To 'stockpile food' is now our Government's official policy, apparently

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Stock up on food to prepare for extreme weather, minister says

Households should stock up on food to prepare for extreme weather as the strongest El Niño event in a generation develops over the Pacific Ocean, a government minister has said.

Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle told the Guardian the powerful natural climate phenomenon will lead to "more extreme storms in this country".  Her comments came as the National Audit Office (NAO) warned Britain's food supply chain is at risk given the growing threat of cyber-attacks and the climate crisis.

The NAO said the government was too reliant on the private sector to deal with food supply disruption. The government is due to unveil a strategy about preparing for national emergencies later this year.

Dame Angela said "We're about to experience probably the largest El Niño that has ever been seen, and that will lead to drier summers, wetter winters, with more extreme storms in this country.

"It will do a lot more damage in Asia with flooding, and therefore I think that we need to take it seriously.  If you've got a store of a bit of food that can keep you going for a while before the emergency services can get to you, you're going to be a lot better off than if you haven't.  So some of it is that kind of preparation for just being a bit more resilient."

Her comments came as an NAO report warned Britain's food supply chain is vulnerable to plant or human disease outbreaks, cyber-attacks and extreme weather.  It also cited climate change as a longer-term chronic risk which could leave Britain's food supply at risk.  The disruptions could push up prices and leave vulnerable people struggling to buy food, it said.

The NAO said the Department for Food, the Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) was too reliant on private companies to handle disruptions to food supply.  It added the department had not done enough in recent years to improve supply chain resilience.

UK^▸ (United Kingdom) households are less prepared for emergencies than those in several other countries such as Finland, Sweden and European Union nations, the NAO added.  It said ministers should encourage households to prepare for supply chain disruptions and learn from the approaches taken by other countries.

[TaplowGreen]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Stock up on food to prepare for extreme weather, minister says

Households should stock up on food to prepare for extreme weather as the strongest El Niño event in a generation develops over the Pacific Ocean, a government minister has said.

Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle told the Guardian the powerful natural climate phenomenon will lead to "more extreme storms in this country".  Her comments came as the National Audit Office (NAO) warned Britain's food supply chain is at risk given the growing threat of cyber-attacks and the climate crisis.

The NAO said the government was too reliant on the private sector to deal with food supply disruption. The government is due to unveil a strategy about preparing for national emergencies later this year.

Dame Angela said "We're about to experience probably the largest El Niño that has ever been seen, and that will lead to drier summers, wetter winters, with more extreme storms in this country.

"It will do a lot more damage in Asia with flooding, and therefore I think that we need to take it seriously.  If you've got a store of a bit of food that can keep you going for a while before the emergency services can get to you, you're going to be a lot better off than if you haven't.  So some of it is that kind of preparation for just being a bit more resilient."

Her comments came as an NAO report warned Britain's food supply chain is vulnerable to plant or human disease outbreaks, cyber-attacks and extreme weather.  It also cited climate change as a longer-term chronic risk which could leave Britain's food supply at risk.  The disruptions could push up prices and leave vulnerable people struggling to buy food, it said.

The NAO said the Department for Food, the Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) was too reliant on private companies to handle disruptions to food supply.  It added the department had not done enough in recent years to improve supply chain resilience.

UK^▸ (United Kingdom) households are less prepared for emergencies than those in several other countries such as Finland, Sweden and European Union nations, the NAO added.  It said ministers should encourage households to prepare for supply chain disruptions and learn from the approaches taken by other countries.

I suspect Broadgage is way ahead of the game on this one! 

[broadgage]

Indeed, I have long felt it sensible to keep a reserve of food, water, fuel and other supplies.
We are vulnerable not only to extreme weather, but also to industrial disputes, wars, coups and revolutions overseas, and other emergencies.

[TaplowGreen]

Indeed, I have long felt it sensible to keep a reserve of food, water, fuel and other supplies.
We are vulnerable not only to extreme weather, but also to industrial disputes, wars, coups and revolutions overseas, and other emergencies.

Venison, pheasant, Port, paraffin, toilet rolls?

