The Government checklist....... UKP version

[ForgeCorvus]

Put together an emergency kit of items at home

This could include:

1 Battery or wind-up torch – torches are safer than candles.

2 Portable power bank for charging your mobile phone.

3 Battery or wind-up radio to get updates during a power cut – a car radio can be used, however in severe weather it might be safer to stay inside.

4 Spare batteries for torches and radio and a backup battery for any medical equipment you rely on.

5 A first aid kit (or some first aid items) including items such as waterproof plasters, bandages, a thermometer, antiseptic, eyewash solution, sterile dressings and gloves, medical tape for dressings, and tweezers.

6 Hand sanitiser and wet wipes for hygiene purposes when the water is off.

7 Bottled water – there is no standard figure for this as emergencies can vary in duration and people use different amounts. A minimum of 2.5-3 litres of drinking water per person per day is recommended by the World Health Organisation for survival. 10 litres per person per day will make you more comfortable by also providing for basic cooking and hygiene needs. Additional water might be needed to make up baby formula, for medical devices and for pets.

8 Non-perishable food that doesn’t need cooking, such as ready-to-eat tinned meat, fruit or vegetables (and a tin opener). As with water, how much you need will vary based on your own circumstances. Don’t forget food for pets.

9 Baby supplies such as nappies and baby formula – ready made or ‘ready-to-feed’ formula is best as you may not be able to boil water.

Rather than buying all the items at once, you could just add to your emergency kit when you are able and build it up over time.

So, what would we as experienced preppers suggest to the complete newcomer whos found this list on https://prepare.campaign.gov.uk/get-pre ... ergencies/ and this forum was the top of the search list when they went looking for advice?

[grenfell]

Well to get the ball rolling perhaps a gas stove to heat food and drinks in the event of loss of power and further to that warm clothes and wool blankets or sleeping bags should it be winter time...

[Kiwififer]

I don’t have a wind up torch but I have several rechargeable torches. I do have a solar/wind up radio which works well.

I have a solar power bank which can charge several items at once. I did have a small portable charger for my phone but I’ve put it in a safe place and well we all know what happens with that!

I have a full first aid kit. Thanks to here, I purchased a workplace H&S top up pack which actually has more items in it and was half the price. I can’t remember who posted to get that years ago but thanks!

We have hand sanitizer soap, we don’t have wet wipes but there’s usually a pack kicking around. We do have antibacterial cleaning wipes though.

We don’t have bottled water but what I do have in the attic is 7 5l demijohns which has homemade wine in it. I need to go empty and clean them as the wine didn’t turn out good so that would do.

Food - well we only have what we have in the cupboards but given warning, I’m sure could stock up with supernoodles!

We dont have kids so no need for nappies.

But how to cook? If the gas and electric was off, I have a large chiminea in the garden with a few pots and pans with long handles. If it was a bug out situation, I have a tripod set up but what I don’t have is a Dutch oven or something to hang from the chain.

Something to think about.

Something the list doesn’t have and it’s one of the things that keeps being forgotten about is thick cord and something to cut it with. Anyhow, off to look at cast iron pots….

[Frnc]

I don’t have a wind up torch but I have several rechargeable torches. I do have a solar/wind up radio which works well.

I have a solar power bank which can charge several items at once. I did have a small portable charger for my phone but I’ve put it in a safe place and well we all know what happens with that!

I have a full first aid kit. Thanks to here, I purchased a workplace H&S top up pack which actually has more items in it and was half the price. I can’t remember who posted to get that years ago but thanks!

We have hand sanitizer soap, we don’t have wet wipes but there’s usually a pack kicking around. We do have antibacterial cleaning wipes though.

We don’t have bottled water but what I do have in the attic is 7 5l demijohns which has homemade wine in it. I need to go empty and clean them as the wine didn’t turn out good so that would do.

Food - well we only have what we have in the cupboards but given warning, I’m sure could stock up with supernoodles!

We dont have kids so no need for nappies.

But how to cook? If the gas and electric was off, I have a large chiminea in the garden with a few pots and pans with long handles. If it was a bug out situation, I have a tripod set up but what I don’t have is a Dutch oven or something to hang from the chain.

Something to think about.

Something the list doesn’t have and it’s one of the things that keeps being forgotten about is thick cord and something to cut it with. Anyhow, off to look at cast iron pots….

Water is a priority. You can use those demijohns. Just make sure they are clean and sterilised.

