3 hours ago
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If you were prepping, what should be your top five things to hoard in light of the recent power outages in Spain and Portugal? Alina Ahmad, Johannesburg
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We live in a wildfire area and were evacuated in 2020 when half the town burned up. There is never enough you can do to prepare for every possible emergency. Electricity out is not a big deal really, depending on how long it lasts. Twenty four hours or less, you need some sort of lighting and batteries, something to eat that doesn’t need to be cooked or a small camp stove for heating things up. A cord to plug in a cell phone in your car so you can get information on what’s going on. Some drinking water.
If the electricity is out for longer then you need to consider you will not have a toilet. This is when it gets more uncomfortable. We didn’t have electricity for a week and yet somehow we are still alive. kiramango
A UPS (uninterruptible power supply) for the computer and a satellite phone for when the local cell site runs its batteries flat (about 24 hours) and my 4G phone dies for lack of signal. Socialismnow
The most useful appliance is a tall, strong, able-bodied man, unless you happen to be one already. It’s amazing how many problems that seriously challenge my five-foot-three self can be easily addressed by somebody who’s six feet tall with a corresponding reach.
A car with enough fuel to take us to Grandma and Granddad’s house, where they have an open fire and a gas cooker. We have neither.
Candles – and don’t forget matches unless one of you is a smoker. Better still, I have an ace battery-operated lantern which has a carrying handle and a flat base so you can light your way anywhere. Spare batteries. Tinned food, but don’t forget dried milk.SpoilheapSurfer
I live in Spain and was there when the outage happened. The things I found most useful were my radio with solar panel and winding charge handle, portable power station and solar panel, cash, bottled water, head torch and a gas BBQ oven. Kpnuts888
Camping stove and gas, candles and matches, torches, wood for our stove, bottled water. Hugothecat
The blackout in Spain and Portugal reminded me of the need to include cash. RebChloBrown
I recommend The Art of Eating through the Zombie Apocalypse: A Cookbook and Culinary Survival Guide (2014). OK, I’ll be dead before I manage to dig out a root cellar, build a mud oven (all that London clay) and start cooking the garden pigeons but we have to do our best. cambridgeLSE
Water, lentil rice cakes, nuts, head torch, Roberts sports radio (small enough to carry in pocket). Apart from the water, the food is light (in case I have to run/walk a long way) but sustaining, if the rescue party is delayed! monono
As a former Red Cross emergency volunteer in London, I have experienced that events such as blackouts, gas leaks and floods aren’t as uncommon as we would like to think. I have a camping bag as a “go bag” containing:
toilet roll
soap
toothbrush and toothpaste
a change of clothes, walking shoes and a raincoat
a blanket
a first-aid kit with added blister plasters and water filtration tablets
2 large bottles of water
four days’ worth of non-perishable snacks (cereal bars, crackers, flapjack type things)
a battery and solar-powered radio
a battery and solar-powered torch
a map and compass
a small address book containing my loved ones’ home addresses.
I’m a UK botanist, and I was in the mountains looking at plants in Portugal when the power outage occurred. The top item is a portable solar recharger. So much of the information we have is carried on our mobile phones. Also, the internet/reception just doesn’t go down, it flickers on and off. This is essential for finding out what has happened, planning, or to let people know you’re OK.
Cash. There are no working cards or cashpoints, so you will need to buy food and a bottle of water with cash.
Good shoes or boots. You may need to set off on foot for considerable distances.
Light. Darkness can become dangerous with unlit stairs, streets, or just to keep your sanity.
A sense of adventure and humour. Reconnecting with the everyday realities of Europeans who lived just a few generations ago and feeling grateful for the comforts we now take for granted is a humbling experience.
I made it out of the mountains OK but a worried partner was waiting for me. AstridCardamine
In 2003, I happened to be in New York on the day of the great north east blackout. I’d been to a conference and was due to fly back to the UK that evening. I was one of the last to get through security and into the departure lounge: as I walked in, the lights went out and the toilets, taps and tills all stopped working. Passengers were mutually supportive, sharing food, drink, phonecards, empathy and information.
So my prep would be: gut-feeling, kindness, hope, things to share and a good book. WoollyAphid
So they’re ready at hand, I would suggest panic, despair, calm, ennui, lust. theteedeehoo
Toilet roll. Lots and lots of toilet roll. Dorkalicious
I have a couple of flexible lamps that came with a solar panel about the size of a paperback book – brilliant. Hours of light for about an hour of direct sun. Fit easily in a backpack. Probably not much good during a nuclear winter, but then nothing else is going to be, either. Has anyone mentioned chocolate? gardenerofearth
Dark chocolate, 78%, and sweet popcorn. (While we’re at it, Jaffa Cakes, Pringles, washed down with Hula Hoops.) My survival list is very …involved. EmmaStone
As a Californian with a hefty and evolving earthquake kit, don’t forget cash! Also, once a year, review your prep stash and swap out expiring food, batteries, meds etc. jgurrrl
A petrol or diesel-powered car. An angle grinder, so I can cut my way out of the lift. wyrcommunity
I’m from Canada. Whenever there is a storm with wind or ice, we fill our water jugs, pots and bathtubs and get out the supplies. We have a woodstove to keep us warm, cook on and melt snow. We also keep our camping gear close at hand, so we can make coffee with our jet boil. We have solar power banks and lights as well as battery-operated options. And a gas-powered generator. And beer. marmalily
There’s no need to do any “prepping”, leave the preppers to act out their doomy end of days stuff, and wish them well in their bunkers. bricklayersoption