[broadgage]

FUEL, petrol, paraffin, propane cylinders, gas cartridges, logs, smokeless  fuel.

Candles, batteries, mainly AA and D.

FOOD, mainly tins and dried pasta. Chocolate. lifeboat rations.

Bottled drinking water, barrel of rainwater.

Port, spirits.

Durable goods, oil lamps, battery lamps, tools, sheets, blankets, towels, long and short underwear. Large UPS.

No venison or phesant as perishable.

[TaplowGreen]

FUEL, petrol, paraffin, propane cylinders, gas cartridges, logs, smokeless  fuel.

Candles, batteries, mainly AA and D.

FOOD, mainly tins and dried pasta. Chocolate. lifeboat rations.

Bottled drinking water, barrel of rainwater.

Port, spirits.

Durable goods, oil lamps, battery lamps, tools, sheets, blankets, towels, long and short underwear. Large UPS.

No venison or phesant as perishable.

Glad to see that both long and short underwear made the cut - you can't be too careful with these matters!

[broadgage]

Long underwear is preferred in severe cold weather, or in moderate cold if heating fuel is short, short underwear at other times.
Cotton is most comfortable for daily use, wool is warmest.

[Chris from Nailsea]

We are rather straying from the original topic, but I do agree with broadgage on that one. 

CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum). 

[Chris from Nailsea]

Candles, batteries, mainly AA and D.
Bottled drinking water

Again, I agree with broadgage here.

In our household, we have a plentiful supply of candles in store.

We also have plenty of batteries, particularly AA and AAA.  Interestingly, we also had a large number of D Cell, but after a family conference, we couldn't identify any of our appliances which used them.  After making local enquiries, we couldn't find anyone else who would have a use for them - so we dumped them, in the recycling container at the local civic amenity site. 

Bottled drinking water we also have.  This has already proved useful, as we have suffered a couple of water supply outrages temporary failures, one due to a JCB driver impaling a water main on a building site the other side of Nailsea. 

As well as those, we also have a sufficient supply of canned and dried food to last for several days, in case of need.

CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum). 

[MVR S&T]

That was my thoughts, what do we use D cells for now?
OS^▸ (Ordnance Survey) in post CFN^▸ (Clifton Down station - or possibly a reference to an administrator on this forum, Chris from Nailsea, depending on context).

[Chris from Nailsea]

OS^▸ (Ordnance Survey) in post CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum).

As an aside here on this topic, may I thank MVR S&T here for his very generous , and much appreciated, arrangement to post some of his surplus Ordnance Survey maps to me.

Chris from Nailsea.

[broadgage]

That was my thoughts, what do we use D cells for now?
OS^▸ (Ordnance Survey) in post CFN^▸ (Clifton Down station - or possibly a reference to an administrator on this forum, Chris from Nailsea, depending on context).

D cells are less used than in years gone by, but have the merit of costing about twice as much as AA cells but giving from 6 to 10 times the capacity.
Mainly used in larger torches and lanterns. Four D cells in a torch with a 700 ma bulb will run for about 12 hours, with AA cells under 2 hours.

D cells can also be used, with an adaptor, in railway type Bardic lamps, now that the correct AD 28 batteries are extinct.

[GBM]

That was my thoughts, what do we use D cells for now?
OS^▸ (Ordnance Survey) in post CFN^▸ (Clifton Down station - or possibly a reference to an administrator on this forum, Chris from Nailsea, depending on context).

Our bathroom portable radio uses D x 2...........
Posted in error as past tense, but it is still in daily usage.

[Chris from Nailsea]

I used to have a very large 'Maglight' metal torch, which took at least three, possibly four, D cell batteries.

It was like lugging around a piece of scaffolding pole. 

[GBM]

I used to have a very large 'Maglight' metal torch, which took at least three, possibly four, D cell batteries.

It was like lugging around a piece of scaffolding pole. 

Thank you for reminding me.
We still have a large Maglite in the cupboard.  Tried it a minute ago, and still lights up, but not used it for years!