Food - depends how much you have. I don't have a massive stock, am about to stock up a bit actually, but I have at least a few bags of pasta, tins of tuna, tubes of tomato puree. These don't take up much space, have a good shelf life, and I can rotate and use them. I do keep a tin of Nido on top of the fridge, but the last one I gave to the food bank when the expiry date was looming. I also usually have a bag of dried egg, but I need to get a new one. I usually manage to use most of it when the expiry date looms. Also I keep tins of butter beans, which I use to make my own baked beans.

[Frnc]

I don’t have a wind up torch but I have several rechargeable torches. I do have a solar/wind up radio which works well.

I have a solar power bank which can charge several items at once. I did have a small portable charger for my phone but I’ve put it in a safe place and well we all know what happens with that!

I have a full first aid kit. Thanks to here, I purchased a workplace H&S top up pack which actually has more items in it and was half the price. I can’t remember who posted to get that years ago but thanks!

We have hand sanitizer soap, we don’t have wet wipes but there’s usually a pack kicking around. We do have antibacterial cleaning wipes though.

We don’t have bottled water but what I do have in the attic is 7 5l demijohns which has homemade wine in it. I need to go empty and clean them as the wine didn’t turn out good so that would do.

Food - well we only have what we have in the cupboards but given warning, I’m sure could stock up with supernoodles!

We dont have kids so no need for nappies.

But how to cook? If the gas and electric was off, I have a large chiminea in the garden with a few pots and pans with long handles. If it was a bug out situation, I have a tripod set up but what I don’t have is a Dutch oven or something to hang from the chain.

Something to think about.

Something the list doesn’t have and it’s one of the things that keeps being forgotten about is thick cord and something to cut it with. Anyhow, off to look at cast iron pots….

I have various camping stoves, but regarding the hanging pot, I have one of these for bugout. 1100 ml pot. Expensive though.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07S3SZ5ZF

[grenfell]

Just a mention about cooking pots that might or might not be useful or interesting even if it is such a small factor . I've mentioned a while ago that I re-enact and we have several cast iron pots or cauldrons. We stopped using them because one of our members had a problem with iron in her diet , ironically she was the group cook at the time too. We turned to using brass pans . One advantage there is that copper or copper alloy pots are better at controlling bacteria by all accounts from what I've read , certainly better than stainless steel . Not sure how titanium fairs in this regard.

[Frnc]

Just a mention about cooking pots that might or might not be useful or interesting even if it is such a small factor . I've mentioned a while ago that I re-enact and we have several cast iron pots or cauldrons. We stopped using them because one of our members had a problem with iron in her diet , ironically she was the group cook at the time too. We turned to using brass pans . One advantage there is that copper or copper alloy pots are better at controlling bacteria by all accounts from what I've read , certainly better than stainless steel . Not sure how titanium fairs in this regard.

The reason titanium is used is because it's light. You can get aluminium cheaper though. I'm not sure how aluminium would fare over a wood fire. Should be ok, it's ok on a gas stove. But if you use it a lot, it's supposed to have some health isssue.

[pseudonym]

So, what would we as experienced preppers suggest to the complete newcomer whos found this list on https://prepare.campaign.gov.uk/get-pre ... ergencies/ and this forum was the top of the search list when they went looking for advice?

No matches or lighters?

Store what you eat, eat what you store.

Start intermittent fasting now. Get your body and mind used to eating less often.

Get treats in whether that's crisps, chocolate, jelly babies or gin

[jennyjj01]

No matches or lighters?

Store what you eat, eat what you store.

Start intermittent fasting now. Get your body and mind used to eating less often.

Get treats in whether that's crisps, chocolate, jelly babies or gin

Seconded. But also rotate some pepper compromise foods into your regular diet. Eg if you normally eat fresh veg and meat, consider using your stored tins of peas and spam one day a week.

[Frnc]

Prepping is an incentive for me to make pasta. It's not that I don't like it, but if I wasn't storing it, I'd probably eat it less often. I try to make a batch about once a month, that's about 4 or 5 meals. But I usually have it with cheese, sometimes tuna as well. I mainly use the tuna up in sandwiches, or occasionally on a pizza. I don't store rice because I don't like it. I store naan breads, but only about 6 maximum, because they only have about 2 months shelf life.

Got an extra bag of pasta today, but will get more pasta and tuna soon.

By the way, how do people plan their meals? I plan mine in my calorie counting app, about 10 days in advance. Obviously sometimes I have to change it. But it helps me know what to buy, what to use up and so on. Like, I have some mushrooms, but no other fresh veg, so I had curry the last 2 nights, tonight I'm having pizza (which I put mushrooms on), and the next 3 days, fish and chips with mushy peas. Then pasta for a couple of days, and I'll freeze two or three pasta sauces. Then I need to buy veg.