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Items we apparently need because of El Nino this winter

(11 Posts)
Desdemona Mon 07-Sept-26 20:54:20

What the UK government says you need in an emergency kit
Battery or wind–up torch
Portable power bank
Battery or wind–up radio
Spare batteries
First aid kit
Wet wipes and hand sanitiser
Bottled water
Non–perishable food that does not require cooking and tin opener
Baby supplies
Gas–powered generator
Natural gas or liquid propane
Chainsaw
Toilet paper
N95 face mask

While I always like to keep a small stash of tinned food, wet wipes, loo roll and a torch (especially since Covid), what is the rest of it for?

A chainsaw, wouldn't know how to use one if I had one!

Desdemona Mon 07-Sept-26 20:55:04

I suppose some bottled water might be useful as well.

SueDonim Mon 07-Sept-26 20:59:54

A gas powered generator?? Maybe Aldi will have them in the middle aisle on Thursday.

Casdon Mon 07-Sept-26 21:10:04

If the internet is cut off, a plug in, digital radio won’t work, that is why a battery or wind up radio is recommended. Same for the torch when the power is cut.
A lot of people in the sticks do have small generators, usually petrol ones, but I don’t, although I can boil water on the log burner if necessary.

M0nica Mon 07-Sept-26 21:21:57

Acrually we do have a chain saw and I know how to use it. But I am not sure what use baby supplies are going to be to us.

A domestic gas-powered generator is orughly upwards of £500, plus gas cylinders.

I think if the power goes off I will just light my log burner and if we run out of fuel, the churchyard is just opposite. I will take my log saw there an cut up some of the trees blown down in the storms

However, I will be burning wood that is not kiln dried and it may be rather polluting.

MaizieD Mon 07-Sept-26 21:41:19

However, I will be burning wood that is not kiln dried and it may be rather polluting.

Perhaps that's what the N95 masks are for, to mitigate the effect of all those woodburners?

Perhaps the government might enter the 21stC and suggest the use of solar powered lights? I bet lots of people have them as garden lights but they would work indoors and charge up in the daytime if put by a window. Also, what about gas camping lights?

I'm not sure about wind up torches and radios. How effective are they? I bought a windup torch or two when they first came on the market and they were a lot of effort for not much light. But perhaps they've improved.

MaizieD Mon 07-Sept-26 21:43:28

P>S MOnica that wet wood would knacker your chimney, too, get a good supply of kiln dried in now 😆

dotpocka Mon 07-Sept-26 21:56:22

readyguidance.com/preparedness/hurricane-kit/

JenniRen Mon 07-Sept-26 22:01:31

dotpocka 😀 I like the fact they've included a tin opener!

MawsRosie Mon 07-Sept-26 22:20:26

How OTT!
I think that keeping a reasonable level of fuel in one’s petrol tank (if relevant) is useful too. It doesn’t take much for queues to form at petrol stations (and the price to go up)

Casdon Mon 07-Sept-26 22:47:11

Solar powered lights won’t work without sun though MaizieD, so they would be useless if it’s stormy. Battery powered LED lights are good, I’ve got a brilliant LED torch.