative facilities but are perfectly able to provide for themselves?

 

the council took our gas fire away in their replumbing ,i asked how we could heat our home in a power cut (no central heating boiler will work as they are dependant on electric so no central heating) all i got was "safety" thrown at me .i asked if they would remove the chimney liner so we could (at our expense) put in a fire (as in coal etc) they refused so in a power cut were buggered .we have several heaters (calor and paraffin) but the council is taking away alternate heating for the elderly council dweller who perhaps have no other forms to depend on! probably for monetary reasons because you dont need to pay for a gas safety certificate for something that doesnt exist

the little old lady next door has her gas fire she owns her place luckily but how many needy are sitting shivering at the first power cut (weve had two in the last month )

one year we were off for 4 days and in the end the company brought in huge (and noisy) gas powered generators where we sat for a further 3 weeks

strange the electric round here weve been cut off and nextdoor fine despite both houses being semi detached both built at the same time for the council in the 50's

i love them out comes the lamps and the place is lit up like blackpool ,we often get a knock at the door by the neighbours thinking were still on leccy.

 

didnt have room for food ,could you exist without going to the shops ,tricky! your freezer lasts about 3 days then your down to tins and dry goods.

we have about a months supply of food at any one time (including army rations scattered about) ,we have 2 freezers so i would enjoy putting on plenty of blubber for later use for when were down to the dried potatoes and soup

Edited November 23, 2009 by chesters1

[rob.imk2]

All of the above plus my escape pod caravan Obviously if youre a camper you will be well prepared for roughing it and wont be put out by a bit of bad weather

[chesters1]

i wish there was a caravan question (theres only 3 allowed) its a self contained survival pod!

bad weather isnt a problem even tenting the bad old days of ridgetents are long gone ,we used to have a motorhome (sadly sold to buy "stuff") it was better than home

 

if things (according to the doom and gloom merchants) are going to get wild and woolly in this global warming theory should the government do more (become even more of a nanny) or should people be expected to look after themselves for a little while so the deserving get attended to quickly (as they rightly should) without having to bail out the lazy or short sighted?

i remember as a kid the sirens being tested (in the 50's not the war) incase of nuke strike do they exist still? "ours" was on the town hall just down the road in bromley

 

we also are getting a dilemma food wise as well ,a fair number on here shoot so game could be sourced (as well as fish ofcourse) but a huge number of the population wouldn't have a clue how to provide food once the pantry was bare .Not only knowhow but the places to do it .The country is fine but all the foods going to be diverted to the towns

Edited November 23, 2009 by chesters1

[barry luxton]

Does moving into me berlingo van count. Leave the engine on tickover subject to the deisel use. That would give me heat and light, cook something wrapped up on the manifold i suppose.

[chesters1]

no it bloody doesnt anyone can do that you could though take a wire indoors from the battery to 12v lamps you would be on the way to it

costly though to run a 12v fridge they eat electric so your diesel will be very thirsty.

 

just reminded me we actually have 3 12v powered electric blankets bought them for £3 each from woolies we may use them one day ,the 12v gel batteries were worth many times that themselves ,we keep them charged for emergencies

they live in the loft in a trunk i think ,batteries in the shed.

 

bring it on! no wait we need a genni to recharge the batteries once the electrics off

Edited November 23, 2009 by chesters1

[Tony U]

We normally keep about a weeks worth of rations in the van but the cupboard is a bit bare in their after the end of the season.

We do have enough dried pulses tins etc. at home though to see us throughv a month or so if we had to decamp to the van.

If the caravan option is not on I suppose we could always live in the two man bivvy, at a push.

[Dalesdad]

After answering honestly, maybe I thinks that I should be more prepared!!

 

Lights, have 1 pack of candles and a couple of torches with maybe a spare battery or two.

 

Warmth, do the above mentioned candles count? We all have plenty of jumpers.

 

Cooking, Slightly better off with a gas barbie that has a sperate ring, 1/2 a dozen or so disposable barbies and a camping "trangia" with a supply of meths in the garage. Have one saving grace and that is the local chippie is fully prepared in powercuts and actively states that it will be open when there is no pwer.

 

We also have a couple of lightweight 2 man tents to reside in if needed.

 

All in all not very long term I must admit and this coming from an "unprepared" ex scout leader.

 

To add to the misery, if the river I live next to does breach then it will also wipe out my work place as that is further down stream and lower than my house. (No job - no home - no worries!!)

 

I thinks I better check the old insurance policies and put them in a water/fire/explosion/nuclear proof container some where safe. Although I do believe the wife has already taken copies round the in-laws as a back-up.

[JV44]

Loads of supplies on the boat but assuming that's out of bounds then 2 generators in the shed with a Tent and sleeping bags gas stoves/lamps Kerry kettle [generators would easy run freezer and lighting and a small oil filled rad ] but its how long the petrol lasts eh?? .

Got one of these and for cooking using maybe 8 briquet's of Charcoal can`t be beat http://cobb-bbq.co.uk/ ,dont use it so much now as the new boat has proper oven but great for slow cooking meats like Lamb .

Rechargable laterns/torches and Candles but don`t ask me where the Candles are hidden ,Without the frozen food i would guess a couple of weeks worth of tinned stuff Eggs and whats in the fridge ,The dogs must have a months worth of grub so they would fare better than us .

Flooding .... 2 canoes and 2 portabotes but dont think i would have liked to use either if it was raging like recently seen on the news ,Oh and 4 lifejackets i aint sinking Steve